One of the brightest young talents in Europe, Désiré Doué, didn’t hold back when answering the sprouting debate between him and Barcelona star Lamine Yamal.
While the Champions League winner was on TikTok, someone asked who he thought was better between him and Yamal. The French 20-year-old confidently responded: “Me.” The Doué vs. Yamal rivalry which fans were denied in the Champions League final has officially picked up.
Both players are favorites for the Ballon d’Or this year, though they aren’t the clear cut leaders in the conversation. That belongs to Doué’s teammate, Ousmane Dembélé, but both young PSG and Barcelona stars are expected to be in the conversation for the sport’s highest honor.
Doué rose to prominence this season in Luis Enrique’s side last season en route to multiple trophies including the Champions League trophy and Ligue 1 title among other honors. Yamal starred for Barcelona, but was already in the spotlight given his role in Spain’s UEFA Euro win last year. The 18-year-old won a domestic treble in Hansi Flick’s first season in charge including La Liga, Copa del Rey and the Spanish Super Cup.
Fans anticipated a Barcelona vs. PSG final in UEFA’s top competition given both sides’ form throughout the entire tournament. Barcelona were the top team in the league phase, and, while PSG struggled initially, hit form after defeating Manchester City going on to outplay and eliminate Liverpool, Aston Villa and Arsenal to reach the final.
The Catalans defeated Benfica and Borussia Dortmund, but stifled against Inter Milan. The Italian side proved to be one mountain too difficult to climb amid highlight moments and spectacular goals. PSG went on to trounce Inter in the final in one of the most lopsided results in the competition’s history. One of the main takeaways post-match was that Barcelona would have been a more exciting tie.
Perhaps that awaits fans in the future, but for now the rivalry between two of the game’s young stars is growing off the pitch.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Lamine Yamal Called Out in Ballon d'Or Battle by Champions League Breakout Star.
