Canada’s 6-0 demolition of Qatar at the World Cup was overshadowed by a horror injury for Ismael Kone, who suffered a serious leg break early in the second half in Vancouver.

Jesse Marsch’s side ran riot on the pitch, but all the post-match talk centred on the midfielder, who was stretchered off after a poor challenge from Assim Madibo. The Qatar defender was sent off following a VAR review and later apologised to Kone in the dressing room.

Marsch later admitted that those close enough “could hear the bone snap,” adding that “everybody’s shaken for him.”

Iamael Kone’s Surgery and Recovery Timeline

Albert Gea via Reuters

Canada confirmed Kone has already undergone successful surgery to repair a lower limb fracture and is expected to make a full recovery. Marsch revealed the procedure took around an hour and a half and was carried out by three top surgeons, praising the medical team for giving him confidence the situation was being handled properly.

No firm return date has been set, but the former Watford man is expected to be sidelined for up to a year.

It’s worth noting that quick recoveries from leg breaks aren’t unheard of in football. Francesco Totti famously fractured his fibula in February of 2006, only months before that summer’s World Cup, yet defied expectations to recover in time to play a role in Italy’s triumphant run to glory in Germany.

FIFA to pay Compensation to Ismael Kone’s Club

Albert Gea via Reuters

According to The Mirror, FIFA will pay compensation to Kone’s club, Sassuolo, under the Club Protection Programme. The scheme covers accidental injuries sustained while players are on international duty, provided the absence runs beyond 28 days, though illnesses aren’t included.

Kone’s fixed salary is reported to be £22,600 per week, working out at roughly £3,200 per day. With the first 28 days excluded and Kone facing around 150 days out, Sassuolo are likely to receive close to £480,000 in compensation.

The Serie A club issued their own statement, confirming the operation on his left leg was a complete success and that his rehabilitation would begin in the coming days, wishing him a speedy recovery.

Canada will be looking to seal their qualification to the knockout stage, albeit without Kone, when they face Switzerland in Vancouver on the 24th of June.

Manchester United are now eyeing a move to sign a forward described as the ‘best striker in the world’, according to a report from Caught Offside.

The main focus for United over the last few weeks in the transfer window has been on targeting new midfielders.

A deal has reportedly been agreed to bring Atalanta midfielder Ederson to Old Trafford, with United set to pay in the region of £38m.

West Ham midfielder Mateus Fernandes is also a priority target, with some at the club believing that they will complete a deal to secure his signature.

Once United have solved their midfield situation, they could move on to strengthening in other areas of the pitch, including in attack.

Man Utd Eyeing Striker Transfer Move

via Reuters

According to a report from Caught Offside, Manchester United are interested in signing Nigerian striker Victor Osimhen in the summer transfer window.

Osimhen is described as a dream target for the Red Devils, but there are doubts over whether they will be able to complete a deal.

The 27-year-old, described as the best striker in the world, would cost a huge transfer fee, making him a difficult option for the Manchester club.

United do have other names on their shortlist as they look to bring in a new centre forward, but Osimhen does appear to be a priority if they can get a deal over the line.

The Nigerian forward is currently plying his trade with Galatasaray, where he scored 15 goals in the league and seven in the Champions League last season.

Man Utd Need Experienced Striker

Bringing in a striker of Osimhen’s calibre and experience would be a smart move for Manchester United in the summer transfer window.

At 27, Osimhen is in his prime years, and he could be the ideal player for Benjamin Sesko to learn from and develop alongside.

The Slovenian forward didn’t cement himself as a guaranteed starter for United last season, and considering he’s still young, he could do with an experienced player alongside him.

If United can somehow get a deal over the line for Osimhen for a reasonable fee, it would be a phenomenal coup for the Red Devils.

Lionel Messi has made scoring wonder goals a formality throughout his remarkable career. If you were to rank the 30 greatest goals that the eight-time Ballon d’Or winner has ever netted, you could rest assured that most world-class players could only dream of scoring one of them.

