Désiré Doué, 20, the Paris Saint-Germain striker, delivered a thoughtful and measured speech ahead of the match against Liverpool. Speaking to Téléfoot, the French international emphasized a clear objective: to reach the semi-finals, accept criticism, and continue to progress through hard work despite a season disrupted by injuries.
Doué: “This season has been a bit of an up-and-down because of injuries.”
Is playing Liverpool in the Champions League a great memory for you?
It was magnificent. Now we know everything will be different, and our goal is to reach the semi-finals.
This season has been a bit of an up-and-down because of injuries. I’ve been injured twice this season, which has never happened to me before. I’m very, very happy to be able to play again today; I’m in top form and at 100%.
The criticism?
It’s part of football, even more so when you play for Paris Saint-Germain. In France, we know that these days, as soon as you perform a little less well, there’s a lot of criticism. I still have this joy of life every day, and that’s important; we have the best job in the world.
Doué : “The feeling of hearing the anthem at the start of every match and being with teammates you don’t usually see every day.”
What do you appreciate most about playing for the French national team?
It’s the feeling of hearing the anthem at the start of every match and being with teammates you don’t usually see every day. It’s also enriching when you’re quite young. You learn from everyone’s experience; it’s really something I appreciate, and it’s always a joy to come here.
Your first goals for France? Is there a World Cup feeling in the air? Is this your dream?
Of course, this year it’s a huge dream, but it’s been a dream of mine since I was little. The World Cup is a dream come true. Playing in the World Cup wearing the French national team jersey would be wonderful. I work towards that every day. I hope to be there and I’m going to work towards that.
Doué “He’s a legend”
Are you more from the generation of the second star than the first?
Yes, of course, I followed the second one closely, but I also watched videos of the first one to get a sense of what happened. I also wanted to hear everything people were saying about that World Cup. But the goal will be to bring home the third.
Didier Deschamps?
He’s a legend. He had a fantastic career as a player and as a coach, he won practically everything with the French national team. He’s a coach who taught me a lot from the very beginning. In every situation, he remains calm and has found the right words to truly rally the team when things aren’t going so well. He also knows how to encourage us and tell us when things are going well.
Doué : “Self-reflection isn’t just about the criticism I read.”
Criticism? Hard work? The Golden Boy trophy?
I know I’m talented, but I’m also very ambitious. Self-reflection isn’t just about the criticism I read or hear; it’s something I impose on myself every day, and it’s what those around me encourage. It doesn’t bother me at all. Honestly, some criticism helps you grow; it’s not all bad. Some criticism is very valuable. You can use it to question yourself.
Liverpool on Wednesday?
We know what we’re capable of, and that even in the most difficult situations, we can turn a match around. We’re confident, we really want it, we know we can do it, and we want to win the Champions League again. We’re hungry, we’re hungry. We want to make history once more.
