AFCON: Ivory Coast star Yan Diomande opens up on career path

Ivory Coast youngster Yan Diomande has opened up on his career path that has taken him from CD Leganes to RB Leipzig.

The 19-year-old has got his burgeoning career on a good radar since moving from the La Liga to the Bundesliga in a deal that cost Leipzig €20 million last summer.

The left-winger has 14 Bundesliga games under his belt in the current campaign with six goals and three assists before he was called up by Ivory Coast coach Emerse Fae for the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco.

In an interview with Transfermarkt, Diomande explained why he moved from Leganes to RB Leipzig.

Yan Diomande joined Leipzig from Leganes

“I wanted to take the next step, to go from a smaller team to a bigger team,” Diomande said when asked about his decision to move on to Leipzig. “I spoke to the director of the club and the coach as well. We had some very good conversations. They made me believe in the project. They want to work with young players who possess more quality and energy. It was the best option for me to come here.

“They told me that if I come here, I will get my minutes,” Diomande said.

“They told me that if I work hard, I will get my chance. So, I am trying to work hard and fight for my spot in the first team.

Yan Diomande began his career in the USA

Diomande, who once played in the United States for High School side Yulee Hornets and DME Academy before moving to Spain, talked about the physicality of the German Bundesliga.

“Here is more physical,” Diomande said. “In Spain, it is more about spending time with the football, and here it is far more physical. In Spain, I just had to worry about playing football, but here I need to go to the gym. You need to push harder on the pitch. I am working on that side of things, going to the gym to become stronger.”

Diomande discussed the qualities he possesses and the level he wants to reach in the next few years as a young player.

“I am a player with high intensity and like to dribble,” Diomande said when asked about his skills. “I think I have the potential to become a good player. I have time, I am young. Well, not too much time. I am also impatient. I am impatient because I want to become top tier. In my position, that is the most important thing, scoring goals.

However, I must also work on my dribbling, passing, defending, and improve my teamwork. Still, the most important thing is to score goals. The top players score goals. But it is coming.”

The intelligent winger has won the heart of Ivory Coast coach, Emerse Fae and the entire Ivorians. He has played four matches at the Africa Cup of Nations, scoring one goal that came against Burkina Faso in their 3-0 win in the round 16 to qualify for the quarter finals.

Diomande said of his call up for the Africa Cup of Nations and the qualities he seeks to bring to the Elephants’ squad.

He has a goal in four games at 2025 AFCON

“It is always good to be in the first team,” Diomande said. “I am proud because that was my dream. A very big dream. I always wanted to play for my country in the first team, and today I am there, and I am very excited.”

Diomande will look to add more firepower to Ivory Coast as they prepare to face Egypt in the quarter finals on Saturday, January 10 at the Stade Adrar in Agadir.