Canada star Ismael Kone suffers horrifying leg injury in World Cup vs. Qatar – USA Today

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Canada’s Ismael Kone suffered a scary injury early in the second half of his team’s 6-0 World Cup win against Qatar on a tackle that earned a red card for Assim Madibo.
The midfielder was taken straight to the hospital, where he is set to undergo surgery.
Canada players and coaches were incensed after the tackle, an immediate reaction indicating that Kone might have had a serious injury.
Some players shoved back the Qatar opponents, while Canada manager Jesse Marsch and his staff could be heard on the broadcast incredulously asking the referee how the play could be called simply a foul. It later was upgraded to a red card.
Madibo put his hands over his head and waved his hands in the air, offering an apology for the severity of his tackle from behind. Marsh told reporters postgame that Madibo had personally apologized to Kone again after the match.
After trainers put an air cast on his left leg, Kone was wheeled off the field on a stretcher. He waved to fans in Vancouver who were chanting his name.
The red card was Qatar’s second of the game with Homam Ahmed having been sent off in the 31st minute.
Canada midfielder Nathan Saliba replaced Kone in the 56th minute. He scored a fourth Canada eight minutes later from a free kick and ran to the bench where he was handed a KONE 8 jersey. He held it up, as fans cheered the goal.
After the game, Marsch spoke out about the injury, saying he “could hear the bone snap.”
The coach added that Kone was at the hospital and was set to undergo surgery.
“Ismael is such a great kid, he’s imperfect but that is why we love him,” Marsch said. “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.”
Marsch added that Madibo had apologized to Kone for the tackle.
Kone is a dynamic midfielder who was born in the Ivory Coast but moved to Montreal when he was seven. He came through the CF Montreal academy system and debuted with the MLS club in 2021. He quickly drew the attention of European clubs, moving to Watford in 2022.
In 2024, Kone joined French power Marseille for a reported transfer fee of £15 million ($20m).
After a difficult half season, Kone joined fellow Ligue 1 side Rennes on loan for the rest of 2024-25. He then joined Italian side Sassoulo on an initial loan, which was made permanent in February.
This was Kone’s second World Cup after he made his World Cup debut in 2022, just months after making his senior international debut in March of that year.
Kone is 24, having just celebrated his birthday on Tuesday, June 16.
Canada is unable to replace Kone on its roster with a new player.
Any World Cup roster replacements for an outfield player had to happen no later than 24 hours before a team’s first match.
However, a goalkeeper who gets hurt can be replaced at any point during the tournament. 
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