Real Madrid newcomer dedicated his maiden goal vs Villarreal to late sister

Real Madrid newcomer dedicated his maiden goal vs Villarreal to late sister Real Madrid’s recent win over Villarreal certainly had its tense and controversial moments, most of them involving Vinicius Jr. But the biggest silver lining for Los Blancos was Yan Diomande scoring his first goal for the club following his €140 million move from RB Leipzig. Diomande’s slow start had made him a subject of much criticism in the media. In the first game after the international break, however, the forward opened his account, and he used the moment to pay tribute to his sister, who died at the age of 15, reports MARCA . Diomande’s tribute to his late sister On the hour mark, Federico Valverde slipped him through and the Ivorian finished low across goal for the game’s only strike. Has Diomande finally come into his own at Real Madrid? (Photo by Angel Martinez/Getty Images) Once VAR confirmed it, he walked away from his celebrating teammates, closed his eyes and broke down in tears, his gaze fixed on the sky. He later explained the emotion in his post-match interview. “This means more than words can say. My first goal is for you, sister. Forever in my heart.” Roxane died in 2025 at just 15, having believed in her brother long before anyone else did. From the age of ten she had acted as his biggest champion, and ahead of the 2026 World Cup, Diomande shared their story in a letter published in The Players’ Tribune. “Everything I do on the field is for you, ” he wrote. Staking a claim for more minutes Diomande has a chance to play a more prominent role in the first-team. (Photo by Alex Caparros/Getty Images) Diomande’s goal against Villarreal also carried a lot of weight, in terms of his standing in the team. “I’d been waiting for that first goal for a long time,” Diomande admitted on Real Madrid TV. His display offered a glimpse of his value, with four successful dribbles, the pace to stretch Villarreal and the movement to create space for Kylian Mbappe. With Vinicius facing a possible and lengthened domestic suspension , the 19-year-old has a timely chance to claim a more prominent role. He is also relishing a first taste of the Champions League. “It’s every child’s dream, and I’m very grateful to be doing it with Real Madrid.” So it will be interesting to see whether or not Diomande gets more chances to perform in the coming matches, before Real Madrid prepare for the big fight against Barcelona.