Diomande

Ousmane Diomande (born 4 December 2003) is an Ivorian professional footballer who plays as a centre-back for Primeira Liga club Sporting CP and the Ivory Coast national team.

Club career Midtjylland Diomande is a youth product of the Ivorian club Olympic Sport Abobo, having joined at the age of 10. He moved to the youth academy of the Danish club Midtjylland in January 2020.

Diomande joined the Portuguese club Mafra on loan on 5 August 2022 on a season-long loan. The next day he made his professional debut with Mafra in a 3–1 Liga Portugal 2 loss to Oliveirense on 6 August 2022.

Sporting Thanks to impressive performances with Mafra, Diomande's loan was cut short halfway through the season and he transferred to Primeira Liga club Sporting CP on 31 January 2023, signing a contract until June 2027 for a fee of €7.5 million, which could rise to €12.5 million with add-ons. Midtjylland is also owed 20% of the profit Sporting receives from a future transfer. Diomande's release clause was set at €80 million.

Diomande made his debut for the Lisbon club on 7 February, coming off the bench to replace Matheus Reis on the final minutes of a 1–0 league victory away at Rio Ave. Two weeks later, he made his first start for the Lions, in a 3–2 league victory away at Chaves, where he was replaced by Jeremiah St. Juste on the 71st minute. Diomande made his European debut on 9 March, coming off the bench to replace Ricardo Esgaio on the 77th minute of a 2–2 draw at home to Arsenal in the UEFA Europa League round of 16 first leg. Eight days later, on the return fixture in the Emirates Stadium, Diomande started and played the full match, as Sporting drew 1–1 and eliminated Arsenal through penalty shootout. The Ivorian scored his first goal for the Lions on 21 May 2023, in the Derby de Lisboa, out-jumping Álex Grimaldo to head a Nuno Santos corner into the net, making the score 2–0 for Sporting; however, Benfica went on to salvage a 2–2 draw. Sporting CP finished the 2022–23 season in 4th place in the Primeira Liga, qualifying for the 2023–24 UEFA Europa League group stage.

On 21 September 2023, Diomande scored his first goal in European competitions, through a 84th minute winner in a 2–1 victory away at Sturm Graz in the UEFA Europa League.

International career Diomande was called up to the Ivory Coast national team for a set of 2023 Africa Cup of Nations qualification matches in September 2023. He debuted in a 1–0 win over Lesotho on 9 September 2023.

Style of play As a central defender, he has the ability to play out from the back and drive the team forward, allowing his team to play out of trouble and turn defense to attack quickly. His main strengths are his physicality, his vision and his speed, but he has also notable short passing, dribbling, positioning, anticipation and tackling attributes.