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Jun 25, 2026

Ivory Coast World Cup star Yan Diomande pens heartbreaking tribute to late sister

Story byThe IndependentThe IndependentAlan SmithThu, Jun 18, 2026·3 min read

Yan Diomande has paid an emotional tribute to his sister Roxane, who passed away aged 15 following an incident in which she allegedly had a drink spiked, with the Ivory Coast star saying: “Everything I do on a football pitch, it’s for you.”

The RB Leipzig winger, in an article published by the Players’ Tribune, has revealed the heartbreak he experienced when being told that his sister had died not long after he made his debut for Leganes in La Liga last year.

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Diomande, 19, wrote: “I never got any answers. I don’t know if I want to know why. Maybe it was jealousy. 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 dreamed about.

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