Yan Diomande achieves a feat not seen from a young African in the Champions League since Obafemi Martins in 2003

Coming on as a substitute in the 70th minute, the 19-year-old Ivorian winger wasted no time in making a decisive impact on Wednesday 21 October in the Champions League. Within minutes, Yan Diomande had contributed to Real Madrid’s 4-1 victory by playing a direct part in two goals.

A remarkable performance that has earned him a place in the competition’s history books. Thanks to this display, Yan Diomande has become, according to Opta statistics, the youngest African player to score a goal and provide an assist in the same UEFA Champions League match since the Nigerian Obafemi Martins in September 2003, whilst playing for Inter Milan.

At just 19 years of age, the Ivory Coast international is thus making his mark on the European stage. These performances highlight the progress made by Yan Diomande, who had faced criticism following his arrival during the summer transfer window.