Scoring a brace while still a teenager to clinch the Champions League title. It`s hard to imagine a better way to celebrate a birthday than this for Desiré Doué, the burgeoning star of European football, who managed to put two past Simone Inzaghi`s Inter side. He might not claim the Ballon d`Or this year (especially with Ousmane Dembele a strong contender, perhaps depending on the Club World Cup), but he undeniably possesses the attributes to become a top player in his position.
Just a year ago, in June, Napoli had him marked as a potential signing. Rennes was reluctant to sell unless for a price significantly exceeding 30 million euros. His valuation rapidly increased over the following weeks, leading Paris Saint-Germain to pay 50 million euros by the end of August, even fending off competition from Bayern Munich. Meanwhile, Napoli opted to sign Neres instead. This was a considerable sum for a 19-year-old who had scored just four goals in the previous season. This season, after a period of adaptation, he has become a key player for PSG, netting fifteen goals and contributing to their treble win, securing the French Cup and Ligue 1 title.
He is versatile, comfortable playing as a central midfielder, an attacking midfielder, or out wide on the flanks. He holds the record for the youngest player to score a brace in a Champions League final, a performance that also included an assist, surpassing previous records held by legends like Eusebio and Jude Bellingham. Today, Desiré Doué celebrates his 20th birthday.
