Latest news with #Ivorian
Indian Express
6 hours ago
- Sport
- Indian Express
Who is Desire Doue – the star in PSG's Champions League win? Neymar fan, matching Ronaldo feats and strictly not on Twitter
He was aggressively wooed by Bayern Munich with Vincent Kompany wanting to pair him with fellow teen Michael Olise. But Desire Doue had his heart set in Paris Saint-Germain back in 2023. On Saturday night, he was the star act, leaving Bayern faithful wistful about their bid of €55m which fell short anyway, as they must have watched the teen turning 19 on Tuesday June 3, win the elusive Champions League for PSG on their arena in a sensational 5-0 one-sided French affair over Inter Milan. The 'Le Nul' precedents to 5-0 That lopsided margin is not particularly new for Desire Doué (pronounced Dee-zee-ray Doo-ey). Doué's debut for the reigning French champions when he came in as substitute on August 23, 2024, six days after joining, was in a 6–0 win over Montpellier. The shirt No 14 back then had also scored his first Champions League goal in a 3–0 away win over RB Salzburz in December. There was also the 7-0 win in a Champions League play off game against fellow Ligue 1 outfit Stade Brestois, when he scored a goal and provided an assist. Origins with many brothers playing Doué was born to an Ivorian father and French mother at Angers, near confluence of Maine and Loire rivers in western France, and holds both French and Ivorian nationalities. His brother Guéla Doué, plays right back for Ligue 1 team Strasbourg, and also for Ivory Coast, while Desire turns out for France. His cousins Yann Gboho and Marc-Olivier Doué are also known to be professional footballers. The Neymar button While Doué identifies all of Neymar, Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo as his footballing inspirations, he grew up watching a lot of Neymar. 'They all had different personalities,' he told TNT recently, 'But as a kid Neymar was always my favourite and I would try to recreate his moves. I try to play my football and be myself on the pitch and do whatever comes to my mind in each moment and phase of play.' Comparisons are inevitable given his creativity, flair, dribbling prowess and eye for goal. Luis Enrique has gotten 18 different men to score 82 goals I 29 games for PSG, with Dembele and Bradley Barcols as stars, but Doue told TNT Enrique worked fairly lot on him technically to help him slot right in – which was after the departure of Mbappe. He was quoted as saying he was impressed by his 'technical ability, physicality and personality.' Doue can be said to have been crucial in a shock rally against Liverpool in March in the second leg of the Champions League round of 16 when he came as a substitute for Bradley Barcola and netted the decisive penalty at Anfield in the comeback after having lost the first leg 1-0. In April his solitary goal gave PSG the 13th Ligue 1 title, and it was his equalizer in the Champions League quarter final first leg against Aston Villa from outside the box, that brought PSG back after being a goal down as they won 3–1. Matching Ronaldo record According to Doue made history and matched Cristiano Ronaldo's longstanding record when he pulled in a goal and an assist in the first half 'that left Inter chasing shadows.' The assist came via a pass that set up Achraf Hakimi that opened the dam walls. Later, Doue cut inside from the right and his powerful drive from outside the box made it 2-0, before another past the 60th minute. It made him the youngest player in history to both score and assist in a final, as per Previously, only two teenagers had ever scored in a final in Europe: Patrick Kluivert for Ajax in 1995 and Carlos Alberto for Porto in 2004. However what drew the Ronaldo comparisons was scoring two goals during a Champions League final — a record Ronaldo set in 2014 when Real Madrid defeated Atlético Madrid in Lisbon. Beginning the season largely on the bench, coming in for Frenchman Bradley Barcola, but ended with 15 goals and 15 assists across all competitions — figures that reflect his emergence as one of Europe's brightest young talents, as per The Rennes early years Doué, a 2006 born started out at the youth academy of Rennes at 5 in 2011 and was in their senior reserves in 2021, signing his first professional contract until 2024, and debuting in August 2022. His first professional goal came in a 3–1 win over Brest, becoming the first player born post 2005 to score in any of the major five European leagues. His first European goal – on 6 October, an 89th-minute winning goal for Rennes in a 2–1 UEFA Europa League victory over Dynamo Kyiv, which made him the youngest ever French scorer in European club competitions at 17 years, four months and four days. Style – both feet brill Luis Enrique has moulded him into a versatile option, but he started out an attacking midfielder, as he spanned and scoped out deeper in midfield, on either wing, or as a forward, depending on where he was assigned in the formation. Known for his agility, acceleration and both footed dribbling and shooting, and importantly passing, he can be deployed on either flanks. The Athletic, picked out the star-player's super-strength as ball carrying, with his 2022–2023 season for progressive carries (3.4 per 90) putting him in top 2 percent in Europe, and the top one percent for successful dribbles (3.9). He's extremely happening with flicks and tricks as per ESPN, and shares tackling workloads in defense, something he has in common with his 22-year-old brother. Rennes manager Bruno Génésio was quoted as saying, 'Doue reads the game very well. Technically, right foot and even left foot, he's complete, with good control on both. Away from the pitch he's a dream. Easy, calm, with a streak of leadership whilst still asking for advice. He's both care-free and conscientious in his work. He's already a pro in his head.' Transfer frenzy, with Bayern heartbroken PSG were always favourites to sign Doué after his preference to join the Parisian club which submitted a €60m offer for Doué, Rennes' asking price. The Ligue 1 champions in trying to replace Kylian Mbappé, had compiled an impressive French armoury of Dembele, Bradley Barcola and Randal Kolo Muani. Bayern Munich had fancied their chances submiting a bid of €55m plus bonuses, as per Transfermarket. But they were left eluded like English Premier League clubs, Tottenham, Arsenal and Manchester United. Nuggets on the new star Doué has an Instagram account that firmly proclaims 'No Twitter.' His most popular meme has him walking backward with a shoe on head, and fans love to manifest 'Ballon Doue', a play in Ballon d'or. While comparisons to Neymar are fairly common, Barca fans have fetched up quippy pirates, goading him to join Barcelona with 'Come to Barca' refrains, adding he could make a killer combo with Lamine Yamal.
