Diomande unveiled by Real Madrid: "Cristiano Ronaldo marked me and still does"

Real Madrid made it official on Tuesday with the presentation of 19-year-old Diomande, a transfer that stands as the most expensive operation in the club's 122-year history. The deal could rise to 140 million euros with add-ons, a statement of enormous faith in a player expected to define an era. After the formal event, the forward spoke to Real Madrid TV and offered a series of statements that reveal both his mentality and his footballing references.

• Diomande was unveiled as a new Real Madrid player in a deal potentially worth 140 million euros.
• He named Cristiano Ronaldo as his biggest idol: 'He marked me and still does.'
• He recalled making his professional debut at the Santiago Bernabéu and now dreams of playing there as a Madrid player.
• He thanked Florentino Pérez for the club's trust and promised to give everything on the pitch.
• He acknowledged his sister's key role in his career and the even bigger goal they set together.

A record 140 million euro signing for Real Madrid

The sum Real Madrid are prepared to pay for Diomande has no precedent at the club. The 140 million euros the operation could reach, combining fixed and variable components, surpasses any previous arrival in the club's history. At just 19, the player lands with the weight of justifying such an investment and the demands that come with wearing the shirt of the reigning European champions.

At his presentation, Diomande did not shy away from the pressure. "I will give everything," he promised, fully aware that the margin for error at a club of this magnitude is minimal. His youth contrasts with the composure he showed in every answer, a trait the coaching staff valued highly when giving the green light to the deal.

What Diomande said about Cristiano Ronaldo and his influence

First of all, the mentality, the desire to win. I identified with that because I also didn't like losing — I was a sore loser. I cried every time I lost. So I felt identified and said to myself: 'Why not?'. I started following Ronaldo, I bought shirts and wrote his name on them with paint myself. He marked me and still does.

Cristiano Ronaldo runs through Diomande's career since childhood. The Portuguese, Real Madrid's all-time leading scorer, represents a model of competitiveness and ambition for the new arrival. That emotional connection with the five-time Ballon d'Or winner was the seed of a dream that now becomes reality at the club where CR7 achieved legendary status.

Diomande's Bernabéu debut: from opponent to Real Madrid player

Few footballers can claim to have made their professional debut at the Santiago Bernabéu. Diomande can. He did so wearing another team's shirt against Real Madrid, a night he recalls "as if it were yesterday." Fate now brings him back to the same stage, but with the white crest on his chest.

The forward admitted that on that visit the stadium was not yet finished. Since then he has closely followed the transformation of the Madrid coliseum and says he is "very excited to step onto the pitch and do something great." The Bernabéu's renovation, with its retractable roof and expanded stands, turns every match into a spectacle the new signing wants to lead.

The 15 European Cups: Diomande's immediate target

During his tour of the trophy room at the training complex, Diomande was struck by the collection of European titles on display. Real Madrid hold 15 European Cups, a record no other club on the continent can match. That heritage, far from intimidating him, fuels his ambition.

Being here today, seeing all those trophies, makes you really want to win one, to be part of it too. It's very exciting to be able to fight to win the Champions League for the club and why not start this year?

The challenge of conquering a sixteenth Champions League is an obsession at Valdebebas. Diomande arrives in a dressing room accustomed to lifting the famous trophy and wants to join that winning dynamic from his first season. Internal competition will be fierce, but the youngster seems convinced of his chances.

Florentino Pérez's role and his sister's importance in the transfer

Diomande had words of gratitude for Florentino Pérez, whom he described as "the ultimate figure" at the club. The Real Madrid president personally led the negotiations to close a signing that defines the club's sporting project for years to come. "All I want is to deliver good results on the pitch so he can be happy after everything he did to sign me," the player said.

On a personal level, the new Madrid player remembered his sister, a decisive figure in his journey. Together they shared a dream that is now beginning to come true, although Diomande warns that the ultimate goal is even bigger. There is no room for complacency in his message: "We must not rest on our laurels, we have to work."

Frequently asked questions about Diomande's move to Real Madrid