A 17-year-old superstar worth £339m and PSG's new Champions League hero... it's the battle of football's next big stars as Lamine Yamal and Desire Doue meet for the first time tonight

For years, many assumed that both Kylian Mbappe and Erling Haaland would form the next big battle at the pinnacle of the beautiful game, following on from Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo. But it's already time for them to step aside.

Now it's Desire Doue and Lamine Yamal's time to go toe-to-toe. They may both be teenagers, but it's already become abundantly clear that they can dominate football for the next decade, and beyond.

Yamal, whose pearler of a strike against France in the European Championship semi-final last summer announced him as a superstar on the world stage, is now tipped as a favourite for the Ballon d'Or.

Doue did the very same thing, in the very same stadium - the Allianz Arena - last week. His performance in the Champions League final against Inter Milan thrust him into the limelight alongside Yamal.

Tonight, the two go head-to-head for the very first time as Spain take on France in the Nations League semi-final. It's fitting that the game is being played in Stuttgart, within the country where the pair launched themselves toward the top of the sport.

Will this be the game where the Ballon d'Or is decided? Doue's team-mate for both club and country, Ousmane Dembele, may have something to say about that, but either way, tonight is the first showdown of what will be a battle for the ages.

Desire Doue thrust himself into the Ballon d'Or debate after his display in the Champions League final against Inter Milan

Doue (left) and Lamine Yamal (right) is the next big battle in football after Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo

Yamal and Doue will face off for the first time as Spain play France, who Yamal scored against last year (pictured), in the Nations League semi-final

How do they compare on the pitch?

What we have to remember is that, despite being younger, Yamal has a superior amount of experience at the top level of elite football than Doue. He has been shining for Barcelona since before Doue even joined PSG.

Yamal may still be at an age where he can't even legally drive in Spain, but he definitely doesn't need L plates when he is on the pitch. In the season just gone, he contributed to 39 of Barcelona's quite frankly ridiculous 174 goals in all competitions.

18 of those hit the back of the net directly from his own boot, while 21 were assists. The numbers are pretty high, but there are plenty out there with better. That's beside the point, though. When you watch Yamal in action, his pace, dribbling, skills, and composure, make it clear to see why he is in the conversation for the Ballon d'Or.

However, his battle with Doue this evening is not something Yamal thinks should sway the vote, but rather his performances across the year as a whole.

'If you were voting for the Ballon d'Or, would you choose the best player of the year, or the one who wins the match on Thursday?' the 17-year-old told El Partidazo de COPE. 'Whether we win or not, I would vote for the best player of the year.'

Based on the stats, you'd pick Yamal over Doue. More goals, more assists, more big chances created - with 38 - and even a higher Sofascore rating.

Also, Yamal has been calculated as the most valuable player in world football - with CIES determining the Barcelona star to be worth £339million, much more than Doue, who has been valued at just £91m. Still a lot, but pennies in comparison.

However, the values and statistics don't tell the whole story.

Doue has netted 15 goals this season, 13 of which have come since the turn of the year

Two of those strikes came in the Champions League final against Inter Milan and he also got an assist

Yamal has netted three more goals than Doue en route to winning three trophies with Barcelona

You have to take into account that Doue, who signed for PSG from Rennes last summer, only started getting selected by Luis Enrique as a starter at the turn of the year. Funnily enough, that's when fortunes started to turn for the better for the Parisians.

Doue accrued a significantly fewer amount of minutes on the pitch compared to Yamal - 3,019 to 4,548 - and 13 of his 15 goals have come in 2025, two of those in the Champions League final.

It was a performance of the ages last Saturday night. The final will be remembered as the 'Doue final', one in which he showed why PSG no longer need Neymar Jnr and Kylian Mbappe.

He showed the elegance of the Brazilian and the deadliness of his compatriot when tearing the Inter backline into pieces.

Less than a month earlier, Yamal did the very same thing to Simone Inzaghi's side. In the first leg of Barcelona's crazy semi-final with Inter, the 17-year-old superstar put in a performance even Lionel Messi would have been proud of.