Malay Mail
a day ago
- General
- Malay Mail
Manchester United's Amad responds to middle finger uproar in Malaysia with 28-word apology
KUALA LUMPUR, May 31 — Manchester United winger Amad Diallo has once again addressed the viral photo of him appearing to make an offensive gesture during the club's post-season tour of Malaysia, this time offering an apology. 'Again, my intention was not to hurt people. I responded to an unhealthy individual,' the 22-year-old wrote on X yesterday. 'I apologise to those who feel concerned. Malaysia was an incredible trip for us.' The incident followed United's 1-0 defeat to the Asean All-Stars in Kuala Lumpur. Amad clarified that his reaction was aimed solely at a fan who had insulted his mother. 'I have respect for people but not for the one who insults my mom,' he wrote in an earlier post. 'I shouldn't have reacted like that, but I don't regret what I did. We had a great time in Malaysia with good people.' United wrapped up their tour with a comeback victory in Hong Kong, capping off a season where Amad emerged as a promising talent for the club. Initially joining United in 2020, the Ivorian international secured a first-team spot after a standout loan spell at Sunderland. Despite missing much of the latter part of the campaign, he recorded 11 goals, contributing to United's efforts during a challenging Premier League season. The 20-year-old winger played in United's friendly against the Asean All Stars at Bukit Jalil National Stadium on May 28, a match that ended in a 1-0 loss for the Red Devils. Following the game, the team faced jeers from local supporters, reflecting frustration over United's underwhelming performance this season, which saw them finish 15th in the Premier League — their worst result since 1974. Malaysia marked the first stop on United's post-season tour, with the squad now continuing their journey in Hong Kong.
Daily Mail
a day ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
Amad responds to 'unhealthy individual' in 28-word social media apology after sticking his middle finger up at a supporter during Man United's post-season tour from hell
Manchester United star Amad has taken to social media to apologise following an incident on the club's post-season tour of Malaysia. A photo of Amad appearing to put his middle finger up to a fan went viral earlier this week following United's 1-0 defeat against the ASEAN All-Star team in Kuala Lumpur. Amidst speculation online regarding what had prompted the incident, the Ivorian later revealed that the had received personal abuse relating to his mother. 'I have respect for people but not for the one who insults my mom…' he said on X on Thursday. 'I shouldn't have reacted like that but I don't regret what I did. We had a great time in Malaysia with good people.' However, the 22-year-old later apologised to those who have been disappointed by his actions, insisting his gesture was aimed solely at the individual who had insulted him. On X Amad clarified that his intention was not to 'hurt people' and insisted the post-season excursion has been an 'incredible trip' He wrote: 'Again, my intention was not to hurt people, I responded to an unhealthy individual. 'I apologize to those who feel concerned. Malaysia was an incredible trip for us.' United's tour came to an end on Friday after the club managed to salvage an unconvincing comeback victory over Hong Kong. The club found themselves on the back foot after 19 minutes when Juninho opened the scoring for the hosts. Amad was introduced at the break and United finally found their way into the game during the second half before securing a 3-1 win. The appearance marked the culmination of what has been a breakthrough campaign for Amad at United. After initially joining the club in 2020 during Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's reign at Old Trafford, the winger was forced to wait for his chance in the first-team. A successful loan spell at Sunderland demonstrated his potential on the pitch, but Amad was forced to wait until late last year to finally make his mark at United.
