Ismael Koné, the midfielder for Sassuolo, has undergone surgery after sustaining a fractured leg during Canada’s decisive 6-0 World Cup victory over Qatar. Shortly after the match, his compatriot and teammate, Moïse Bombito, visited him in the hospital.
While Canada celebrated their historic first-ever World Cup win, largely due to Jonathan David’s impressive hat-trick, the occasion was overshadowed by the serious injury to Koné.
Canada’s Reaction to Koné’s Severe Injury
The 24-year-old was stretchered off the field following a dangerous tackle from Qatar’s Assim Madibo. Madibo was immediately confronted by some of Koné’s teammates and subsequently received a straight red card after a review by the video assistant referee (VAR).
“You could hear the bone snap,” stated Canada’s coach, Jesse Marsch, as reported by The Athletic. “Your heart goes out to him. Everybody’s shaken for him.”
Just ten minutes after Koné’s injury, Nathan Saliba scored a free-kick for Canada and honored his teammate by holding up Koné’s No. 8 jersey in celebration.
“Koné means everything to this team,” expressed Juventus and Canada striker David. “If you ask any player on this team, they will tell you the same. He is someone we love a lot.”
Following the match, Koné underwent immediate surgery at a Vancouver hospital. His teammate, Bombito, visited him and later shared a picture of their reunion on Instagram.
