Ismaël Koné targets December return after serious World Cup injury

Ismaël Koné says he is targeting a return to full fitness by December after a serious leg injury ended his World Cup campaign with Canada.

Koné suffered a fractured tibia during Canada’s match against Qatar after a tackle from Qatari player Assim Madibo. The injury brought his tournament to an early end in the 57th minute and also disrupted most of his season.

Speaking to Radio-Canada Sports, Koné recalled the moment he realised the severity of the injury.

“At the time, I didn’t really feel the pain. I saw my leg, I was in shock. I quickly realized I wouldn’t be able to reattach it and return to the game in five minutes or in the next match. That’s what hurts the most. After all the effort I put in to experience that moment.”

The injury came at a particularly difficult time for Koné, who had been living out the dream of representing Canada at a World Cup on home soil.

His tournament was brought to an abrupt end, leaving him unable to continue with his team-mates for the remainder of Canada’s campaign.

Koné said the support he received from his team-mates helped him deal with the difficult period that followed.

He particularly remembers the gesture from Nathan Saliba, who came on as a substitute and scored just a few minutes later before holding up Koné’s jersey in tribute to his injured friend.

“It really moved me ,” says the former Marseille and Rennes player. “Nathan is like a brother to me .”

The injury also left Koné watching from the bench as Canada eventually exited the competition against Morocco.

He said that elimination was the most painful moment of the entire experience because he could not contribute to the team.

“I tell myself that everything happens for a reason and that it’s part of football. My moment of sadness and pain was really when we were eliminated against [Morocco] . I felt helpless on the bench; I so badly wanted to help.”

Despite the setback, Koné is now focused on his recovery and returning to competitive football.

The midfielder wants to regain all of his physical abilities by December as he prepares to resume his career with Sassuolo.

For a player whose World Cup dream was interrupted by a serious injury, reaching full fitness by the end of the year has now become Koné’s main objective.