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Canadian midfielder Ismael Kone suffered a broken leg during his team’s decisive 6-0 win over Qatar on June 19, 2026, in Vancouver. The injury occurred in the 50th minute when Kone was challenged by Qatar’s Assim Madibo, who was penalized for the foul. Players closest to Kone reacted with shock upon seeing the severity of the injury to his left leg.
Kone was promptly lifted onto a stretcher by medical personnel and administered oxygen. He managed to give a thumbs up while being wheeled off the field, receiving applause from the crowd. Madibo, distraught over the incident, was initially booked by referee Cristian Marcelo Garay Reyes but subsequently received a red card following a video assistant referee (VAR) review.
In a show of solidarity, midfielder Nathan Saliba raised Kone's shirt after scoring Canada's fourth goal, symbolizing support for his injured teammate. Following the match, both benches experienced a skirmish on the touchline, reportedly ignited by a tense handshake between Canada’s head coach Jesse Marsch and Qatar’s Julen Lopetegui.
Marsch expressed his sentiments after the game, stating, "Ismael is such a great kid; he's imperfect, but that's why we love him. He can do things that no other player can do. He embodies a lot of what this team is. He was our best player against Bosnia. He is a huge loss for us. Our hearts are with him, but that kid has a huge future."
Kone, who plays for Serie A side Sassuolo, has been the subject of transfer speculation, with several prominent European clubs reportedly interested in the 24-year-old. This match marked Kone’s debut at the World Cup. Centre-back Moise Bombito echoed the coach’s sentiments, saying, "Ismael’s injury is a big loss for us for sure. He is an unbelievable human being; he will be missed a lot. We just have to make him proud."
Fuente: independent.co.uk.