Désiré Doué

Désiré Doué (born 3 June 2005) is a French professional footballer who plays as a midfielder for Ligue 1 club Rennes.

Among the top products of Rennes' youth setup in recent years, in 2022 Doué became the first player born in 2005 to score a goal as a professional, and the youngest French player ever who scored in European club competitions. He is a youth international for France, having played for the national team at the U17, U19 and U21 level.

Club career
Doué began playing football with the youth academy of Rennes at the age of five in 2011. He began his senior career with their reserves in 2021, and started training with the senior side in February 2021. On 14 April 2022, he signed his first professional contract until 2024.

On 7 August 2022, Doué made his professional debut for Rennes as a substitute in a 1–0 Ligue 1 defeat at home to Lorient. On 31 August, he scored his first professional goal in a 3–1 league win at home over Brest, becoming the first player born in 2005 to score in any of the major five European leagues. On 6 October, Doué scored an 89th-minute winning goal for Rennes in a 2–1 UEFA Europa League home victory over Dynamo Kyiv, his first European goal. The goal made him the youngest ever French scorer in European club competitions at 17 years, four months and four days of age. On 9 October, Doué scored a brilliant half volley in the Derby Breton against Nantes, sealing a 3–0 win in less than 60 seconds after coming on as a substitute in the 83rd minute. On 2 November, Doué extended this contract with Rennes for another year until 2025.

On 9 April 2023, Doué found himself substituted out in the final minutes of the 3–1 defeat against Lyon after being introduced from the bench 18 minutes earlier. Rennes manager Bruno Génésio was critical of the midfielder in his post-match comments, but also gave him encouragement: "It does not mean I don’t have great trust in him and that he’ll fail to make a great career, but some things need to be understood faster". Doué finished the 2022–23 season in the Ligue 1 with 29 appearances, out of which 11 as a starter.

On 1 October 2023, Doué scored his first goal in the 2023–24 season in a 3–1 win against Nantes. On 26 January 2024 against Lyon, he assisted Rennes' first goal by Martin Terrier, and scored the second in a 3–2 win, playing as a left winger.

International career
Doué is a youth international for France, having represented the France U17s and France U19s. He played for the U17s in their winning campaign at the 2022 UEFA European Under-17 Championship and the U19s in the 2024 UEFA European Under-19 Championship qualifiers. Doué debuted for the France under-21 team on 13 October 2023 in the UEFA European under-21 championship qualifying match against Bosnia and Herzegovina, where he picked up two yellow cards and was sent off before the final whistle.

On 22 March 2024, Doué made his debut for the France Olympic football team in a friendly match against Cote D'Ivoire, scoring two goals in a 3–2 win.

Style of play and reception
Doué's natural position is an attacking midfielder, but his versatility allows him to play deeper in midfield, on either wing, or as a forward, depending on the formation. A dynamic box-to-box playmaker with an eye for goal, Doué has been noted for his supreme agility, acceleration and pace, which combined with his excellent dribbling, shooting and passing technique allows him to be a potent offensive threat in a variety of situations. According to journalist Liam Tharme, who analyzed the player for The Athletic, Doué's super-strength is ball carrying, ranking inside the top two per cent of central midfielders in the top five European leagues over the 2022–2023 season for progressive carries (3.4 per 90), and the top one per cent for successful dribbles (3.9). ESPN describes Doué as "an entertainer at heart, full of tricks and skills designed to shake up opponents". Despite being primarily used as an attacking player, Doué has also been praised for his defensive contribution, demonstrated by his average of more than three tackles per game in the Ligue 1, which has placed him in the top six per cent of midfielders in the league.

Because of his creativity and athleticism, Doué has been compared to Real Madrid midfielder and former Rennes youth product Eduardo Camavinga. Rennes manager Bruno Génésio has spoken highly of Doué, calling the youngster "physically already equipped" and further complimenting him: "He 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". Veteran midfielder Nemanja Matić who signed for Rennes in the summer of 2023 stated that Doué has great potential.

Personal life
Born in Angers, Pays de la Loire, France, Doué holds French and Ivorian nationalities. His brother Guéla Doué, and his cousins Yann Gboho and Marc-Olivier Doué are also professional footballers.

Honours
France U17
 * UEFA European Under-17 Championship: 2022