Désiré Doué is PSG’s lucky charm because when he scores the team always wins

By Canadian Press on February 24, 2026.

PARIS (AP) — Every time Désiré Doué has scored for Paris Saint-Germain the team has won.

The 20-year-old forward looks to extend that winning run on Wednesday when PSG faces Monaco in the second leg of their Champions League playoff. Doué scored twice in the 3-2 first leg win after going on early for Ballon d’Or winner Ousmane Dembélé, who is sidelined with a calf injury.

“It’s a very good statistic and I saw it very recently. It’s very pleasing,” Doué said on Tuesday. “But you should also highlight that when I don’t score the team also wins very often. You shouldn’t just wait for me to score every time.”

After scoring against Monaco last week, Doué put his hands over his ears as if to show he couldn’t hear criticism.

“Because a lot of things happen in football. That celebration was personal,” Doué said “I try to wipe out all the noise from my brain and my memory. I have a lot of people who help me with this in my entourage.”

On Saturday, Doué netted after three minutes against Metz in Ligue 1 for his ninth goal this season.

He shot to prominence in last season’s Champions League final with two clinical finishes and an excellent assist in a 5-0 rout of Inter Milan. He netted in 16 games overall in a breakthrough campaign where he showcased excellent close control, extravagant skill and long-distance shooting.

“I’ve always been seen as a talented player but I’ve always worked very hard,” Doué said.

Much was expected of Doué but his season has been stop-start because of injuries. A calf strain in September playing for France and a torn thigh muscle in October in Ligue 1 have ruled him out for around 11 weeks altogether. ___

AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer

Jerome Pugmire, The Associated Press