In a recent interview, Jan Diomande reflected on his remarkable rise from the streets of Abidjan to his FIFA World Cup debut for the Ivory Coast national team.

He used these words to describe several star players: Drogba → Legend, Yaya Touré → Beast, Mbappé → Lightning, Vinícius Jr. → Friend, Ronaldo → Idol, Messi → GOAT.

As an Ivory Coast international, Jan Diomande is currently just 19 years old. In just three years, his career has skyrocketed from Ivory Coast to the United States and then to Europe's top leagues, eventually representing Ivory Coast at the FIFA World Cup. In the interview, he spoke about his childhood football memories: "We played barefoot on a field with no grass, easy to get injured, but we kept playing. No shirt, nothing." He recalled dribbling with white plastic sandals, saying, "It was uncomfortable, but you had to get used to it because you couldn't afford proper shoes."

Because of his powerful shot, Diomande was nicknamed "Carlos" (referring to Roberto Carlos) by adults as a child, though he himself admired Ronaldo more. "Ronaldo's skill, hard work, and dedication on the pitch caught my attention. My first birthday gift was a Manchester United shirt with Cristiano Ronaldo on the back."

The teams Diomande supported as a child were Chelsea and Manchester City, because Drogba and Yaya Touré were his compatriots from Ivory Coast. At age 9, he left home for a local youth academy near the border between Ivory Coast and Ghana. At age 15, he traveled 5,000 miles to the United States for school. "Leaving my family wasn't easy. I had to manage my own emotions, and sometimes I missed home so much. But they told me, 'You're here to play football and go to school,' and I accepted going to school to play football."

At age 17, Diomande went to Europe for trials, trying out at Bournemouth, Chelsea, and Crystal Palace, but he wasn't signed by any of them. He recalls, "I wasn't sad at all; I was just happy to be there and train with them." After his trial at Crystal Palace, Eze and Olise encouraged him: "They told me, 'You're good, you played well,' and that motivated me to keep pushing."

In November 2024, just before his 18th birthday, Diomande signed with La Liga club Leganés and made his professional debut against Real Madrid. He recalls, "I was very nervous because I had to face Vinícius. The coach put me on the right wing, which I didn't like. Then when I switched to the left wing, I was happy." In that match, he also exchanged shirts with Mbappé. "That was incredible; to exchange shirts with him in my professional debut. I still haven't washed that shirt."

Diomande had an outstanding FIFA World Cup debut, helping Ivory Coast secure a 1-0 victory over Ecuador and earning the Man of the Match award. "My first dream was to play for my country, even before becoming a professional player. Now I can come back here and play at the FIFA World Cup—I feel like a man, and I'm so happy."

Speaking about his rapid rise, Diomande said, "I waited two years before becoming a professional player; I was impatient during that time. But everything happened so fast. It feels like just yesterday I was playing in the fourth division in the US, and now I have my national team shirt. All of that comes from faith. I believe in God, and everything I have is because of him."

Diterjemahkan oleh AI.

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