Background and career
Yan Diomande (born 14 November 2006) is an Ivorian professional footballer who plays as a winger for La Liga club Real Madrid and the Ivory Coast national team.
Diomande started his professional football career in the United States when he signed for DME Academy in 2022. He also played for AS Frenzi and helped the team winning UPSL Premier Division title in 2023. While playing at DME, Diomande had taken part of trials with a number of European clubs. He joined Leganés in January 2025, before moving to RB Leipzig in July 2025 for a reported €20m. After one season in Germany, Diomande joined Real Madrid in August 2026 for a reported €125m plus €15m in potential add-ons, becoming the club's record signing and the most expensive African player in history.
Diomande represented Ivory Coast at the under-17 and under-23 levels before progressing to the senior team. He made his senior debut in 2025 and was part of the squad for the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations and the 2026 FIFA World Cup, helping his national team reach the knockout stage for the first time in the nation's history.
