Ivorian Footballer Yan Diomandé Reveals Sister's Death in World Cup Open Letter

Yan Diomandé, a 19-year-old Ivorian winger for RB Leipzig, published an open letter on The Players' Tribune on June 17, 2026, revealing the tragic death of his 15-year-old sister, Roxane. Titled "Dear Roxane," the letter was written before his departure for the World Cup but released publicly after Ivory Coast had already begun tournament play. Diomandé learned of his sister's death through a phone call from Abidjan, where he had recently completed his first professional appearance with Spanish club Leganés, making his Liga debut against Real Madrid. The caller informed him that someone had poisoned Roxane's drink during a party, and she never regained consciousness.

In the letter, Diomandé reflects extensively on his shared childhood with Roxane in an overcrowded Abidjan home where up to 25 people lived under one roof. Despite being five years his junior, Roxane played a decisive role in his development, reportedly encouraging neighbourhood children to continue football training at age 10 and confidently predicting that her brother would become a great player. The letter traces Diomandé's football journey, including his entry into the Inter Foot Sud Comoé academy at age 9 near the Ghanaian border, his move to an American high school at 15, and unsuccessful trials at several European clubs—Bournemouth, Chelsea, Rangers, Olympiacos, and Crystal Palace—before finally succeeding at Leganés.

Diomandé explained his decision to write the open letter as a way to properly address a subject he could not discuss otherwise, stating he wanted his sister's name to be associated with each of his performances on the pitch. He also recalled exchanging his jersey with Kylian Mbappé after his first match against Real Madrid, a memory he connected directly to Roxane's enthusiastic predictions while watching television in their family home. The timing of the letter's publication created a temporal disconnect: written as an imminent departure for the tournament, it was released after Ivory Coast's June 15 opening match against Ecuador. The Ivorian team competes in Group E alongside Germany, Ecuador, and Curaçao, seeking to reach the knockout stages—an achievement the nation has never accomplished in its three previous World Cup participations.