The Ivorian winger, who completed his move to Madrid this summer, described humble beginnings that continue to shape how he approaches the game.
"Growing up in Abidjan meant football was everything," Diomande said. "We played on whatever surface we could find, without real boots or a proper pitch, just for the love of football.
"That hunger and that joy never left me; they're still the foundation of how I play today."
The dream of a professional career, he admitted, took time to feel real. Diomande moved to the United States at just 15 without speaking English, and it was there the possibility of a career in Europe first began to take shape.
"It was always the dream, but it started to feel real when I was at DME Academy in Florida and European scouts started noticing me," he said. The adjustment was far from easy. "It was difficult, at first I couldn't communicate with anyone and everything was different. But football was my language, and my team-mates helped me find my place both on and off the pitch."
His breakthrough came at RB Leipzig, where he won the Bundesliga's Rookie of the Season award in his first full campaign.
"It was proof that all the sacrifices my family and I made were worth it," he said, adding that his time in Germany proved decisive in preparing him for the move to Spain. "Leipzig taught me to compete at the highest level week after week, and the coaching staff pushed me to improve every detail of my game. That season gave me the confidence and mentality I'm going to need at Real Madrid."
On what it means to wear the white shirt, the 19-year-old did not hide his emotion.
"It's fulfilling a childhood dream, it's everything I've worked for," he said. "I can't wait to write my chapter at this club and contribute to its success."
The move follows his first World Cup with Ivory Coast, an experience he described as instructive.
"Representing my country on the world stage taught me that the biggest stage demands the greatest composure: you have to trust your preparation. And off the pitch, sharing that experience with my country and my family is something I'll carry with me always."
Now settled at Valdebebas, Diomande said he has been struck by the standard of his new team-mates, singling out Vinicius Junior and Kylian Mbappé.
"It's incredible," he said. "In every session the bar is set so high that you have no choice but to raise your own level. You learn something just by watching how they move, how they think and how they prepare every day."
Away from the pitch, he described himself as a grounded homebody.
"I'm quite calm. I love spending time with my family and friends, listening to music and calling home, to Abidjan," he said. "Keeping that connection to where I come from keeps me centred."