Ismaël Koné
Koné playing for Canada at the 2022 FIFA World Cup
Personal information
Full name Ismaël Kenneth Jordan Koné[1]
Date of birth (2002-06-16) June 16, 2002[1]
Place of birth Abidjan, Ivory Coast
Height 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m)[2]
Position(s) Midfielder
Team information
Current team
 Watford
Number 11
Youth career
2012–2018 AS Notre-Dame-de-Grâce
2019–2020 CS Saint-Laurent
2020–2021 CF Montréal
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2021–2022 CF Montréal 26 (2)
2023– Watford 39 (3)
International career‡
2022– Canada 16 (2)
Medal record
Representing  Canada
Men's soccer
CONCACAF Nations League
Runner-up2023
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 1 January 2024
‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of November 22, 2023

Ismaël Kenneth Jordan Koné (born June 16, 2002) is a professional soccer player who plays as a midfielder for EFL Championship club Watford. Born in Ivory Coast, he plays for the Canada national team.

Early life

Koné was born in Abidjan, Ivory Coast.[3] In 2010, he moved to Canada at age 7, growing up in Montreal.[4][5] Two years later, he began playing youth soccer with the AS Notre-Dame-de-Grâce Panthers.[6][7] When he was 16, he joined CS Saint-Laurent.[8][9] With CS Saint-Laurent he earned the bronze medal at the 2019 Canadian Under-17 Championship.[10] He went on trial in Belgium with Genk and Mouscron,[8] but was unable to sign with Mouscron as they did not have the funds available to sign a non-European player.[11] Soon afterwards, he was forced to return to Canada due to the COVID-19 pandemic, where he began training with CF Montreal U23 and earned an invite to the first team's training camp in 2021.[10]

Club career

CF Montréal

After spending a few months training with the CF Montréal first team, initially unable to sign a contract due to “some technicalities in MLS rules,”[12][13] Koné officially signed a two-year contract with two option years on August 13, 2021.[14][15] However, soon after signing his contract he suffered a knee injury, which limited his participation in training.[16] After the 2021 season, he went to train with Montreal's sister club, Italian Serie A club Bologna.[17] Koné made his professional debut and scored his first goal with Montreal in a 3–0 win against Santos Laguna on February 23, 2022, in the 2022 CONCACAF Champions League.[18][19] During the 2022 summer transfer window, English Championship clubs Sheffield United and Norwich City were reported to have approached Montréal over Koné's services.[20][21]

Watford

In December 2022, English Championship club Watford announced they had agreed to sign Koné on a transfer from CF Montréal, with the midfielder signing a four-and-a-half year deal.[22] He made his debut on January 7, 2023, starting an FA Cup match against Reading.[23] Kone scored his first goal for Watford in a 3-2 win over Norwich on November 28, 2023.[24]

International career

Koné was eligible to play for Canada and the Ivory Coast. In March 2022, Koné was called up to Canada for their final window of 2022 FIFA World Cup qualification matches.[25][26] He made his debut on March 24 against Costa Rica, as a substitute for Jonathan Osorio.[27] Koné scored his first international goal for Canada in a friendly against Bahrain on November 11, 2022.[28] Two days later on November 13, he was named to Canada's 26-man squad for the 2022 FIFA World Cup.[29] He appeared in all three of the team's matches at the World Cup.[30][31] At the end of the year, Koné was named the men's 2022 Canada Soccer Young Player of the Year.[32] The following year, Koné was awarded again the Canada Soccer Young Player of the Year.[33]

In June 2023, Koné was called-up to Canada ahead of the 2023 CONCACAF Nations League Finals.[34]

Career statistics

Club

As of match played 6 January 2024[35]
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League National cup[lower-alpha 1] League cup[lower-alpha 2] Continental[lower-alpha 3] Other[lower-alpha 4] Total
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
CF Montréal 2021 Major League Soccer 00————00
2022 Major League Soccer 26210—312[lower-alpha 5]1324
Total 26210003121324
Watford 2022–23 Championship 1601000——170
2023–24 2331010——253
Total 39320100000423
Career total 65530103121746

International

As of match played November 21, 2023
Appearances and goals by national team and year
National teamYearAppsGoals
Canada 202291
202371
Total162

Scores and results list Canada's goal tally first.

List of international goals scored by Ismaël Koné
No. Date Venue Opponent Score Result Competition
1November 11, 2022Khalifa Sports City Stadium, Isa Town, Bahrain Bahrain1–02–2Friendly
2November 21, 2023BMO Field, Toronto, Canada Jamaica2–22–32023–24 CONCACAF Nations League A

