Less than a year ago, Desire Doue was preparing to go to the Olympic Games as part of a France squad targeting a historic gold on home soil. While they fell just short at Paris 2024, winning silver after a final defeat to Spain, Doue’s electric performances offered the world a thrilling glimpse of his sky-high potential.
He has gone on to make good on that promise – and then some. In the ensuing 12 months, he has completed a big-money move to from Rennes to Paris Saint-Germain, established himself as a key figure in Luis Enrique’s squad, won the Player of the Match award after a two-goal display in the UEFA Champions League final, and made his senior France debut.
Doue’s profile has soared, and he arrived at the FIFA Club World Cup™ as a bona fide global star. Ahead of PSG’s Round-of-16 showdown with Inter Miami CF on Sunday, FIFA asked the 20-year-old to highlight the key reason for his breakneck progress. His answer was illustrative of a player whose ability is matched an impressive level of maturity.
“Discipline,” Doue replied. “The discipline I apply every day is the most important thing.”
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Doue has consistently delivered on huge stages over the past year, none more so than in his team’s Champions League final trouncing of FC Internazionale Milano. As well as scoring twice, he provided an assist in an exhilarating all-round showing.
The forward is now primed for another blockbuster battle, with PSG set to locks horns with Lionel Messi and Co at Atlanta’s spectacular Mercedes-Benz Stadium.
“I just try to play my football, enjoy myself,” said Doue, when asked how he approached such high-stakes contests. “In these big matches, it’s (about) the excitement of playing, it’s the pleasure of playing. Everyone is 100 per cent on the pitch, and when you have team-mates like I have who play so well, it helps a lot.”
On what it will be like to face Messi at the Club World Cup, Doue added: “He’s made history, he’s one of the greatest players in history. He’s a player who inspired me when I was a kid, and who will still be inspiring people in 20, 30, 50 years’ time, that’s for sure.”
Doue is well aware Miami have elite performers in several positions, however, with the likes of Uruguayan legend Luis Suarez and Spanish greats Jordi Alba and Sergio Busquets also in their ranks.
“They (Inter Miami) are a team with a lot of qualities, a lot of experience, because they have a lot of great players,” said Doue. “So obviously, we know they’re going to cause us problems. Our goal is to play our football, to continue to perform as we have done throughout the season, and to win.
“It’s the knockout stage, so obviously we can’t afford to make any mistakes. From the start of the match, we have to be focused, we have to be 100 per cent, and we’re going there to win. It’s the Club World Cup, it’s the best teams in the world. We want to win tomorrow before moving on to the other matches.”
