On June 18, local time, in the second match of Group B of the FIFA World Cup, hosts Canada defeated Qatar 6-0. After the match, Canada's manager Marsch was interviewed.

Did you see Ismaël Koné after the match? How is he doing now? On one hand, it was a great victory, but on the other, you lost a player. What are your feelings?

"I haven't spoken with him yet. He was taken to the hospital and will have surgery. We'll visit him at the hospital once this press conference ends to discuss the specific follow-up arrangements. His family is with him, and his mother is there too."

"That incident happened right in front of our bench, and we all heard that sound, you know what I mean. I immediately realized something was wrong. That feeling was very similar to when Buchanan got injured in training before. Everyone clearly heard the sound of bones breaking. That moment was very painful, and the entire team was deeply affected—not just because of the severe injury, but also because Ismaël is one of the most important spiritual pillars of our team."

"For us, this will be a huge loss. He played very well in the last two matches. But as you saw, he still waved to the crowd as he was carried off the field, as if comforting everyone and telling them not to worry about him. That's Ismaël's character—truly remarkable."

"I've said for two years that this team has a very special mental quality. In difficult times and in moments of glory, that quality will be demonstrated. Today is the best proof. Everyone was very upset when the injury happened, but we had to refocus because we knew Ismaël definitely wanted us to win this game."

"So now we have many emotions in our minds. Everyone is thinking about him, but at the same time, we're also proud of this team. What I most want to emphasize is that we're proud of this team's character, of who we are, and all of that was fully demonstrated today."

You and Qatar's manager Lopetegui seemed to have some discussion earlier?

"I don't want to talk about that—not worth wasting time on."

Do you think Qatar's players were overly aggressive? What did you make of the physical intensity in the match?

"No, before the injury happened, the match was generally normal. We had an overwhelming advantage in the first half. I think their manager must have motivated the team at halftime, not wanting the scoreline to reach four goals, because then they'd need to beat Bosnia and Herzegovina in the final match to qualify."

"We also have our own objectives. We need to win by four goals to avoid needing to beat Switzerland in the final match."

"The intensity increased in the later stages of the game. But I should say, the player who committed the foul afterward came to the dressing room personally to apologize to Ismaël, and Ismaël also explained the situation to the entire team. So I don't think it was an intentional foul to hurt someone, and I won't blame him for it."

"What I don't understand is that the opposing bench rushed in to protest after the red card decision, even though the action was very clear and resulted in a serious injury. That was really very strange. But ultimately, our focus has always been on Koné and the match itself."

Canada only needs to win the next match to guarantee first place in the group. How will you adjust over the next six days? Is your long-term plan still on track? Will the team's morale be affected?

"When I took over this team, I quickly realized the players had a close relationship, trusted each other, and loved representing their country. I've strengthened that atmosphere, but I often don't need to interfere much."

"In moments like this, I feel they really don't need me. They're enough to support each other."

"The players' families are here too. Tomorrow we'll have a family barbecue so everyone can relax. I believe Ismaël will be in everyone's hearts. We all know he'll come back stronger than before and rebuild his confidence."

"We'll ensure he receives the best medical care. He has a long and bright career ahead of him."

"As I told the players during the water break, Ismaël wants us to complete the task of winning the game, and everything else will be dealt with afterward. The players really did that, which is great."

What did you think of Nathan Saliba's performance as a starter? Can Alphonso Davies step up?

"We don't have a second Ismaël. He's our X-factor, a unique player. So we will miss him."

"But we have other excellent players who can fill that void, like Saliba, Joïnquière, and Osorio. We can adjust through different players and different approaches."

"If we finish first in the group, we'll have more recovery time. Today, Bombito played 45 minutes, which is very important. As the tournament progresses, we'll have more space for recovery, and Alphonso Davies will gradually return to 100%. We all know how crucial he is to the team."

What does today mean for Canadian football? What's the team's mood now?

"Our vision extends beyond this FIFA World Cup. Of course, playing the World Cup at home is huge motivation, but our deeper goal is to change the face of Canadian football, increase attention, improve professionalism, promote the sport, pave the way for the future, and establish the identity of Canadian football."

"You can say the right things, and you can do the right things, but you need moments like today—moments everyone will remember. No Canadian will forget today."

"After the match, I said that in the future, 40 million people will say they were here. This is a landmark moment, allowing everyone to see that this country not only has talent, but also fighting spirit, desire to win, and many unique qualities, even though we're traditionally a hockey nation."

"I'm very proud to have created a moment like this. I also believe this will drive us to keep pushing forward, fight for first place in the group, and go further in this tournament."

Jonathan David scored a hat-trick. How do you assess his performance?

"I know why you're asking about him. We know him well. I said before—you should be ready to enjoy his performances."

"This is him, a natural goalscorer. I never doubted him."

"If we want to succeed in this tournament, David needs to take responsibility in attack. His first goal came from a shooting opportunity he created himself, and then he completed a hat-trick, performing very well throughout the game."

"My only demand on him is that he dedicate himself more in training, and he did very well this week, which put him in the best mental state to fully express himself in the match."

What does a victory like this open up?

"For this country, this is not an ordinary moment. We need to amplify the significance of this victory. We'll stay grounded and not become complacent. I'll ensure the team stays focused on competing for first place in the group."

"One thing I've learned in football is that great moments are rare, and you have to value and celebrate them. I hope the fans feel this, and the players too."

"Despite Ismaël's injury, I hope all the players can savor this moment."

"After a brief rest, in about two days, we'll refocus on preparing for the next match. Today is a very important historic moment for Canadian football."

Traduzido por IA.