With every outside-of-the-boot pass, dummy, or shimmy, his performance became more mesmerising. Inter were on strings from the 24th minute - when he dropped his shoulder, drifted past Henrikh Mkhitaryan as if he wasn't there, and bent the ball in off the post - he was the puppeteer.

It was a shame that Yamal's brilliance across both legs was not enough to see Barcelona over the line.

A final between the two sensational teenagers would have been the perfect setting for their first battle, but at least we don't have to wait too long to see them face off.

Yamal also ripped apart Inter in the Champions League, netting a stunner in the semi-final

Yamal has been named the most valuable player in world football by CIES at £339million

What are they like off the pitch?

'Away from the pitch, he's a dream: easy, calm, with a streak of leadership while still asking for advice.'

Those are the words of Bruno Genesio, Doue's former coach at Rennes, when speaking about the teenager's personality.

'He's both care-free and conscientious in his work,' Genesio continued. 'He's already a pro in his head.'

Doue may be a star on the pitch, but off it, he struts around the fashion capital of the world as if he is just like the rest of us. No trying to hide, just like any teenager, he wants to live his life.

The 19-year-old enjoys watching anime and exploring the world of fashion through stylish outfits, showcasing his personality with wacky haircuts. The overriding feeling from those closest to him is that he is down to earth - the new-found fame hasn't got to him yet.

In a BBC Sport article, Pierre-Etienne Minonzio, a journalist with L'Equipe, said: 'Recently he was in a very popular shop. He was there just looking for a book when somebody spotted him. It was totally normal because he is so young, but maybe he did not understand it is going to be hard for him to be in crowded places in Paris.'

Yamal is similarly humble. It's easy to forget just how young his when watching him on the pitch. He is still a kid, and when he beams after scoring a goal you will notice his braces.

His journey to football stardom began with a modest upbringing, but his prodigious talent quickly attracted attention, earning him the nickname 'Mini-Messi' before he was even a teenager.

Outside of football Doue has been described as 'care-free' and loves fashion and wacky haircuts

The PSG teen also shared his love of Anime in a post to his nearly four million Instagram followers

Yamal, who hails from Catalonia, is very close to his family and comes from a humble upbringing

The Barcelona star is also into his fashion and regularly shares snaps to social media

Yamal was born on July 13, 2007, in Esplugues de Llobregat - which is in the Barcelona metropolitan area of Catalonia, Spain but lived in Mataro for the majority of his childhood.

In a nearby village, Rocafonda, is where Yamal’s grandmother, Fatima, and the mother of Mounir - the Barcelona star's father - lives. Yamal often takes time away from being the world-renowned star he now is just to get a taste of her food.

Yamal sometimes forgets just how famous he has become. Indeed, just days after winning Euro 2024, he was on an EasyJet flight and was bombarded by fans.

During his journey to the top, Yamal's love life has also started to take off. In summer, he was reportedly dating Barcelona-based influencer Alex Padilla before they broke up.

However, six months ago Yamal could be seen with model Anna Gegnoso in La Roca village in Barcelona.

Reports claim that Gegnoso flew all the way from Italy to cheer on the Golden Boy winner from the stands against Las Palmas in December.

The teenage sensation is a global figure outside of the sport, with his marketability seeing no bounds. He has deals with brands like Beats and Oppo, while Nike started providing him with their products at the age of 14 before he opted to switch to Adidas last year.

Yamal has plenty of lucrative brand deals, including one with headphone company Beats

TikTok star and model Anna Gegnoso has been rumoured to be dating the Barcelona star

Doue also has a lucrative deal, but he is with Puma. However, he can still often be seen wearing Nike boots, as were on show at the Allianz Arena last week.

The Frenchman is set to have his inbox littered with offers from various companies following his recent rise. It won't be long until we see him marketed in the same way as his now rival, Yamal.

He is also close to his family. He has an older brother Guela, who also plays football in Ligue 1, for Strasbourg.

Following the Champions League triumph, Doue could also be seen dancing with family members and friends on the pitch. Although, I don't see his moves getting him an appearance on Strictly Come Dancing anytime soon.

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