Green object in Canada player's mouth after bone snapped in horror injury has been explained
The green object given to Canada's Ismaël Koné after his horror leg break in the World Cup has been explained.
The 2026 World Cup has been a celebration of football and culture so far, even if frustrations remain over hydration breaks, ludicrous prices and the treatment of the Iran team.
On the pitch, at least, there have been great upsets from Cape Verde and DR Congo, while England and Scotland both kicked off their campaigns with victories.
It's also been a positive start for the co-host nations, with Mexico, USA and Canada all picking up wins.
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After drawing their first game, Canada roared to a 6-0 defeat of Qatar on Thursday (18 June), the biggest victory for a CONCACAF nation in World Cup history. However, the mood was dampened as star midfielder Ismaël Koné broke his leg in a horror injury.
Assim Madibo, who was shown a red card and reduced Qatar to nine men, appeared distraught after his attempt to win the ball resulted in Koné needing several minutes of treatment on the pitch before he was stretchered off.
The 24-year-old was able to wave to the crowd as he was taken off the field, with medics handing him a green object to put in his mouth.
Now, a journalist has explained what he was given.
The object Ismaël Koné was given after vile leg break
Many fans watching the game were left curious when an unusual green object was given to Koné to put in his mouth as he was taken from the pitch.
ESPN journalist Luiz Carlos Largo took to X to explain that he was given a Penthrox, a breathable painkiller that helps reduce pain in the instance of serious injuries.
"The item is called Penthrox, a fast-acting painkiller frequently used by medical teams in cases of trauma and serious injuries," Largo said, translated from Portuguese.
"The medication is administered by inhalation and helps reduce pain while the athlete receives care and is transported to the hospital. It is widely used in emergencies, especially when it is necessary to quickly alleviate the patient's suffering before medical exams and procedures."
The NHS states that Penthrox 'contains the active substance methoxyflurane, which is a type of anaesthetic medicine, but the dose used in a Penthrox inhaler is significantly lower than that used for a general anaesthetic'.
Largo added: "The presence of the Penthrox during the treatment reinforced concerns about the severity of the injury suffered by the Canadian midfielder. Fortunately, Koné was able to reassure the fans as he left the stadium en route to the hospital."
How is Ismaël Koné after the horrific injury?
After being stabilised in the dressing room, Koné was rushed to hospital in Vancouver, where he was surrounded by his family as he awaited surgery on Thursday night, reports SportsNet.
His World Cup is over and he is expected to be sidelined for months.
In an Instagram post, the footballer wrote: "Your love and support has been felt, honestly thank you so much. You can't even imagine how grateful I am to everyone who reached out and that has me in their prayers.
"I wanted you to know that I love you guys from the bottom of my heart and our brotherhood is everything to me.
"What you guys did yesterday will stay with me forever. I'll be back very soon and we'll keep making more memories together."
Speaking after the game, Canada manager Jesse Marsch said: "It happened right in front of the bench. We could all hear it. I knew right away.
"It was right in front of us, and everyone could hear the bone snap."
Losing the all-action Koné is a terrible blow for Canada, with the Sassuolo star shining as one of their best players in the tournament so far.
However, they will take hope from the fact his replacement, Nathan Saliba, scored a free-kick after coming on. He celebrated by sending a love heart gesture to Koné and raising his No.8 shirt.
In the UK, broadcaster ITV refused to show a replay of the incident, with co-commentator Andros Townsend saying: "I’m lost for words, to be honest."
Canada face Switzerland in their final Group B fixture on Wednesday (24 June).
Daniel Murphy