World Cup star Yan Diomande's letter to his deceased sister: "Everything I do on the pitch is done for you"

Ivory Coast's 19-year-old winger Yan Diomande has emerged as one of the brightest young talents at the ongoing FIFA World Cup. His success is overshadowed by a tragic story: a year ago, his 15-year-old sister Roxane died after someone slipped a substance into her drink at a party. Before the tournament, Diomande wrote an emotional letter to his sister, expressing that everything he does on the pitch is dedicated to her.

Ivory Coast winger Yan Diomande is one of the brightest young talents at the 2026 FIFA World Cup. The 19-year-old player, who was closely watched before the tournament, has lived up to all expectations. The young man currently playing for RB Leipzig has also attracted the interest of Liverpool, who are willing to pay nearly €100 million for him.

A letter that moved millions

Before the World Cup, players from different national teams were asked to write letters to their loved ones. Diomande, representing Ivory Coast, picked up a pen and addressed his letter to his deceased sister Roxane, who passed away tragically at just 15 years old.

"Do you remember when someone brought me a fake United shirt and I wrote Ronaldo 7 on the back with a black marker?" Diomande began his letter. Roxane, three years younger than Yan, always believed in her brother's talent, even when he was playing on the sandy pitches of Abidjan. "You were the one who always believed that I could become the next Cristiano, while others laughed," Diomande wrote.

Doors slammed shut

Diomande's path to professional football was far from straightforward. Several European clubs, including Chelsea, Bournemouth, Glasgow Rangers, Crystal Palace, and Olympiacos Piraeus, rejected him after trials. Even second-tier MLS teams in the USA saw no potential in him. Diomande admits he still doesn't know why. Ironically, Crystal Palace players Eberechi Eze and Michael Olise had personally told him: "Boy, you're really good!"

Due to visa expiration, Diomande returned to his homeland of Ivory Coast, where he cried tears of disappointment with his sister. But Roxane never stopped believing. A few weeks later, Diomande signed with Spanish club Leganés, and the tears came again-this time from joy.

Tragedy shadows success

In early spring 2025, when Diomande was already playing in Spain, his family received devastating news. At a party, someone slipped a substance into Roxane's drink, and the girl never woke up. She was only 15 years old.

"Since you died, I've been completely empty," Diomande wrote in his letter. The only place where he feels at peace is the football pitch. "There I can talk to you. Everything I do on the pitch is done for you."

World Cup shine and a promise

Diomande says his greatest motivation is to prove that Roxane was right when she told everyone that Yan could one day become the world's greatest footballer. That drives him in every training session and every match.

He ended his letter with a promise: "And if I should see Cristiano at the World Cup, I'll say hello to you from him."