Désiré Doué wins much coveted 2025 Golden Boy

Desiré Doué, who has missed a large part of this season through injury, was today named as the winner of the prestigious Golden Boy award. He succeeds last year’s winner, the much adored Lamine Yamal, as the winner of this award, after a remarkable individual season that saw him score 16, assist 16, and win a historical treble with Paris Saint Germain.

Paris Saint-Germain's gem crowned 2025 Golden Boy

Doué signed for the Parisians in August 2024 from Rennes for a fee of 50 million, but despite the expensive nature of this transfer, few could have predicted the extent of Doué’s impact in his first season. The Frenchman’s consistently dynamic performances saw him quickly earn a regular starting spot, as he was often trusted to start ahead of fellow young French starlet Bradley Barcola, especially in big Champions League games.

Doué showed off a number of extremely promising and unique qualities last season: his skill on the ball was matched only by his remarkable strength and work rate – qualities for which he became extremely popular with his manager Luis Enrique. He also is remarkably two footed, can play on both wings or in central midfield, and possesses excellent technique, both in passing and in shooting. He has named Neymar as his biggest footballing inspiration, and he shares some qualities with the Brazilian, often able to beat his man with a flashy show of footwork.

Perhaps the moments that first brought him to global attention came in the Champions League: a fine cameo against Liverpool at Anfield was followed by a glorious first leg display against Aston Villa in which Doué announced himself to the world. He curled a remarkable shot into the top corner to equalise minutes after Morgan Rodgers had given Villa the lead, and overall played a brilliant game, with one magnificent roulette just after his goal drawing gasps from the Parc des Princes crowd.  

His knack for important goals is also a key feature of his game: his brace in the Champions League final (he became the youngest player in the 21st century to score two goals in a Champions League final) sent him to superstardom, and he also scored the goal vs Angers in April that secured PSG’s Ligue 1 title.

It also represents a remarkable comeback story for Doué, who beat out a number of nominees including Arda Güler and Dean Huijsen of Real Madrid, because as recently as six months ago, his status in PSG’s squad was extremely secondary, with as many as four players ahead of him in PSG’s attacking options. The January loaning out of Randal Kolo Muani was pivotal for Doué, as it meant that Ousmane Dembélé was moved to a more central, false nine, position (a tactical choice, incidentally, that was pivotal in PSG’s Champions League glory), allowing Doué more game time on the flanks.

Doué, currently unavailable for selection due to a thigh injury sustained in last week’s draw to Lorient, has yet to comment on receiving this prestigious award.  Previous winners of the award include the aforementioned Lamine Yamal, and superstars like Lionel Messi (who won in 2005), Kylian Mbappé (2017) and Erling Haaland (2020). Doué is in fact the first French player to win the award since his international teammate and captain Mbappé. Other players to win the award include Gavi, Pedri and Jude Bellingham.