France head coach Zinedine Zidane has expressed his admiration for Paris Saint-Germain youngster Desire Doue ahead of upcoming UEFA Nations League fixtures. Zidane drew personal comparisons to the versatile attacker while outlining the tactical improvements expected from Les Bleus in the final group matches.
Zidane singles out PSG youngster Desire Doue for praise
France national team head coach Zinedine Zidane has highlighted Paris Saint-Germain attacker Desire Doue as one of the brightest young talents in world football. Speaking ahead of France's concluding UEFA Nations League group fixtures against Italy and Turkey, Zidane praised the 2024 Olympic silver medalist's rapid development.
Doue has established himself as a vital asset for both club and country since making his senior international debut in March 2025 and featuring at the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
The France boss emphasised that the youngster's hunger to learn and progress sets him apart at the highest level.
Zidane draws personal comparisons to the versatile attacker
Addressing the media at FFF headquarters, Zidane revealed how much he enjoys working with Doue, even drawing direct parallels to his own legendary playing career.
"All my players, I them love. Desire [Doue], what he has been doing for a little while now is magnificent," Zidane stated.
"He is young, has enormous talent, but above all he is attentive because he wants to progress and wants to win things. I see myself in him: when I was a player, I listened enormously to the older players around me to progress. He does that very well."
Tactical freedom and best position on the pitch
Zidane also discussed Doue's tactical versatility, noting that while the PSG star can operate across multiple attacking positions, his preferred role remains on the left flank.
"On the pitch, he can play in all the attacking positions, it depends on the moment, the match and the choices we have to make," Zidane explained.
"The best, I think, remains when he is on his left side. He can go very, very far, but for that, he must always keep his desire to improve. That is the most important thing."
Les Bleus prepare for decisive Nations League double-header
France will travel to Milan to face Italy at the Giuseppe-Meazza stadium on Thursday, 12 November, before returning home to face Turkey in Bordeaux on Sunday, 15 November.
Zidane's side head into the camp looking to convert dominant possession statistics into more clinical finishing as they aim to lock down a quarter-final spot for March 2027.
With talents like Doue driving the team forward alongside returning captain Kylian Mbappe, Les Bleus aim to finish the group stage in style.
A sports journalist with nearly a decade of experience, beginning the professional journey at Indonesia's legendary Tabloid BOLA from 2017 until its final print edition in December 2018. Following that, joining GOAL, contributing as a freelance writer for FIFA, and working within the media department of the ASEAN Football Federation (AFF). Alongside the journalism career, also active as a live play-by-play commentator for Indonesian football since 2017. Holds a bachelor's degree in History from the Faculty of Cultural Sciences, Universitas Padjadjaran, Bandung.
Football Story
Footballing identity built on geography, heritage, and childhood obsession. Although the father played for a traditional rival club, nine years living in Bandung made Persib a spiritual home, sparked in 2006 by Thai goalkeeper Kosin Hathairattanakool and witnessing firsthand how deeply locals own the club. Globally, the first true love was Ronaldo and Inter Milan, enduring the heartbreak of near-misses during injury-plagued years. With Dutch roots in Rotterdam, making Feyenoord the club of choice, the Netherlands national team has always remained close to the heart, highlighted by the 2010 World Cup final, a live 2013 friendly against Indonesia, and Oranje Indonesia watch parties. Arjen Robben and Giovanni van Bronckhorst remain ultimate favorites, while Football Manager 2005 sparked a lasting admiration for Athletic Bilbao’s philosophy. Outside football, allegiance lies with the Chicago Bulls and Golden State Warriors through icons like Michael Jordan, Derrick Rose, and Stephen Curry.
Areas of Expertise
Areas of expertise span Indonesian football and Liga 1 data insights and unique features, alongside Southeast Asian and East Asian football landscapes covering Thailand, Malaysia, Vietnam, Japan, and Korea. Additional skills include digital and social media video content creation such as Instagram reels and podcasts, as well as player profiling, feature writing, live broadcasting, interviewing, photography, and multilingual communication in basic français and español .
Favourite Footballing Memory
Combining a passion for backpacking with professional assignments has made it possible to pursue two goals simultaneously. Meeting and interviewing various Indonesian players pursuing careers or currently based abroad, ranging from across Southeast Asia to Europe, has been an absolute privilege and honor. Traveling independently through the Netherlands, Belgium, Germany, France, and Japan to track down and connect with Indonesian players competing abroad remains a truly cherished experience. Crafting interview content with them is a body of work that will always hold a special place in memory.
My All-Time XI
It’s tough to lock down a definitive starting XI, but the non-negotiables are Manuel Neuer or Rogério Ceni in goal; alongside Javier Zanetti, Sergio Ramos, N'Golo Kanté, Toni Kroos, Arjen Robben, Mo Salah, and Zlatan Ibrahimović. Juan Román Riquelme or Michael Laudrup most likely complete the tactical puzzle. While legends like Lothar Matthäus, Zinedine Zidane, and Ronaldo are impossible to overlook, they were left out simply because they feature in everyone else's lineup.
