Ivorian midfielder Diomande Mohamed has acknowledged the interest from Ghana after receiving a call-up from Black Stars coach Otto Addo for the upcoming friendly matches against Nigeria and Uganda this month.
This summons from the Black Stars came on the heels of an invitation from Diomande’s native country Ivory Coast for their U-23 fixture against France, presenting the player with an important decision to make.
As of now, Diomande has yet to join the Ghana camp in Morocco, amid speculation that he may decline the call-up. His recent statement on social media seems to support this notion.
Taking to Instagram, Diomande shared insights into his childhood dream of becoming a professional footballer and representing the colours of his homeland, Ivory Coast, on the international stage.
“Today I am really grateful with ALLAH for having achieved part of this dream; that of becoming a professional footballer, it remains the other part; that of joining the national team and also of making my parents proud.”
Furthermore, he acknowledged the interest shown by his host country Ghana, where he has spent more than 7 years of his life honing his skills as a footballer.
“However, a lot has been said, but I am in direct contact with the manager concerned by my decision, and it is he who holds the real information about my choice.”
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In closing, Diomande extended his gratitude to his club Rangers FC, his family, and his fans for their support during this period of decision-making.
Born in Yopougon, a suburb of Abidjan, Ivory Coast, Diomande is a full Ivorian citizen without any familial ties to Ghana.
However, his upbringing has largely been in Ghana, where he enrolled in the Right to Dream Academy at a young age before moving to Europe at age 16 to join Danish side Nordsjaelland.