Aged only 20, Ismaël Koné is making his mark, whether in club, at Watford, or in the national team.
Koné showed off his speed and power on Tuesday in a head-turning performance in midfield alongside Stephen Eustaquio and Jonathan Osorio as Canada beat Honduras 4-1 in the CONCACAF Nations League.
“It’s probably one of the best midfield performances I’ve seen since I’ve been here,” coach John Herdman said.
It only comes on Koné’s 11th cap and only his fourth start for the national team.
Koné is also winning the hearts of fans at Watford FC in England, where he signed a four-and-a-half-year contract with the second-division club after appearing in all three of Canada’s World Cup games, in Qatar.
Born in Ivory Coast, Koné was seven years old when he arrived in Montreal. He signed a professional contract with CF Montreal in August 2021. He made his Major League Soccer debut in February 2022, playing 25 games.
For Koné, the transfer to England is another step in his rapid rise.
“I’m only 20 and I can play on the world stage,” he said in Qatar. It’s incredible. I didn’t have a professional contract two years ago, but here I am. »
“Koné is always very intense, very physical,” praised Eustaquio before Tuesday’s meeting.
The Larin of sunny days
Cyle Larin is also having a good time, but we’re talking more about a rebirth in his case.
After seeing his playing time greatly diminished with Besiktas in Turkey, Larin found his form in Spain, with Real Valladolid.
The Canadian has scored five goals in eight games in the Spanish La Liga.
The 27-year-old Ontarian continued his streak in the Nations League, scoring three times in two games against Curacao and Honduras. He could have added a fourth, but his penalty went over the net in Tuesday’s win.
“When he came to the World Cup, he had about 100 minutes played with Besiktas in four months,” Herdman said. It’s not Cyla Larin. It was not the same as we had seen in the qualifying course.
“We had a few players who weren’t in game rhythm, if I may say so, at the World Cup. But he’s back on top now. […] He’s a guy who will help us win this competition. »
Larin is Canada’s all-time leading scorer, with 28 goals in 60 appearances.