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

Did you see Ismaël Koné after the match? How is he now? It's a huge win, but on the other hand, you've lost a player. How do you feel?

"I haven't spoken with him yet. He's been taken to the hospital and will undergo surgery. I'll head to the hospital right after this press conference to see him and discuss the follow-up care plan. His family is with him, including his mother."

"The incident happened right in front of our bench. We all heard the sound—you know what I mean. I immediately knew something was wrong. It felt just like when Buchanan got injured in training earlier. Everyone clearly heard the bone crack. It's a heartbreaking moment, and the entire team was deeply affected—not just because of the severity of the injury, but because Ismaël is one of the spiritual pillars of our team."

"For us, this is a major loss. He's been outstanding in the last two matches. But as you saw, he was still waving to the fans as he was carried off, as if he was comforting everyone, telling them not to worry. That's Ismaël's character—truly exceptional."

"I've said for two years that this team has very special spirit. This quality shines through in difficult times and moments of glory. Today is the best proof. Everyone was devastated when the injury happened, but we had to refocus because we know Ismaël would want us to win this match."

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

It seems you had some disagreement with Qatar coach Lopetegui just now?

"I don't want to talk about that for a second—it's pointless to waste time on it."

Do you think Qatar's players were too aggressive? What's your view on physical confrontation in the match?

"No, before the injury, the match was generally normal. We dominated the first half. I imagine their coach must have motivated the team at halftime—they didn't want the score to become four goals down, because they'd have to beat Bosnia and Herzegovina in the final round to advance."

"We have our own objectives too. We need to win by four goals so we don't have to beat Switzerland in the final round."

"Physical intensity did increase toward the end of the match. But I have to say that the player who committed the foul personally came to our locker room afterward to apologize to Ismaël, and Ismaël explained the situation to the entire team. So I don't think it was an intentional foul, and I won't blame him for it."

"What I don't understand is that their entire bench rushed to protest after the red card decision, even though the action was very clear and caused a serious injury. That's indeed very strange. But ultimately, our focus is always on Koné and the match itself."

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

"When I took over this team, I quickly realized that the players have very strong bonds, they trust each other, and they're proud to represent their country. I've fostered this atmosphere, but I often don't need to intervene much."

"At moments like these, I feel they don't need me that much. They're enough for each other."

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

"We'll make sure he receives the best medical care. His career is still long and will be very bright."

"As I told the players during the hydration break, Ismaël wants us to complete our mission in this match, and everything else will be handled later. The players did exactly that, which is remarkable."

What do you think of Nathan Saliba's performance as a starter? Can Alphonso Davies improve?

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

"But we have other great players who can fill the gap, like Saliba, Choinière, Osorio, and others. We can adapt with different players and in different ways."

"If we secure first place in the group, we'll have more recovery time. Today, Bombito played 45 minutes, which was important. As the tournament progresses, we'll have more room to recover, 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 atmosphere like now?

"Our vision extends beyond this FIFA World Cup. Of course, playing at the World Cup at home is a huge motivation, but the deeper goal is to transform the face of Canadian football, increase attention, raise professionalism, promote the sport, open doors for the future, and build a Canadian football identity."

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

"I said after the match that in the future, 40 million people will say they were there. This is a defining moment, showing everyone that this country doesn't just have talent, but also fighting spirit, the will to win, and many unique qualities, even though we're traditionally a hockey nation."

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

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

"I know why you're asking about him. We know him well. I said earlier that you should be prepared to enjoy his performances."

"Here he is, a natural goalscorer. I never doubted him."

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

"My only request to him was to be more committed in training, and he's done that very well this week, which has put his mindset in the best condition, allowing him to fully express himself in the match."

What does a win like this open up?

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

"In football, I've learned one thing: great moments are rare, and you must cherish and celebrate them. I hope the fans feel it, and the players feel it."

"Even with Ismaël's injury, I want all the players to enjoy this moment."

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

Diterjemahkan oleh AI.