“We are shocked by the incident”
First diagnosis for the World Cup professional who was transported away
June 19, 2026 – 4:38 a.mReading time: 3 minutes
The serious injury to midfielder Ismaël Koné shocked the football world. Now there is an initial diagnosis.
After the injury drama involving Ismaël Koné, coach Jesse Marsch gathered his Canadian professionals in a large circle around him. Everyone knelt on the grass before head coach and defense chief Moise Bombito took the floor. Even on the following lap of honor under the deafening noise of Vancouver, one thing became clear: Canada’s 6-0 victory over Qatar was for the seriously injured Koné, who was already on the way to the hospital.
“He can do great things that no one else can. He represents a lot of what the team stands for and is a big loss for us,” said Marsch after the goal celebration, which marked the first victory in Canada’s meager World Cup history at the eighth attempt. “But we will get him the best doctors and he will come back.”
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When the score was 3-0, Koné went down in the 51st minute after a foul by Assim Madibo, and the 24-year-old’s lower leg then showed a clear misalignment. Koné himself had put his hand over his mouth in disbelief at the sight of his left leg. When he was taken away on a stretcher a little later, he waved to the audience.
First diagnosis: fracture of the tibia and fibula
With this one WM If Koné returns, that won’t happen anymore. “It happened right in front of the bench. Everyone could hear the bone breaking,” reported Marsch. According to initial diagnoses, Koné suffered a fracture of his left tibia and fibula. “Of course you feel deeply for him and everyone is shocked by the incident – because of the nature of the injury and also because Ismaël is the heart of our team,” said Marsch.
After the game, the TV experts analyzed Thomas Müller and Mats Hummels together with moderator Johannes B. Kerner the scene at Magenta. The former player of the FC Bayern addressed the Qatari national player Madibo, who caused the foul: “You can see from the Qatar player that something happened. The shock is written all over his face.”