Midfielder Ismaël Koné, 23, said this Friday (19) that he will be on the sidelines supporting the Canadian team and that he hopes to return to the field soon.
The day before, he fractured his leg during the match between Canada and Qatar. In a post on his Instagram, Koné does not give details of what happened or expectations for his recovery.
He begins the publication by saying that Allah has never disappointed him. “This battle is a test of my faith in him and my character,” he wrote.
The player also thanked the messages of concern. Addressing the Canadian team, he said he had “become an assistant coach to support you from the sidelines.”
“I’ll be back very soon and we’ll continue making more memories together.”
The injury suffered by Koné is the first most serious recorded in the 2026 World Cup. The move outraged the Canadian athletes on the field and the coaching staff: “His leg is hanging”, said one of the assistant coaches on the edge of the bench, right after the foul.
Koné plays for Sassuolo, in Italy. The incident that resulted in the fracture resulted from a tackle by Qatari player Assim Madibo, 50 minutes into the game. After the shock, the player is left lying with his foot facing away, in a scene that appears to have broken the bone. The Qatari midfielder received a red card after the play.
