Amad Diallo has made a career out of showing up when it matters most. On June 14, the Manchester United winger did it again, scoring a late goal off the bench to give Ivory Coast a victory over Ecuador in a pre-World Cup friendly.

The match’s only goal came in the closing minutes. It was the second time in ten days that Diallo played the role of super-sub savior for his country.

A habit of late heroics

On June 4, he scored a late winner in a 2-1 victory against France. That’s two consecutive friendlies where he’s come off the bench and delivered the decisive moment.

Against Ecuador, Diallo started among the substitutes before being introduced in the second half.

The road to the World Cup

Diallo was officially named to Ivory Coast’s 2026 FIFA World Cup squad on May 15. By that point, he had accumulated 19 appearances and 6 goals for the national team. His first senior cap came in 2021.

After developing his skills at Atalanta in Serie A, Diallo made the move to Manchester United, where he has gradually established himself as a key figure in the squad.

Two goals in two matches, both decisive, both arriving when the pressure was highest. Six goals in 19 caps is a strong ratio for a wide attacker, and scoring the winner against France is not the same as padding stats against weaker sides.