Canada are preparing for a crucial World Cup clash with Switzerland while rallying around injured midfielder Ismaël Koné after his devastating tournament-ending injury.
VANCOUVER — Stephen Eustáquio had never felt the way he did after Canada thrashed Qatar 6-0 to win the country's first-ever men's World Cup match.
"Feeling kinda empty," he told reporters.
Liam Millar , 72 hours later, said it "was the first time in his life" that he wasn't beaming after an emphatic win. While the CanMNT picked up a landmark victory, the mood was somber as key midfielder Ismaël Koné left the match and was rushed to the hospital for surgery to repair a broken leg.
In that moment, an assistant coach had to pull a distraught Nathan Saliba away from Koné, a friend from his teenage years at CF Montréal , before thrusting him into his World Cup debut, one in which he scored an incredible free kick. He said he didn't feel ready for the moment.
On Friday, Koné rejoined the group after undergoing surgery to repair a broken tibia and fibula under the care of three top surgeons who had rushed to the hospital while watching the match. Stepping out of the van at the hotel, Canada's squad greeted Koné with hugs and chants, while the 24-year-old midfield maestro held back tears.
"He was in really good spirits, and he was adamant that he's going to be fine and that he loves all the support," head coach Jesse Marsch said after visiting the hospital, having developed a particularly close relationship with Koné outside of national team camps.
"This group continues to surprise me with how amazing they are, how committed and connected they are to each other. It's a soothing moment when you feel the pain of the situation and know that everybody here cares and looks after each other so well."
As with any tournament, the team marches on. Koné, as crucial as he has become to the lineup and locker room, including as the team's lead DJ, is no longer part of the plans on the field. It's next man up, as hard as that can be, even with Koné remaining with the team for the rest of the tournament.
Canada face Switzerland on Wednesday, needing at least a draw to secure first place in Group B and earn hosting rights for the Round of 32 and Round of 16, along with an easier path. A loss likely means a clash with South Korea in front of a heavily pro-Korea crowd in Los Angeles.
The Saturday reset
Forty-eight hours after the win, the team enjoyed an off day with a family barbecue after some took in the sights around Vancouver.
Goalkeeper Maxime Crépeau played keep-ups with unsuspecting fans on the pedestrianized streets around BC Place, while Cyle Larin checked out the FIFA Fan Festival. Days earlier, Koné himself had walked those streets, taking in the scene undisturbed by the crowds.
The World Cup in Canada is a funny beast. There are expectations like never before for a team that proved itself capable with a semifinal run at the 2024 Copa América, but to many casual sports fans, the players remain relatively unknown, even as they take the spotlight in front of millions on matchday.
Saturday allowed the team to reset. While many brought family and friends to Vancouver for this part of the World Cup, there are few moments when personal and soccer lives overlap.
Outpouring of support
When Canada returned to the training pitch on Sunday, without Koné and with Eustáquio absent for undisclosed reasons during the 15 minutes the media were allowed to watch, it was a sunny, breezy morning. For many players, it marked a happy Father's Day after seeing their children and fathers the night before.
It was also the first time the public outpouring of support for Koné came face to face with the squad.
Near BC Place, someone hung letters from an apartment balcony spelling the midfielder's name against the Vancouver skyline, and at training, children from the Tsleil-Waututh Nation had painted Koné's No. 8 on the backs of their shirts.
The emotional support from across the country has been immense. The team, still dealing with the loss of their musical leader and commander of good vibes, remained upbeat.
Captain Alphonso Davies took on a more humorous tone than he often does during media-access training sessions, laughing and chatting alongside Saliba, the 22-year-old favored to step into Koné's role. Marsch, too, spent several minutes speaking one-on-one with Saliba, as well as Niko Sigur , Mathieu Choinière and Jonathan Osorio , the other midfielders who could fill in for Koné.
"Ismaël set an amazing example for everyone on how to deal with tough situations, and I think he took it like an absolute champ, clapping everyone off, shaking everyone's hand, giving everyone a hug and letting us know that he was OK," Millar said, having dealt with a major ACL injury that kept him out for most of the 2024-25 season.
"I know how difficult it is to do that. He set an amazing example of how to be, and I think we couldn't be more proud of how he handled it."
An unexpected advantage
For Millar and nine others, having recent injury experience is an unexpected advantage. They know the road ahead for Koné and how to support a player from such a close-knit locker room.
Crépeau, center back Moïse Bombito and winger Tajon Buchanan have all missed significant portions of their careers with broken legs, and the upbeat Davies, often more reserved in public, hasn't played for Canada since March 2025.
Perseverance is nothing new. It's simply how this team works, and the fruits of Marsch's efforts to build depth are on display, allowing the squad to believe in itself even without key players.
"People who followed the team for many years know that we've been through injuries like this, and good wins and tough losses that tied the group together," Crépeau said, having missed the 2022 World Cup after breaking his leg in the 2022 MLS Cup final with LAFC .
"Ismaël's injury is another example of that and how tight the group is and how connected we are."
That unifying factor will be vital, as it was after Buchanan broke his leg at the 2024 Copa América. The core of the team has a bond dating to the pre-Marsch era through the "brotherhood" focus of former head coach John Herdman and will use the injury as motivation.
More than motivation
As much as emotional unity matters, personnel choices are critical as well, and the absence of Koné is a massive blow. Saliba, a talented attacker, doesn't offer the same defensive instincts as Koné and can lose focus in matches, as he did in a 2-2 draw against Iceland during the March window.
Choinière hasn't found much success with LAFC and has rarely played alongside Eustáquio this season. Osorio, the oldest player on the team, is likely outside serious consideration.
While Saliba, because of his attacking skill set, is the likely replacement for Koné, Marsch will be quick to adjust if the move does not work. Other options include Sigur, who played centrally in a March friendly against Tunisia , or even Davies, who may face fewer sprinting demands if he plays in midfield.
Canada Soccer declined to provide an update on Eustáquio's status, but if he misses the match, it would likely mean a midfield pairing of Choinière and Saliba, an untested duo against Switzerland's high-powered attack.
While the midfield will represent a step down from what Canada had in the first two matches, the positivity from Marsch, complemented by the camaraderie within the group, should give Canada a chance to make a deep run, starting Wednesday.
The win over Qatar was a landmark moment and a confidence builder. Even if the night wasn't as celebratory as it could have been, that momentum, lighthearted approach and Marsch's positive swagger should work in the co-hosts' favor.
"He's very animated, he's very emotional, and this is who he is every day," Millar said. "It's good to see a coach with emotions. When my coach is a real person and has real emotions, it can always help the group."
