Teenage sensation Doue steps out of shadows into superstardom
PARIS: Paris St Germain teenager Desire Doue, who was not even guaranteed a spot in the starting lineup, burst into instant stardom when he lit up the Champions League final as they thrashed Inter Milan 5-0 on Saturday.
With a deft assist and two clinical finishes at Munich's Allianz Arena, the attacking midfielder, who celebrates his 20th birthday on Tuesday, transformed from squad option to overnight sensation in PSG's 5-0 demolition of the Italian side.
"He is reaping the rewards of his hard work," coach Luis Enrique had presciently said weeks before the final. "He will continue to grow. He's in the right club for his development."
Luis Enrique's decision to select Doue over regular starter Bradley Barcola proved inspired. The teenager repaid his manager's faith within 12 minutes, intelligently squaring the ball for Achraf Hakimi's opener when most players would have shot. Desire's clinical finishing soon followed as he netted twice to seal victory before departing to thunderous applause from the PSG supporters after 67 minutes of sustained brilliance.
Doue's ascension has been swift yet measured. After catching French eyes during Les Bleus' Olympic silver medal run last summer, he made the switch from Rennes to PSG, where he initially waited patiently for opportunities.
Desire showed his composure when converting the decisive penalty in the shootout against Liverpool in the last 16 but Saturday's performance elevated him from hot prospect to phenomenon.
Bruno Genesio, his former coach at Rennes, offered reassurance for those fearing success might change the young star. "Away from the pitch he's a dream: easy, calm, with a streak of leadership while still asking for advice. He's both care-free and conscientious in his work," he said.
As Doue joins up with France for next week's Nations League Finals, the irony is inescapable — at 20 he will arrive with a Champions League winner's medal that his international teammate Kylian Mbappe left PSG pursuing elsewhere at Real Madrid.
In a club that was deliberately rebuilt without superstars, PSG may have just found one after a night when Doue eclipsed the team's Ballon d'Or candidate Ousmane Dembele. - Reuters
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