French soccer player and gameč Paris Saint-Germaina, Désiré Doué was declared the winner of the Golden Boy award for 2025. This award, which the Italian sports newspaper Tuttosport awarded to the best young footballer (under 21) in Europe, the twenty-year-old Doué won after a season in which he achieved significant success with the club and established himself as one of the outstanding young talents. Having inherited Laminae Yamala from Barcelona, Doué joined the list of winners that includes i Lionel Messi, Kylian Mbappé i Erling Haaland.
Great season
Doué’s path to the prize began in August 2024, when PSG realized his transfer from Rennes for the amount of 50 million euros. In his first season at the Parisian club, Doué recorded 16 goals and 16 assists in 61 official appearances. His contribution was significant in winning the triple crown for PSG: the Ligue 1 title, the French Cup and the first Champions League winner’s title in the club’s history. His performances also brought him individual recognition, including the award for the Best Young Player of the Ligue 1 and the Best Young Player of the Champions League.
In addition to statistics, Doué stood out with performances in important matches. In the Champions League final against Inter Milan, in PSG’s 5:0 victory, he scored two goals and recorded an assist for Achraf Hakimi. This made him the first teenager to score two goals in the Champions League final, surpassing the record held by Eusébio. During the season, he also recorded other important moments. He scored the goal against Angers that secured PSG the French title, converted the penalty to go through against Liverpool at Anfield in the round of 16 of the Champions League and scored the equalizer against Aston Villa in the quarter-final.
Who is Doue?
Born on June 3, 2005 in Angers, Doué came through Rennes’ football academy, which he joined at the age of five. His style of play is characterized by agility, speed, creativity and dribbling skills. He is a versatile player, who can play as an offensive midfielder or in wing positions, and uses both feet for kicks and passes.
His role at PSG grew throughout the season. In the first half of the season, he had fewer minutes, but the departure of Randal Kolo Muani on loan in January gave him more opportunities in the first team. Coach Luis Enrique moved Ousmane Dembélé to the “low nine” position, which gave Doué more space on the wing. Enrique highlighted his “technical ability, physical strength and winning mentality”.
Strong competition
Doué won the award in strong competition. In the top selection there were i Arda Guler i Dean Huijsen from Real Madrid, Pau Cubarsi from Barcelona, Myles Lewis-Skelly from Arsenal, Kenan Yildiz from Juventus and his teammates from PSG, Warren Zaire-Emery i Sleepy Mayul.
In addition to the Golden Boy award, Doué took 14th place in the standings for the Golden Ball (Ballon d’Or) and second place in the selection for the Kopa trophy, behind Lamine Yamal.
Winning the Golden Boy award is the highlight of a successful season for Désiré Doué. Although he is currently sidelined due to a calf injury sustained during national team duties, his achievements so far rank him among the most outstanding young players in Europe.