HOUSTON, July 3 - Canada midfielder Ismaël Koné felt like he had let the country down as he lay stricken on the pitch with a broken leg, but has remained around the squad to offer his support ahead of their World Cup last-16 game against Morocco in Houston on Saturday.
Koné had emergency surgery following a challenge by Qatar’s Assim Madibo, who received a five-match ban, in their second group match, but was quickly reunited with teammates and continues to be part of their World Cup journey.
“I’m just thinking … not now,” he said in a letter to The Players’ Tribune. “I wasn’t worried about myself. No one has to worry about me. I’ll do my rehab, then I’ll come back better than I ever was. That much I knew before they put me on the stretcher.
“But the thing I couldn’t stop thinking about, it’s how disappointed I was not to get to help our team on the field anymore, while we’re on this mission together. Where Canada football has been coming and coming and coming and now it’s here.
“That’s when this happens? Up 3-0, BC Place rocking, we’re 40 minutes to our first ever World Cup win. And now I’m hearing the entire stadium go quiet, 50,000 fans.
“I just felt like I was letting the whole country down.“
Koné has been shocked at the level of support he has received since the injury.
“The amount of messages I’m receiving just from people all across Canada, who are behind this team, so they’re behind me, and wanting to make sure I’m OK.
“Or the things I’m hearing now in person, when fans are seeing me on crutches at the games. Obviously I knew there’d be support, but the level has kind of shocked me a bit,” he said.
Koné also revealed what he said to his doctors before surgery.
“Hey guys this is all I have. I’ve worked my whole life to be a footballer, and I need to get back out there for this team. So let’s have an amazing surgery. Operate like I’m your brother or son,” he told them.
(Reporting by Nick Said, editing by Ed Osmond)
