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Nathan Saliba’s Emotional Celebration After Ismael Kone’s Injury in Canada’s FIFA World Cup 2026 Victory Over Qatar
he Anderlecht midfielder’s gesture was one of the most touching moments of the Maple Leafs’ historic victory in the tournament.
Beyond how memorable Canada’s first-ever World Cup victory was, after a 6–0 win over Qatar at Vancouver Stadium, Nathan Saliba’s gesture stole many hearts.
After scoring the fourth goal from a free kick on the edge of the box in the 64th minute, the Anderlecht midfielder celebrated by holding up Ismael Kone’s shirt. Visibly moved and close to tears, he raised it for the Canadian fans as a special dedication.
The tribute also included a kiss on his teammate’s jersey.
It is worth remembering that Saliba came on in the 56th minute to replace Koné, a substitution forced by Jesse Marsch after the serious injury suffered by the Sassuolo midfielder. Not surprisingly, the two are close friends.
THE CANADIAN NATIONAL TEAM ALSO REACTED
The North American side also showed support for their number 8, dedicating several messages to him.
"We send you all our love, Isma" and "An unbreakable brotherhood, thinking of our brother Isma, this victory is for you, 8." The latter was accompanied by a video of the entire squad gathered in the center circle at Vancouver Stadium, listening to Moïse Bombito’s words of encouragement, where he spoke about “fighting” and made reference to Koné.
