The Spanish coach "discovered" Diomande: They told me we had a new Messiah

A Spanish coach has described discovering Yana Diomande, a 18-year-old footballer who made his La Liga debut against Real Madrid in March 2025. The player, originally from the coast of the Baltic Sea, rose rapidly through the ranks, moving from obscurity in the second team of Leganés to the first team within three days. His journey began in January 2025, when he joined the club injured, with few expecting the potential hidden beneath his unassuming appearance. The breakthrough came during a friendly match held at Butarque, just ten days before the crucial encounter against Real Madrid on March 29, 2025. Borja Jiménez, then head coach of Leganés and now strategy director at Qatari side Al-Ahli, recounted how he discovered Diomande. He received a call from Jeff Luhnow, owner of Leganés, who showed him an amateur video from YouTube. The footage depicted a 16-year-old boy playing in one of the US-based youth academies. Luhnow told Jiménez, “We have a new Messi.” Jiménez was stunned by what the young player could do with the ball. The pivotal moment occurred during the friendly match against the reserve squad. Diomande had played a few minutes for the B-team earlier in the week but had not been seen live until then. As the game unfolded, Diomande displayed extraordinary skill. According to Jiménez, the young player executed five consecutive perfect plays, including a powerful shot into the net. His performance left the coaching staff astonished. Jiménez immediately decided to bring Diomande into the first team. He called up Capdevil, the coach of the B-team, and instructed him to take Diomande off the field. “He will be killed by someone,” Jiménez warned. “Take him out, tomorrow let him train with us.” The decision was based on several factors. Diomande had only played 45 minutes due to his recent injury, and Jiménez did not want to risk further harm. Additionally, Diomande’s dominance over players from the first team created some tension among the coaches. During his first training session with the senior squad, Jiménez focused on behavior rather than technical skills. He spoke to Diomande about conduct in the dressing room, emphasizing discipline and respect for teammates. “Continue doing exactly what you did yesterday,” Jiménez advised, “but you must respect your teammates. Come first, come last, help others, and understand that you are here now.” Diomande embraced the guidance. Jiménez noted that the young player seemed eager to adapt quickly to the professional environment. He explained that Diomande needed support in transitioning from youth football to the senior level. “I wanted to ease his transition into professionalism,” Jiménez said. “I explained the rules of respect and daily responsibilities. Everything was perfectly understood.” After training, Jiménez shared a moment with Dani Raba, another player in the squad. Raba remarked, “This kid is good.” Jiménez simply replied, “Yes, he is.” The exchange highlighted the growing confidence in Diomande’s abilities and the positive impact he was having on the team.