Nathan Saliba gives tribute to injured teammate, Ismael Kone after scoring goal against Qatar
He went straight to the bench and held up Kone’s No.8 jersey
XtraTime Newsdesk: Despite defeating Qatar 6-0 in their FIFA World Cup 2026 Group B encounter in Vancouver on Thursday, Canada experienced a major setback when Ismael Kone suffered a terrible ankle injury. It dampened the mood around a victory that probably sealed their place in the knockout rounds.
Yet, what followed will be remembered as one of the more emotional moments of this tournament. Nathan Saliba, who replaced Kone, decided to honour the player after scoring a goal(a curling free kick) at the 64th minute. He went straight to the bench and held up Kone’s No.8 jersey. It was an emotional moment for the fans and players and one that will be etched in their memories for a long time.
Kone has suffered a fractured fib and tib which will rule him out of the World Cup. Sassuolo's Kone injured his left leg when Qatar midfielder Assim Madibo tackled him from behind in the second half, sending the 24-year-old to the ground. Kone grimaced and players rushed to his aid, calling for help from the sidelines. Kone was whisked to a local hospital where he was preparing for surgery while surrounded by family, Canada coach Jesse Marsch said. He said the injury happened right in front of the bench, and you could hear his ‘bones snap’.
Marsch added that Madibo personally apologised to Kone. Madibo's red card left Qatar to play with nine men after team-mate Hommam Ahmed also got sent off in the first half.
The Canadian team saw first hand that soccer might be a cruel sport sometimes but it also rewards those who can adapt to those circumstances. Canada’s spirits have been lifted and now the whole team(and probably the nation) will rally around so that they can do it for the one who unfortunately can’t.
(Images Courtesy: Concacaf/Twitter)