Particularly during his pomp, Messi had an uncanny ability to dribble past opponents like they weren’t even there – and that led to him scoring a truly astonishing number of individual goals. This is just one of many reasons that has led to many regarding the Argentine as the greatest player of all time. He even had some of the incredible teammates he shared a dressing room with during his career in complete awe at times.

This is proven by Thierry Henry’s recalling of his favourite goal scored by his former Barcelona colleague. The Frenchman is one of the best players to have graced a football pitch in the past 20 years, meaning his praise is hard to earn and very complimentary to earn.

Great Goalscorer and Scorer of Great Goals

Messi has scored a host of iconic stunners

Everyone remembers the Diego Maradona-esque run against Getafe and that might well endure as his finest-ever strike, but that booming zenith of Messi’s career was jam-packed full of goals where he breezed past multiple defenders. And that’s why Messi is arguably completely unique in the fact that one of his so-called forgotten goals could possibly be heralded by somebody as one of the greatest that they’ve ever seen.

Not just any old person, either, because none other than Henry considers a stunner that you don’t necessarily see populating top ten lists to be the finest Messi strike he’s ever laid his eyes upon. Yep, the man widely regarded as the greatest player in Premier League history has a slightly unorthodox choice when it comes to the GOAT’s best-ever goal – although it makes complete sense when the Frenchman breaks it down.

Henry on His Favourite Messi Goal

Frenchman blown away by goal that wasn’t ‘normal’

Speaking during the 2018 film ‘Take The Ball, Pass The Ball,’ Messi’s former teammate recalled an astonishing finish from the Argentine wizard during a La Liga clash with Malaga in the 2008-09 season. And more so than Messi’s goal against Getafe, Henry felt particularly blown away by how Barcelona‘s all-time record scorer left everybody for dead with blink-and-you’ll-miss-it footwork.

Henry explained: “The best goal I’ve seen him score was against Malaga at home because that defied logic what he did. Diagonal ball, he controls it on his chest, runs at full speed. First player goes, the second player is just behind. He takes another step, that player can clear the ball.

Watch the goal in all its glory below:

Leo Messi – A Once-in-a-Lifetime Talent

You know that your body of work is mind-blowing when you can score a wonder goal that simultaneously gets lost in the shuffle and is considered by Henry as the greatest he’s ever seen. And you can easily see why Henry felt particularly enamored with that often forgotten Messi strike, because to be so masterfully in control of the ball against so many opponents and with so little time is beyond our comprehension.

We really are blessed that when the sad, sad day comes when Messi hangs up his boots, we can be safe in the knowledge he’s left us with so much to remember him by that even moments of generational genius can slip our minds. He really has been a once-in-a-lifetime talent.

Henry: Don’t Try and Copy – He is Messi

Only Messi can get away with walking during matches

Henry was asked about his experience of playing and training alongside Messi at Barcelona by Gary Lineker on the Rest Is Football podcast. The Arsenal legend, who played alongside the Argentine at Camp Nou between 2007-2010, admits the diminutive genius was on a totally different planet to everyone else.

He said: “I’ve seen a lot. I, myself, did a lot. This guy, it is not normal. I know people will say ‘he walks…’. Do you know how hard it is to carry a ball on every single action?” Lineker added: “It’s gruelling.” Henry continued: “Every. Single. Action.

Watch that clip below:

Messi Has no Plans to Retire

Despite his advancing years, he plans to continue playing

IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters/Jay Biggerstaff

Messi is now 38 years old and enjoying his football again after leaving Paris Saint-Germain for Inter Miami. While Qatar 2022 was expected to be Messi’s final appearance at a World Cup, Messi was still playing at a high enough level to represent La Albiceleste at the next showpiece international tournament in 2026, which was held in Mexico, Canada, and the United States – where he now resides.

Asked about his plans for the future during a 2024 interview, per SPORT, Messi said: “I haven’t thought about it and I don’t want to think about it either. I want to continue enjoying what I do. I took an important step leaving Europe behind. I don’t want to think about the next step, I want to enjoy what I like most, which is playing. It’s a job that I love, I’m lucky. I have responsibilities. I don’t know what I will do, I like everything related to football, I like being with kids, teaching, also being a sporting director, but I don’t know where I’m going to go.”