Diomand: Cristiano Ronaldo Left a Mark on My Life, Playing for Madrid is a Dream

Ivory Coast's Yann Diomande experienced a remarkable moment after being introduced as a new player for Real Madrid, where he spoke about his feelings regarding the move to the royal club. He also revealed the significant impact that Portuguese star Cristiano Ronaldo has had on his personality and ambitions since his childhood.

Diomande, 19, was presented as a new player for Real Madrid on Tuesday in a deal that could reach €140 million, making it the most expensive in the club's history. He then spoke to Real Madrid's official channel about the start of his new journey.

The Ivorian player expressed his immense pride in wearing the Real Madrid jersey, confirming that playing for the club is a dream for any player, saying: "I am proud because this is the biggest club in the world. Everyone dreams today of playing for Real Madrid, and so being here is a source of pride and honor for me, and I am happy to represent this club. I will give my all."

Diomande spoke about his first experience in a dressing room filled with football stars, explaining that being alongside the best players and training under one of the world's top coaches is hard to believe. He added: "It's like a dream, and I am happy today to be with them. Everything is amazing."

The Ivorian player praised Real Madrid president Florentino Pérez: "The club president is the most prominent figure, he is the primary responsible. So I thank him for his trust in me. All I want is to deliver good results on the pitch so that he is happy after all he has done to sign me."

Regarding his capabilities and what he can offer to the team, he indicated that he prefers to leave the judgment to the coaching staff, stating: "I know that I have a lot to offer, but in the end, the person most capable of judging that is the coach and the coaching staff of Real Madrid, because they are the ones who saw the quality that led them to sign me."

The player stated: "I feel a bit embarrassed when talking about what I can offer, but I believe I can provide a lot. It’s up to the coach and the technical staff to assess the quality of the player and what they can add to the team."

Cristiano Ronaldo has always been seen as a role model since his childhood. His dedication, work ethic, and passion for the game have inspired countless young players around the world.

Diomande revealed that Cristiano Ronaldo was one of his biggest sources of inspiration, emphasizing that the Portuguese star has left a lasting impact on his life.

He explained: "He is my role model for many reasons. Firstly, because of his mentality and desire to win. I saw myself in that, as I also dislike losing, and I am someone who does not accept defeat easily. I would cry every time I lost."

He continued: "I felt that I resembled him and asked myself: why not? I started focusing on Ronaldo, buying his shirts and personally writing his name on them with paint. He has left a mark on my life and continues to influence me."

The Ivorian player reminisced about his first appearance at the Santiago Bernabéu against Real Madrid, before finding himself today as a player for the royal club, commenting: "I remember it as if it were yesterday: my first appearance at the Santiago Bernabéu against Real Madrid. And today I am playing for Real Madrid. It’s truly unbelievable, that’s life."

Diomande has set his sights on the Champions League as an early target for the season.

The new Real Madrid player showed great enthusiasm after seeing the 15 European trophies won by the club, stating: "It's different because we see them on television, but being here today and seeing all these trophies gives you a strong desire to win one and be part of this achievement too."

He added: "It’s an incredibly exciting feeling to fight for the Champions League title for the club, and why not start from this year?".

Despite joining Real Madrid, Diemande emphasized: "It's great when you see that you're on the right path, but there's still a lot to achieve. We are at Real Madrid, but it doesn't end here. We shouldn't rest on what we've accomplished, but we must keep working."

The competition within the team will be fierce, he added: "All Real Madrid players are the best in the world, and you have to fight every day to secure your place. As I said, we are on the right path, but we have not yet reached the place we want to get to, so we must continue to work."

His sister is a partner in the journey.

Diomande spoke about the role his sister played in his career: "She was important to me, and if she were here, she would be happy, but we have not yet achieved the goal we set for ourselves, which is much bigger than that."

He continued: "We are on the right path; playing at Real Madrid, playing for the best team in the world, is a source of pride. But we will not rest on that. We will work and reach the goal we have set."

He noted: "I remember it as if it were yesterday: my debut at Santiago Bernabéu against Real Madrid. And today I play for Real Madrid. It's unbelievable, that's life."

He added: "I thank God for this opportunity, as well as the club. At the same time, I am very excited to play my first match at Santiago Bernabéu."

He concluded: "When I was there last time, the stadium wasn't finished, but I saw how beautiful it was after the development work was completed. I can't wait to step onto the pitch and achieve something big."