"You could hear the bone snap," Jesse Marsch said, and few words could better capture the drama that shadowed Canada's historic 6-0 victory. For 24-year-old Ismael Koné, the World Cup was over the instant Qatar's Asim Madibo went through him and broke his leg.
Three surgeons who had followed the incident live on television carried out a successful hour-and-a-half operation. Yet the prognosis offered little comfort. "He is expected to make a full recovery but will miss the remainder of FIFA World Cup 2026," the medical update confirmed.
The surgery may have gone well, but FIFA's strict regulations mean Marsch can no longer call up a replacement. Now the entire burden shifts onto Koné's teammate, Nathan Saliba. Can Canada preserve the creative spark Koné supplied — or did their tournament ambitions shatter along with his leg?
