According to Marca, Jan Diomande, the rising star who joined Real Madrid this summer, gave an interview to SportyTV, talking about his transfer process, the phone call from Mourinho, and the advice Drogba gave him after learning that he had joined Real Madrid.
Diomande said he was "very proud and happy because I achieved my dream." Becoming the best player in the world has always been his goal, and he is still working towards it. Diomande considers himself humble, but also confident. "No club is greater than Real Madrid. They spent a lot of money on me, but I don't feel any pressure. Why should I be afraid? I will do my best on the pitch and leave the rest to God."
His reaction to joining Real Madrid
Diomande will never forget his reaction when he learned that Real Madrid wanted to sign him: "It was like a dream, because no club is greater than Real Madrid. After hearing the news, I couldn't sleep all night; I simply couldn't believe it. I spoke with Juni first, and then with the coach. To my surprise, he speaks French. Mourinho got up at 5 a.m. to call me, which shows how important I am to him. When Real Madrid called, you can't refuse, so I said, 'If they want me, I'll go there.'"
He also recalled the first words Mourinho said to him: "When I first joined the team, he said to me, 'I promised you that you would be a part of my team, and now you have done it.' I told him, 'I am happy to work with you because you are the best coach.' I can learn a lot from him, and he is the best coach to continue developing me. I am ready to give everything for him."
In the locker room, Diomande also got along well with Vinicius: "I've talked to him before. He's the only one I'm close to. Mbappe too, because we speak the same language. I get along well with everyone, and they're all very kind to me."
His connection with Leganés
It's worth mentioning that Diomande's professional debut was against Real Madrid at the Bernabéu Stadium: "It was God's arrangement. I have great faith in God, and it's such a coincidence. I just want to enjoy every day. The memory I have of that game is that I exchanged jerseys with Mbappé, and now we are laughing together in the same dressing room. I will never forget Leganés because it was the only club that gave me the opportunity to show my abilities."
Before joining Leganés, Diomande spent time in the United States: "It was the right decision. I was young then and had a lot of fun. As an African kid, you don't have many opportunities to travel. That experience was interesting because I traveled a lot and was always playing football. I will never forget the path I've taken."
African Idol
Today, Diomande has become an icon in African football, but before him, there were other legends on the continent: "My idols are Yaya Toure and Drogba. I spoke with Drogba two days ago, and he told me that Mourinho is like a father to him, and I should be careful. You have to work hard, but he's a very good person. Drogba was a legend, and he still is, so you have to listen to him. It's helpful to talk to them because I can learn a lot from them. Indeed, I didn't ask too many questions because I'm rather shy. I'm still young, and I have to show my personality."
Finally, Diomande spoke about his World Cup experience: "It was a fantastic experience, and it was my first World Cup. We didn't expect to win, but it was a great tournament. I appreciate everyone's enthusiastic support, which motivates me to do even better. I'm proud to be the youngest player to represent my country in the World Cup. This motivates me to work even harder."
His relationship with his sister
During the World Cup, Diomande publicly released a letter he wrote to his late sister, which made his story widely known: "She inspired me to never give up and to keep striving to achieve my dreams. This is the perfect time to share this story. Everything I do is for her."
