Horror Ismael Kone injury sours Canada’s historic win
4 min readJun 19, 2026 02:03 PM IST An emphatic maiden win, 40 years after Canada’s World Cup debut, should have led to festivity across the host nation. Instead, concern and anxiety filled the air following a bone-snapping injury to Ismaël Koné in the second half. Qatar midfielder Assim Madibo’s reckless and late tackle from behind marred Les Rouges’ 6-0 victory in Vancouver on Friday. Madibo was sent off and he later apologised to Koné, but the damage was done: the 24-year-old had to be stretchered off and rushed to a local hospital, where he was preparing for surgery. Canadian players almost came to blows with Madibo and Co on the pitch meanwhile, reflecting their angst as Koné was cruelly ruled out of the remainder of the tournament. The scuffle resumed after the full-time whistle with coaches Jesse Marsch and Julen Lopetegui having a run-in. Hat-trick scoring striker Jonathan David plainly called out the tackle after the match. “If there’s a play where you cannot win the ball, there’s no point,” he said. “It’s just …
