Joe Cole has backed Desire Doue to win the Ballon d’Or ‘within the next five years’ after his game-changing performance for PSG in the Champions League.
The reigning champions were down 2-0 and had missed a penalty when the 20-year-old stepped onto the pitch to replace the injured Ousmane Dembele but within two minutes of being on, he was already on the scoresheet.
Another goal after Achraf Hakimi’s equaliser saw PSG’s comeback completed and Doue has come in for a lot of praise from Cole who was watching on as a pundit for TNT.
“He emerged on to the scene last season, and he just gave them that lift and the back end of the Champions League campaign,” Cole said.
“I’m happy to go on record: I think he’s a Ballon d’Or winner in the future – within the next five years.
“He’s such a superb player. I love watching him play. He gets you off your feet. When he came on tonight, he just completely changed the game.”
Cole was joined by Karen Carney who suggested Doue’s introduction was the catalyst for PSG’s turnaround.
“[The substitution] was the catalyst,” she said. “Obviously from a PSG perspective, you hope Dembele’s okay. He was a doubt before.
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“But Doue changed the game. He really did. He had a bit of a point to prove as well, particularly in the attacking third, the clinical edge.
“His celebration – he put his hands to his ears, maybe to some of the comments that have come out in the French press this week. Who knows? He’s come on. Clinical finish and changed the game.”
PSG manager Enrique referenced that reaction in the French press, suggesting “everyone was killing him in the last few weeks.”
“He’s an incredible player, he’s different,” Enrique told Canal+.
“We have a lot of players of this level, who are very young but with a lot of ambition. I’m very happy for him because he deserved this performance. He was very important.
“It’s normal, there is pressure on all the players. We are a very young team.
“We have a bit more experience, but this year, we have the pressure to win. We like this pressure. We showed that we are capable.”
