It has been more than two months since Canada international Ismael Kone suffered a horrifying leg injury in a World Cup group match against Qatar, but his club teammates are thinking of the midfielder as he recovers.
That was clear on Saturday, Aug. 29 when Sassuolo attacker Cristian Volpato scored a lovely goal in the Italian team's second match of the Serie A season.
Volpato finished from outside the box after running onto a backheel from Vasilije Adzic. He celebrated by running to the bench and holding up a shirt with Kone's name and the number 90, which the CF Montreal product has worn since he started playing with the Serie A club in 2025.
Step 1: Score a BANGER 🧨 Step 2: Show love to Ismaël Koné 🇨🇦 Sassuolo's Cristian Volpato dedicated
his goal to his teammate - who was injured during the World Cup 🌎🏆 Stream Serie A on @paramountplus 📺 pic.twitter.com/XS0zndHqO7
— CBS Sports Golazo ⚽️ (@CBSSportsGolazo) August 29, 2026
Volpato also took part in the World Cup. The Australia-born winger played for Italy's youth teams but switched his international affiliation just before the tournament and joined up with the Socceroos, playing all four of the team's matches.
But Kone got more attention, having been injured in a gruesome manner when a tackle from Qatar midfielder Assim Madibo missed everything but Kone's leg, drawing sympathy and tributes from throughout the soccer world. Madibo later visited Kone at the hospital to apologize, and the players posted an Instagram together.
Kone suffered a fractured fibula and tibia from the tackle, but hopes are high that he might be able to return to the playing field before the end of the year.
For now, he knows his teammates are rooting him on and thinking of him even when he can't take the field.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Sassuolo teammates pay tribute to Ismael Kone after gruesome World Cup injury
