Diomande hopes Rangers form in New Year will lead to World Cup call-up

Mohamed Diomande is disappointed to be missing out on AFCON 2025 with Ivory Coast but hopes his Rangers form in the New Year will get him to the World Cup next summer.

The 24-year-old midfielder was left out of Emerse Fae’s squad for the tournament in Morocco which begins on Sunday.

The AFCON holders have also qualified for the 2026 World Cup which provides another incentive for Diomande as he looks to help Rangers reduce the gap behind Hearts at the top of the William Hill Premiership at Tynecastle on Sunday.

The Jambos are nine points ahead of Danny Rohl’s side who have a game in hand.

Diomande said: “What I will do is focus on the things I can do to improve.

“Maybe it is going to change what they think of me and it is going to see some difference in me to be able to make it to the squad in the World Cup.

“Obviously I want to focus on Rangers and hopefully win something as I wanted before I joined this club.

“I am going to work hard every day as I do now.

“I am grateful because when I joined Rangers that is when I made a step to be an international player.

“Obviously that is a bit of a disappointment but I am happy that I am here in one of the biggest clubs.

“I just focus on myself and I am going to support my national team.

“I hope we can be successful in the African Cup.

“I am happy that I can improve myself here and hopefully I can do something for the manager in Ivory Coast.

“We will see what happens in the future.”

Hearts beat Rangers 2-0 at Ibrox in September when Russell Martin was in charge but the Gers midfielder believes Rohl’s side – with six wins and two draws in eight domestic games since taking over – are in much better fettle ahead of the trip to Tynecastle.

Diomande, who joined Rangers from FC Nordsjaelland in January 2024 on a loan deal with an obligation for the Ibrox club to buy, said: “Yes, I definitely think we are in a better place now.

“He (manager) is going to tell us what we need to do to break them down and to defend and try and get a clean sheet.

“So yes, I think we are definitely going there looking to take three points.

“I think they are where they are now because they are doing very well. I would say they are a good team.

“We lost the game (to Hearts) because of some things that happened but maybe we were not at our best.

“Obviously that is why we also lost the game. But obviously Hearts have been doing well and thumbs up to them.

“Hopefully this game is going to be a different one because we are also doing better.”