Diomande reveals sister's death and failed trials behind £100m World Cup rise

Yan Diomande has laid bare the grief and rejection that shaped his path to becoming one of the World Cup’s most sought-after players, revealing in a letter published by The Players’ Tribune that the death of his younger sister Roxane has left him feeling “not even human”.

The 19-year-old RB Leipzig winger made his World Cup debut for Ivory Coast in their Group E opener against Ecuador, and his performances have drawn serious interest from Liverpool and Paris Saint-Germain. He is currently valued at £100 million, a figure that could climb further with each appearance in the tournament.

Diomande’s rise has been rapid but far from straightforward. Before breaking through at Spanish side Leganés in early 2025 — where he made his debut in a Copa del Rey defeat to Real Madrid in February — he endured a series of failed trials at Bournemouth, Chelsea, Rangers, Olympiacos and Crystal Palace. Even MLS reserve sides passed on him. “They never gave me a reason,” he wrote. “The adults handled everything. They just kept taking me all around Europe, and everybody kept saying no.”

He recalled the moment his visa expired and he was sent back to Africa, believing his dream was finished — only for a contract with Leganés to arrive weeks later. That summer he moved to Leipzig in a €20 million deal, going on to score 12 goals and add eight assists in 33 Bundesliga appearances, becoming the fourth-youngest player to reach double figures in a single season in the German top flight.

Underpinning all of it is the loss of his sister Roxane, who died last year at the age of 15 following an alleged drink spiking. The letter, addressed directly to her, describes the emotional numbness that has followed. “That was back when I used to have emotions,” Diomande wrote. “Now, I don’t feel anything. It’s like I’m not even human. Since you died, I’m just blank.”

He also recalled that Eberechi Eze and Michael Olise approached him after a training session during one of his trials to tell him he was “really good” — yet the club still did not sign him.

Diomande has vowed to honour Roxane’s memory throughout the World Cup, citing her belief that he would one day be the world’s best player. “This is my chance to show the whole world what you saw in me,” he wrote. “Every time I score, I’ll make sure everybody knows your name.”