Yan Diomande, 19 years old and Ivory Coast star, caught attention on social media this week after sharing a letter of guidance from her sister Roxanne. The publication was made by the newspaper “The Players Tribune”. The young woman died in 2025. According to the athlete, the 15 year old girl had gone to a party and someone put a substance in her drink and she never woke up again. The news was received by the player through a telephone call.
“You always said I could be better than Cristiano. If I see you there, I’ll say hello for you.”, writes the athlete in one part. “I’m going to do what you predicted, I swear. Before I even had real football boots, you told everyone: ‘My brother is going to be the best in the world.'” he adds. “I’m going to prove you right, or I’m going to die trying.”
Diomande, number 11 for the Ivory Coast National Team, was born in Abidjan, the country’s capital, and currently plays for RB Leipzig, however, he began his career at Leganés. He was named the best player in the match against Ecuador, which ended with the Ivorians winning 1-0.
Check out the full letter
Remember when someone bought me a fake United shirt, and I wrote “Ronaldo 7” on the back with a black marker? We didn’t know what was rich or poor. We only knew happiness. Remember the 25 people sleeping in one house in Abidjan? Her mother wanted to watch her soap operas. Everyone wanted to watch movies.
Remember how I always pretended to be asleep and then went to the TV room after midnight? I put the TV very low. Like, just two volume bars. I watched football in the dark and dreamed. Remember when the adults saw me playing football on the ground and gave me the nickname “Roberto Carlos” because of the strength with which I kicked?
And remember how I secretly got so angry about that, because CR7 was my idol? Remember when I went to play so far from home? I was 9 years old. Inter Foot Sud Comoé, close to the border with Ghana. Just a little boy alone. I don’t know if I ever told you this story, but the other children and I used to go to the village and steal potatoes because we were very hungry.
We did a “bank robbery”. Two children distracted the store owner, and 18 others ran out with two potatoes. They weren’t even good. But they tasted incredible. Hahahah. To this day it’s my favorite thing to eat. Potatoes cooked with a little oil. It reminds me of those times. Remember when I got my first real soccer cleats, and I slept in them?
Growing up, I always played in those white plastic sandals. Even when I go home now, I still play with them. It’s our tradition. Remember when I would come home, and you would say to my neighborhood friends, “Why did you stop training? Yan isn’t going to buy you cars. You need to keep working.” You were 10 years old, and you were already my agent. Remember how we used to sit around and dream about moving to France?
Like we would go shopping, have our own apartment, and I would be a rich player, with cars and a big house, and you wouldn’t have to worry about anything. You were the person who always believed that I could be the next Cristiano, when everyone else laughed. Remember when I moved to the United States for high school, when I was 15, and I missed home so much? For months I didn’t understand what anyone was saying. They put me sitting next to a French boy, and he tried to translate everything the teacher said.
Remember when I called you and said: “You won’t believe it, the children here argue with the teachers.” At home, you know, we wouldn’t even dare blink at our elders. Remember when I couldn’t believe boys smoked after school? You used to say it felt like I was in an American TV series.
Remember when they took me to try out at Bournemouth? At Chelsea, Rangers, Olympiacos, Crystal Palace? Eze and Olise came up to me after training and said, “Hey kid, you’re really good.”…but they still didn’t sign me. Even the MLS B teams didn’t want me. I didn’t even know why. They never gave me a reason.
The adults took care of everything. They just kept taking me all over Europe, and everyone kept saying no. My visa is over. My dream is over. They sent me back to Africa, and we cried together. You were the only one who never stopped believing. A few weeks later, I signed with Leganés, and we cried different tears. This was back when I still had emotions. Now, I don’t feel anything. It’s like I’m not even human. Since you died, I’m just a void.
I don’t think I even shed a tear the day they told me you were gone. I was just in shock.
It was a few weeks after my debut for Leganés. Who debuts at 18 against Real Madrid? It was too crazy. It was a dream… and then it turned into a nightmare. Someone kept calling me from home. I was irritated. I didn’t understand why they kept calling me.
I answered, and they didn’t even soften. You know how it is at home. No emotion. Only…
“Your sister is gone.”
“What?”
“She died.”
“What are you talking about?”
“Someone put something in her drink at a party, and she never woke up. She was gone.”
You were 15 years old.
I never got any response. I don’t know if I want to know why. Maybe it was envy. Maybe it’s just something that happens in our country. Maybe I could have protected you. I don’t know.
I try to trust God’s plan. It’s all I can do. I don’t try to forget, because I know I won’t forget. All I can do is use the pain to work harder, and to do everything we dream of.
I wrote this because I can’t talk about it. I wrote this because I want you to know that I will make sure you stay alive. I’ll make sure everyone knows your name. The whole world.
Everything I do on a football field is for you.
So much has happened since the last time I saw you… You wouldn’t believe it. I don’t know if I believe it.
You know what’s crazy? After my debut against Madrid, I actually exchanged shirts with Mbappé. Remember when we watched him on TV, and you said: “Mbappé? Yes, he’s good. But my brother is better.”
I was wrong about one thing. I don’t want to be rich. I see what it does to people, even family. When I was at Leganés, everything I earned, I sent home. It got to the point where I didn’t even want money anymore. It was just a weight. They never stopped asking. I think they thought I was already a millionaire. I didn’t even have an apartment. I lived at the training center, in a room without a TV. Just football and sleep, football and sleep.
I didn’t want a big house. I didn’t want cars. I just wanted to put everything into football. All to show the world that my sister was right…
There’s… you’ll find this funny.
When I moved to play for RB Leipzig, I was always late. Well, not late. But I was on time, which in Germany means you are very late.
So you already know what I did next. I started arriving 90 minutes early for everything. I arrived so early all the time that the guys started calling me “The German”.
I always need to exaggerate everything. I have no balance. You always said that. The countryside is the only place where I still feel at home. It’s the place where I feel calm, and where I can talk to you. I just wish you were still here so I could tell you… We did it.
Everything you said came true.
We are leaving for the World Cup tomorrow. In truth. Your brother will play for Ivory Coast, like Drogba, like Yaya, like Gervinho.
I don’t even see it as a game. I see it as a stage. This is my chance to show the whole world what you saw in me. Every time I score, I will make sure everyone knows your name. I’ll make sure they don’t forget you.
You always said I could be better than Cristiano. If I see you there, I’ll say hello for you.
I’ll do what you predicted, I swear. Before I even had real cleats, you were telling everyone, “My brother is going to be the best in the world.”
I’ll prove you right, or I’ll die trying.
Your brother,
Yan
