Desire Doue wins the Golden Boy award in 2025, becoming the new icon of PSG.
The 20-year-old Paris Saint-Germain midfielder was honored with the Golden Boy 2025 award after a brilliant 2024/25 season: a brace in the 5-0 Champions League final against Inter, and an 86.4% passing accuracy.
Desire Doue officially won the Golden Boy 2025, concluding the 2024/25 season as a new icon of Paris Saint-Germain: at 20 years old, he made his mark in big matches and left his mark with a brace in the Champions League final, helping PSG beat Inter Milan 5-0.
This honor comes after a season that was almost complete in terms of collective titles (Ligue 1, French Cup, French Super Cup, Champions League, European Super Cup), along with an increasingly influential role in PSG's tactical structure.
The defining moment: the Champions League final.
His performance against Inter Milan propelled Doue to the forefront of the Golden Boy race. In the 5-0 victory, he scored a brace, and that changed the emotional dynamics of the match and the voting.
Doue shared: "The 5-0 victory in the Champions League final against Inter was one of the best days of my life; a dream come true." He added: "My second goal, the third goal of the match... it was at that moment that I knew PSG would win," highlighting the psychological impact of that decisive moment.
Tactical role: multi-tasking but precise
Doue's strength lies in his versatility: he can play as a right winger, central midfielder, or left winger. In PSG's ball-control system, he is a key link in maintaining the tempo and consistent ball progression thanks to his reliable passing ability.
That consistency was reflected in his 86.4% pass accuracy and 171 successful passes. Despite playing just over three hundred minutes due to injury, Doue still created 9 chances, had 1 assist, and his expected assists (xA) was 0.48. These concise yet valuable statistics reflect his effectiveness in the opportunities he was given.
Selected statistics for the 2024/25 season
| Index | Value |
|---|---|
| Match duration | Over 300 minutes |
| Opportunities created | 9 |
| Construction | 1 |
| Creating expectations (xA) | 0.48 |
| Successful pass | 171 |
| Passing accuracy rate | 86.4% |
Team awards and individual prestige
Doue rose to prominence not only through individual moments, but also through his contributions to a collective triumph: Ligue 1, the French Cup, the French Super Cup, the Champions League, and the European Super Cup. His combination of effectiveness and composure in crucial matches earned him widespread recognition.
The voice in the dressing room and the attitude of the winner.
Doue emphasized that this award "is a reward for the titles I've won with the team and my positive contributions in important matches." He concluded with gratitude: "I have to thank all my teammates, because it is thanks to them that I have received this recognition."
The support in the dressing room—from Achraf Hakimi's friendly banter to the admiration from younger teammates like Zaire-Emery—creates a positive environment for a 20-year-old talent to develop.
Golden Boy's historical standing
Doue's victory follows Lamine Yamal's (2024) and places him among prestigious recipients such as Messi, Aguero, Haaland, and Mbappe. With this foundation, the 2025 Golden Boy award serves as a starting point for the ambitious path he has set for the near future.
From a brace in the European final to his effectiveness in every minute of the game, Doue's record this season is impressive enough to convince even the most critical critics. For PSG, it's another tactical asset; for him personally, it's a testament to his growing influence in Europe.
