Ismael Kone has rejoined the Canada national team in new heartfelt footage shared by the national team. The midfielder fractured his tibia and fibula after a horrific challenge during the 6-0 victory over Qatar on Thursday and has since undergone surgery on his left leg that he broke.
The challenge from Assim Madibo initially earned him a yellow card from referee Cristian Garay, but after a VAR review, the decision was upgraded and the Qatar midfielder was shown a red card. Kone was stretchered off the pitch, visibly in pain as soon as he hit the ground, while Madibo put his head in his hands.
Tensions boiled over between players and on the sidelines as Kone received treatment and coach Jesse Marsch later confirmed Kone was at the hospital with his mother, preparing for surgery. A Canada Soccer statement on Friday said: “Last night, Ismael Kone underwent successful surgery to repair a lower limb fracture. He is expected to make a full recovery but will miss the remainder of the FIFA World Cup 2026.”
Marsch said at a news conference on Friday: “By the time we got to him, he’d already had some drugs to help sedate him a little bit. He was being prepared to go into the operating room. But he was in really good spirits, and he was adamant that he’s going to be fine. [The surgery] took about an hour and a half, and they had three surgeons. I think what happened is the surgeons watched it on TV, and they saw what happened, and they knew right away.
“And so they brought their top three surgeons to the hospital immediately to take care of him. So by the time he got there, the surgeons were there, and they were ready. And then we just had to communicate with our medical team and make sure that the surgery was the best option that we thought. But I could see by meeting them and hearing what they had to say about the situation that he was in really good hands. So the surgery, they said, went really well.
Marsch continued: “Ismael is such a great kid. He’s so imperfect but that’s why you love him. He can do great things and the next moment he loses concentration. He embodies a lot of what the team is. It’s a huge loss for us. He’ll be fine, we’ll get him good doctors. He’s got a big future and he’s a big part of everything we’ll do.”
On Saturday, Kone reunited with his team‑mates in Vancouver. The Canada team shared a video of his return to camp, capturing just how much he’s valued within the group and highlighting the strong sense of togetherness around him.
He arrived in a minivan to a loud, heartfelt reception and as soon as the doors opened, cheers broke out as the whole Canada team gathered around, applauding.
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Kone stepped out on crutches and posed for photos with his family, his team‑mates, Marsch, and members of the Canada squad. The welcome grew louder, with chants of ‘Ismael’ echoing around him.
The Sassuolo star will now watch his country from the stands as he begins his rehabilitation program, with his recovery expected to take four to five months. While the co‑hosts will now have to cope with Kone’s absence for the rest of the tournament, FIFA are also set to incur costs.
View 2 ImagesIsmael Kone has undergone surgery for his injury(Image: Getty Images)
Under the FIFA Club Protection Programme, clubs are compensated when players suffer injuries on international duty, provided the layoff exceeds 28 days. With the 24-year-old earning roughly £3,200 per week at Sassuolo, a 150‑day absence would trigger a payout of around £480,000, though the final amount could rise significantly depending on how long his recovery ultimately takes.
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