Who is Yan Diomande? What to know about USA-educated Ivory Coast World Cup star
· Yahoo Sports
One of Ivory Coast's most important players at the 2026 World Cup took a detour through the United States on his path to soccer stardom.
Yan Diomande is one of the country's brightest hopes at just 19, and is set to play a key role during the World Cup.
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Diomande was born in Abidjan, Ivory Coast, but moved to Daytona Beach, Florida at 15 years old to join DME Academy’s soccer team.
The dynamic winger starred for the high school team between 2022 and 2024, eventually signing with then-La Liga side Leganés.
After making 10 La Liga appearances in 2024-25, Diomande burst onto the scene this past season after joining Bundesliga side RB Leipzig.
Diomande made 36 appearances in all competitions for Leipzig this past season, tallying 13 goals and 10 assists. His dynamic displays have caught the attention of some of Europe's biggest clubs, with Liverpool showing a reported interest.
According to Transfermarkt, Diomande is already valued at €90 million ($104m).
In 2025, Diomande made his first appearance for Ivory Coast and has quickly gone on to become a key player for the Elephants. He's earned 11 caps for Ivory Coast, including five at last year's Africa Cup of Nations.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Yan Diomande, educated in USA, stars for Ivory Coast at World Cup