Soriba Diaoune: 19-Year-Old Lille Striker Scores Brace in Champions League Debut

Soriba Diaoune, 19, started for Lille against Galatasaray in the Champions League on Wednesday, scoring twice in his first start of the season.

Ligue 1 followers first noticed him in December 2025. In a thrilling 4-3 victory against Auxerre, 18-year-old Diaoune scored his first professional goal. The remarkable play involved a skillful move in the box followed by a precise shot into the top corner.

"When you have the mindset to improve, listen to veterans, and put in the work, you are often rewarded. The other players' behavior towards him is telling," said Bruno Génésio at the time, predicting a bright future for his young forward. Following this, he made several substitute appearances for the Lille academy product before disappearing from the squad late last season.

'Humble' and 'Hard-Working'

His situation didn't improve much with the arrival of Davide Ancelotti this summer, continuing into October. He had eight minutes against Arsenal, his first of the season, then twenty-five against Brest, before this surprise start against Galatasaray at Pierre-Mauroy. With Japanese signing Ayase Ueda sidelined by a foot injury, Diaoune was chosen over Olivier Giroud to lead the attack in the third Champions League match, following losses to Real Betis (3-2) and Arsenal (3-0).

The choice paid off. He equalized in the 7th minute, rounding the goalkeeper to tap into an empty net. Then, in the 39th minute, he secured a brace with a perfectly placed shot under the crossbar. At 19 years and 68 days old, he became his club's youngest Champions League scorer. These two goals were a release for him, his first since his breakthrough performance in Auxerre in 2025. "Soriba is a player with a great mentality. He is very humble and hard-working. He needs a bit more consistency in his play," stated Davide Ancelotti last summer, requesting patience for the Villeneuve-d’Ascq native, who is contracted until 2028 and has five caps for the French U18 team.

"He's a player I particularly appreciate. He works incredibly hard. He's a good kid, and he deserves what's happening to him," added experienced player Nabil Bentaleb after the unusual win at Auxerre. A year later, the career of Lille's number 35 might finally be on track.