‘We came here to make history’ – Amad Diallo reacts after Ivory Coast’s dramatic World Cup victory

Ivory Coast match-winner Amad Diallo has urged his teammates to remain focused after their dramatic 1-0 victory over Ecuador in their opening game of the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

The Manchester United winger emerged as the hero in Philadelphia, scoring a late winner to hand the Elephants all three points and strengthen their hopes of reaching the knockout stages.

Despite the excitement surrounding the victory, Diallo insisted the team must remain fully focused on the challenges ahead.

"We needed that. We came here to make history," Diallo said after the match.

He added, "We still have two more matches ahead of us, and we need to approach them with the same mentality and try to win them."

Diallo also acknowledged the physical challenge presented by Ecuador, praising his teammates for maintaining their discipline throughout the encounter.

"We had to stay focused. We knew it was going to be a difficult match because we know the Ecuadorian players; they're physically very strong. They caused us problems, of course, but we stayed composed and remained focused," he explained.

The victory leaves Ivory Coast well-positioned in Group E, although they currently sit behind group leaders Germany, who opened their campaign with an emphatic win over Curaçao.

The Elephants now face what could be their toughest test of the group stage when they take on Germany in Toronto.