Julian Nagelsmann must have this player on his list: Yan Diomandé showed in RB Leipzig’s massive win against Eintracht Frankfurt that he could be a threat to the DFB team at the 2026 World Cup. The 19-year-old scored three goals in 18 minutes (47th, 55th, 65th) in the 6-0 (2-0) win, otherwise Conrad Harder (5th), Christoph Baumgartner (31st) and David Raum (62nd) scored.
As FIFA announced in the starting phase of the top game of the Bundesliga, Diomandé and the Ivory Coast national team will meet the DFB team on June 20, 2026 in Toronto (10 p.m. German time). The Leipzig shooting star has played four games for the African champions and scored two goals. If Diomandé can maintain his form, he will be the Ivorians’ great World Cup hope and a real test for Germany.
In everyday life in the league, things are only going in one direction for him and his team: upwards. As painful as it will be for the people of Leipzig next Tuesday that they will only be spectators when Frankfurt is allowed to compete in the Champions League against FC Barcelona (9 p.m.) because RB did not qualify for the European Cup for the first time last season, it will be helpful for them. Without the additional burden, coach Ole Werner’s team is doing well; apart from the 6-0 defeat at FC Bayern Munich in the Bundesliga opener, there was only one defeat in 14 competitive games.
Harder repays the trust of RB coach Werner
This series also held against Frankfurt – and initially because of a man who had so far tarnished this very good picture a little. In the summer, Harder moved from Sporting Lisbon to Leipzig for 24 million euros and had not yet scored in twelve appearances. Then Baumgartner sent him, Frankfurt goalkeeper Michael Zetterer remained standing in the no man’s land of his penalty area, which the Leipzig striker punished with a header over him (5th).
Before the game, Werner was clearly in favor of Harder, especially because of his strong work against the ball. “That’s the first thing I ask of a striker because we just need everyone to start well and defend well. That’s all in a sensible way.”said the coach. And this path continued, because with a strong individual performance, Harder also set up Baumgartner to make it 2-0 (31st).
Double chance for Frankfurt, but also luck before the break
But Leipzig also needed a lot of luck because the goal came immediately after Mahmoud Dahoud hit the crossbar. Michy Batshuayi had previously missed a great chance to equalize when the striker missed the ball four meters in front of the opponent’s goal (20th).
In these situations, Frankfurt was very close to 1-1. At the end of the half, the premier class participant was happy that Baumgartner was just offside for his second goal (39th) and Antonio Nusa’s shot from 16 meters whizzed centimeters past the SGE goal (45th).
Be careful, DFB team – Diomandé will be a World Cup threat
But as close as it was in Frankfurt’s favor before the break, it became clear after it. Nusa stormed towards the Eintracht penalty area, fell and hoped for a penalty – but Diomandé ended these ambitions because he shot the ball into the goal to make it 3-0 (47th). In the first seven minutes of the second half alone, the furious Leipzig team had three more top opportunities to make the final decision early on, including Nusa hitting the post (52nd).
Frankfurt fell apart in this phase and especially couldn’t stop Diomandé. The youngster was also given a lot of space and time in the 55th minute and used it to score a shot to make it 4-0. For the 19-year-old, it was the first double in his young professional career – which national coach Nagelsmann may also have taken note of.
Raum scores with a penalty, then it’s Diomandé’s turn again
At the World Cup there could be a direct Leipzig duel against Germany with left-back Raum – and he also got on the top scorer list. After Hugo Larsson blocked a shot from Xaver Schlager with his arm, there was a penalty for RB and the captain confidently converted it (61′).
But the show still belonged to Diomandé, who made the evening a little worse for the Frankfurters and showed what overall package he has. Like Harder, the winger discovered defending for himself in Leipzig, but the speed, technique and callousness that Diomandé showed in the 6-0 win, when he easily rounded Zetterer at top speed, was extraordinary (65th).
Leipzig and Frankfurt are resting for the next games
The game had long since been decided, Werner made frequent changes and his team let the rest of the game coast along. Even if there is no further task during the week, Leipzig saved Körner for the Bundesliga game next Friday at Union Berlin (8.30 p.m.). There RB can cement second place ahead of the competition (currently eight points behind FC Bayern).
For Frankfurt, the national competition on Saturday against FC Augsburg (3:30 p.m.) is about keeping up with the international ranks and perhaps getting back into the top 6. Losing against Barcelona is almost forbidden if coach Dino Toppmöller’s team wants to survive the group phase in the Champions League.