Honours

Individual

References

  1. 1 2 "FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 – Squad list: Canada (CAN)" (PDF). FIFA. November 15, 2022. p. 6. Retrieved November 15, 2022.
  2. ↑ "Ismaël Koné". CF Montréal. Retrieved August 21, 2022.
  3. ↑ "Le CF Montréal ajoute le jeune Ismaël Koné à sa formation" [CF Montreal adds young Ismaël Koné to its roster]. La Presse (in French). August 13, 2021.
  4. ↑ Lévesque, Dave (September 7, 2021). "Ismaël Koné: La Carte Cachée" [Ismaël Koné: The Hidden Map]. TVA Sports (in French).
  5. ↑ Téotonio, Jean-François (October 17, 2022). "Ismaël Koné, un joueur « spécial »" [Ismaël Koné, a “special” player]. La Presse (in French).
  6. ↑ Boivin, Olivier (February 24, 2022). "Un ancien du CS Saint-Laurent fait vibrer le Stade olympique" [A former CS Saint-Laurent rocks the Olympic Stadium]. Journal Métro (in French).
  7. ↑ Landry, Nicolas (November 2, 2022). "Ismaël Koné : la proximité de l'échec" [Ismaël Koné: the proximity of failure]. RDS (in French).
  8. 1 2 Bogert, Tom (August 13, 2021). "CF Montréal sign midfielder Ismael Kone". Major League Soccer.
  9. ↑ Gelevan, Douglas (September 18, 2022). "Montreal's Ismaël Koné bursts into soccer's global spotlight". CBC.
  10. 1 2 Montminy, Emeric (August 12, 2021). "La Prochain "Pépite" du CF Montréal?" [The Next "Nugget" of CF Montreal]. TVA Sports (in French).
  11. ↑ Kloke, Joshua (November 14, 2022). "Canada's Ismael Kone on the World Cup and his breakout year: 'I don't want to play like anyone else'". The Athletic.
  12. ↑ "CF Montreal sign 19-year-old M Ismael Kone". National Post. August 13, 2021.
  13. ↑ Filosa, Jeremy (September 7, 2021). "Ismaël Koné, " un des plus beaux espoirs au Québec "" [Ismaël Koné, "one of the most beautiful hopes in Quebec"]. CHMP-FM 98.5 FM (in French).
  14. ↑ "Ismaël Kone signs with first team". CF Montreal. August 13, 2021.
  15. ↑ Lévesque, Dave (September 7, 2021). "Retenez le nom d'Ismaël Koné" [Remember the name of Ismaël Koné]. Le Journal de Montréal (in French).
  16. ↑ "Ismaël Koné is ready to come and lend a hand to CF Montreal". Look Charms. September 8, 2021.
  17. ↑ Gangué-Ruzic, Alexandre (March 18, 2022). "Who is Ismael Koné? A deep dive into the rapidly improving 19-year-old CF Montreal midfielder set to earn first CanMNT call-up this March window". Destroy and Progress.
  18. ↑ Gangué-Ruzic, Alexandre (February 23, 2022). ""I'm happy with the result" CF Montreal erases Santos Laguna heartbreak with commanding 3–0 win to advance to Champions League quarter-finals". BTS Van City.
  19. ↑ Lévesque, Dave. "Scénario rêvé pour Ismaël Koné" [Dream scenario for Ismaël Koné]. TVA Sports (in French).
  20. ↑ Boehm, Charles (October 22, 2022). "CF Montréal wunderkind Ismaël Koné seeks great leap in MLS Cup Playoffs". Major League Soccer.
  21. ↑ Gaboury, Clément (September 2, 2022). "CF Montréal: Ismaël Koné demeure avec le club" [CF Montreal: Ismaël Koné remains with the club]. Journal Métro (in French).
  22. ↑ "Official: Hornets Sign Koné". Watford Football Club. December 5, 2022.
  23. ↑ French, Andrew (January 7, 2022). "Watford out of the FA Cup, but new injury is of more concern". Watford Observer.
  24. ↑ "'A moment of magic' | Ismael Kone pulls one back for Watford against Norwich". SkySports. Retrieved November 29, 2023.
  25. ↑ "Ismael Koné déjà appelé en équipe nationale" [Ismael Koné already called up for the national team]. Le Journal de Québec (in French). March 20, 2022.
  26. ↑ Bedakian, Armen (March 20, 2022). "'If you're good enough, you're old enough': CF Montreal's Ismael Kone earns CanMNT call". OneSoccer.
  27. ↑ Jacques, John (March 24, 2022). "Cautions Cost Canada In Cagey Costa Rica Clash". Northern Tribune.
  28. ↑ Galindo, Peter (November 11, 2022). "Ismaël Koné's stock is rising: Canada draw Bahrain in World Cup tune-up". Major League Soccer.
  29. ↑ O'Connor-Clarke, Charlie (November 13, 2022). "Canada announces 26-man squad for 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar". Canadian Premier League.
  30. ↑ Bogert, Tom (December 8, 2022). "Au revoir, Montréal: Watford-bound Ismaël Koné takes the next step". Major League Soccer.
  31. ↑ Grigoriadis, Elias (December 8, 2022). "Canadian international Koné 'grateful' to CF Montreal for giving him his start". CBC Sports.
  32. 1 2 "Simi Awujo and Ismaël Koné named Canada Soccer Young Players of the Year". Canadian Soccer Association. December 20, 2022.
  33. 1 2 "ISMAËL KONÉ AND JADE ROSE NAMED CANADA SOCCER YOUNG PLAYERS OF THE YEAR". Canadian Soccer Association. December 13, 2023.
  34. ↑ Tierney, Mitchell (June 7, 2023). "Former CPLers Loturi, Zator called up by Canada for 2023 Concacaf Nations League Finals". Canadian Premier League.
  35. ↑ Ismaël Koné at Soccerway
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