Scottish Sun
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Scottish Sun
‘I don't regret what I did' – ex-Rangers star refuses to back down after flashing shocking gesture at his own fans
Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) FORMER Rangers star Amad Diallo has come under fire after showing the middle finger to fans whilst on tour in Malaysia. But the Manchester United forward insists he DOESN'T regret the shocking flashpoint. 3 Amad Diallo was caught showing the middle finger to supporters Credit: TikTok/@ahmdhakimi 3 United were on tour in Malaysia, where the star was caught making the gesture Credit: TikTok/@ahmdhakimi 3 He has since said his piece on X Credit: TikTok/@ahmdhakimi The Ivorian forward was caught doing the gesture twice on the club's post-season tour - with team-mate Alejandro Garnacho also making the same sign to supporters - but claimed it was a response to personal abuse from fans. In footage shared by a supporter on social media, Amad is seen flashing the X-rated gesture as he walks past fans shouting his name. Then on a second occasion he repeats the sign as he gets off the team bus. But Amad, who joined Rangers on loan from Old Traford in January 2022, claims it was a response to vile comments from fans about his mum. In a post on X, he said: "I have respect for people but not for the one who insults my mom… I shouldn't have reacted like that but I don't regret what I did. "We had a great time in Malaysia with good people." Then Rangers Sporting Director Ross Wilson branded the signing of Diallo as "a really exciting signing" at the time, whilst then manager Giovanni van Bronckhorst said Diallo would "add a lot to our squad". Diallo got off to the dream start at Rangers, netting in the opening five minutes of his debut in Dingwall. It went from a dream to a nightmare for the Ivorian though, his Dingwall delight led to him earning a starting spot in the next match, an Old Firm game, only to be hauled off at half-time. Celtic walked away 3-0 winners that night, and Amad only started two more games for the Gers. Robert Grieve & Bill Leckie have the very latest on the Rangers manager situation as Steven Gerrard & Russell Martin emerge as front-runners Diallo made 13 appearances for the Light Blues in the end, scoring three goals. Despite not setting the heather alight north of the border, Diallo has been a stand out for Manchester United in what has been an underwhelming season. He has racked up 43 appearances in all competitions, scoring 11 times and assisting 10. Argentine winger Garnacho has been told to find a new club as Man Utd plan a massive overhaul this summer after missing out on European football. It was former Celtic boss Ange Postecoglu who inflicted the damage on United, as his Spurs side walked away 1-0 winners in the Europa League final. Postecoglu ended Spurs' 17-year trophy drought, and gave the north London side Champions League football despite finishing 17th in the league, just four point behind Manchester United. Keep up to date with ALL the latest news and transfers at the Scottish Sun football page
Leader Live
2 days ago
- Sport
- Leader Live
Friday's briefing: Man City want to be more ‘aggressive' in market
Manchester United's Amad Diallo said he did not regret his actions, alleging he had been reacting to insults about his mother, after the winger appeared to make an obscene gesture towards fans in Malaysia, while England boss Sarina Wiegman expressed her disappointment at no longer having Mary Earps to call upon. In his annual end-of-season interview, Khaldoon reflected City should have done more to strengthen going into a campaign that saw them relinquish the Premier League title, finishing third, and exit the Champions League before the last 16. Savinho and Ilkay Gundogan were the only major signings last summer as Julian Alvarez departed, with City subsequently spending big to bring in a number of players in January. Khaldoon told City's website: 'I think when I look back, last summer, we probably should have been more aggressive in some of the changes we needed to do. We didn't do that and that ended up costing us this year.' I have respect for people but not for the one who insults my mom… I shouldn't have reacted like that but I don't regret what I did.🤞🏾 We had a great time in Malaysia with good people😄❤️ — Amad (@Amaddiallo_19) May 29, 2025 With United on a post-season trip to Asia, footage shared on social media appeared to show Amad raising his middle finger as he passed a crowd outside the team's hotel in Kuala Lumpur. United told the BBC the gesture was in response to 'serious personal abuse', while the 22-year-old Ivorian said in a post on X: 'I have respect for people but not for the one who insults my mom. 'I shouldn't have reacted like that but I don't regret what I did.' Goalkeeper Earps on Tuesday made the shock announcement of her immediate international retirement, just a few weeks out from England starting their European Championship defence in Switzerland. The 32-year-old, who played throughout the Lionesses' triumphant 2022 Euros campaign and run to the 2023 World Cup final, had recently been on the bench behind Hannah Hampton. Wiegman told a press conference on Thursday: 'I'm really disappointed she is not part of the team because I want her part of the team. It must have been a really hard decision for her and so it is (for) us.' Skipper Leah Williamson said she was 'devastated', adding: 'If she thinks this is the best thing, I'll support her always.' The alleged driver of a car that ploughed into a crowd at Liverpool's Premier League title parade has been charged with offences such as wounding and causing grievous bodily harm against six victims. Paul Doyle, 53, is accused of seven offences following the incident on Monday, which resulted in 79 people suffering injuries. A wounding charge and an attempted grievous bodily harm charge relate to a child. Doyle, of the West Derby area of Liverpool, is due to appear at the city's magistrates' court on Friday. As well as Wiegman's England taking on Portugal at Wembley, other Women's Nations League matches see Wales face Denmark away, Scotland host Austria, the Republic of Ireland play in Turkey and Northern Ireland entertain Poland.
