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Yan Diomande's promise to his late sister: "If I see Cristiano Ronaldo, I'll say hello for you"
As Yan Diomande prepares to live out his dream of playing at the FIFA World Cup 2026 with Ivory Coast, he carries with him a story of heartbreak, love and an unforgettable promise.
As Yan Diomande prepares to live out his dream of playing at the FIFA World Cup 2026 with Ivory Coast, he carries with him a story of heartbreak, love and an unforgettable promise.
The RB Leipzig forward, still not yet 20 years old, opened up in an emotional letter published by The Players' Tribune, dedicated to his sister Roxane, who passed away at just 15 years old.
In it, he reflected on their childhood, explained how he learned of her death and shared a promise that even involves one of his greatest idols: Cristiano Ronaldo.
"You always said I'd be better than Cristiano"
Diomande began by recalling a difficult upbringing filled with joy despite limited resources.
"Do you remember when someone bought me a fake United shirt and I wrote Ronaldo 7 on the back with a black marker? We didn't know if we were rich or poor. We only knew happiness," he wrote.
The Ivory Coast international explained that Roxane was one of the first people to truly believe in him.
"You always said I could be better than Cristiano. If I see him there, I'll say hello for you. I'm going to do what you predicted, I swear," he promised.
The vow he made before the World Cup
On the eve of the biggest tournament of his career, Diomande revealed what now drives him.
"We're leaving for the World Cup tomorrow. Really. Your brother is going to play for Ivory Coast, like Drogba, like Yaya, like Gervinho. This is my chance to show the whole world what you saw in me," he wrote.
He then delivered perhaps the most powerful line of the letter.
"Every time I score, I'll make sure everyone knows your name. I'll make sure you're never forgotten."
Diomande also described the heartbreaking moment he learned that Roxane had died, just weeks after making his senior debut for Leganés against Real Madrid.
"I don't even think I cried the day they told me you were gone. I was simply in shock," he recalled.
After receiving repeated calls from home, he finally answered.
"They didn't soften it. You know how it is back home. No emotions. Just... Your sister is gone," he wrote.
The devastating truth followed.
"Someone put something in her drink at a party and she never woke up. She was gone. You were 15. Fifteen."
A World Cup for Roxane
Now, every step Diomande takes at the FIFA World Cup will carry a deeper meaning.
Beyond goals, victories or even the possibility of meeting Cristiano Ronaldo, the young forward has a far greater mission: to honor his sister's memory and prove that the girl who always believed he would become the best in the world was right all along.
