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One of the World Cup's most coveted players has revealed the heartache fuelling his career at the top.
Yan Diomande made his World Cup bow for Ivory Coast and is considered hot property by Europe's elite with Liverpool and Paris Saint-Germain leading the hunt.
The RB Leipzig winger is already valued at £100 million and that figure could rise following a promising start in his homeland's opening Group E win over Ecuador.
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World Cup star Yan Diomande reveals family heartbreak
Diomande has enjoyed a meteoiric rise at the highest level since a half-season spell at La Liga outfit Leganes opening the door to a switch to the Bundesliga.
The winger made his debut in a narrow Copa del Rey defeat to Real Madrid in February 2025 before moving on to Leipzig that summer in a €20 million deal.
His star continued to shine during a debut season at the Red Bull Arena, where he registered 12 goals and eight assists from 33 German top-flight outings.
The 19-year-old also became the fourth-youngest player to reach double figures in a single Bundesliga campaign which has paved the way for his rising transfer stock.
But his route to the top has not been an easy one after a series of unsuccessful trials at the likes of Bournemouth, Chelsea, Rangers and Crystal Palace along the way.
Diomande's career has also been underpinned by tragedy after he revealed that his sister Roxane died last year at the age of just 15 from an alleged drink spiking.
"Remember when they took me on trial at Bournemouth? At Chelsea, Rangers, Olympiacos, Crystal Palace? Eze and Olise even came up to me after one training [session] and said, 'Yo kid, you’re really good'. But they still didn’t sign me," Diomande said on The Player's Tribune.
"Even the B teams in the MLS didn’t want me. I didn’t even know why. They never gave me a reason. The adults handled everything. They just kept taking me all around Europe, and everybody kept saying no.
"My visa was up. My dream was over. They sent me back to Africa, and we cried together. You were the one who never stopped believing. A few weeks later, I signed for Leganes and we cried different tears.
"That was back when I used to have emotions. Now, I don’t feel anything. It’s like I’m not even human. Since you died, I’m just blank."
Diomande has also vowed to preserve his sister's memory at the World Cup and beyond by living up to her prediction that he will be the the world's greatest player.
"This is my chance to show the whole world what you saw in me," said Diomande. "Every time I score, I’ll make sure everybody knows your name. I’ll make sure they don’t forget you.
"You always said that I could be better than Cristiano. If I see him there, I’ll tell him hello for you.
"I’m going to do what you predicted, I swear. Before I even had real boots, you were telling everybody, 'My brother is going to be the greatest in the world'. I will prove that you were right, or I will die trying."
