After opening his Serie A account, can Ismaël Koné finally find consistency for club and country?
There is poetry in Ismaël Koné’s run, an artfulness to his body and brain recognizing and exploiting the space between Udinese’s lines with one deft touch. He peels around a yellow-clad defender and cuts towards the six-yard box, a fox fully unleashed in the hen house, and sends the ball sailing into the back of the net with a clinical finish courtesy of his right foot.
Koné’s first goal for U.S. Sassuolo, to say the least, is a thing of beauty and illustrates the immense potential within the 22-year-old midfielder. Canadian Men’s National Team head coach Jesse Marsch sees it, as does Sassuolo gaffer Fabio Grosso. But the questions around Koné have never been about his talent. Moves to Waterford, Marseille and Rennes have highlighted interest in his profile but also headlines about his attitude.
Koné’s first goal in Serie A, however, feels like a reward for the work the Canadian international has put in since moving to Italy’s top division this summer. He’s started four out of five possible league matches. And his club — like his country— is looking for consistency.
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“Ismaël Koné has enormous potential,” Grosso told reporters.
“(Scoring goals) is an important characteristic of a midfielder, being in the middle of the pitch, so you have to be the glue for the players behind and for those at the front. However, you have to act as a filter because it is a crucial role in the game of football.
“When they are simple for me, they become beautiful.”
Koné certainly provides a unique toolkit as he has the ability to do what Grosso is asking by linking the lines, spraying passes and stepping into spaces like he did during his side’s 3-1 victory over Udinese. He’s also done that for Canada at times, including his coming-out party at the 2022 FIFA World Cup or for parts of last year’s wondrous lead-up and Copa América run.
But Koné doesn’t always keep things simple; his emotions, as witnessed during his outburst in Bucharest, can get the better of him. Not that any of this is news.
“The reason I felt like it was a good move for Ismaël, one that I’ve talked about often, is the Italian league requires a lot of discipline and structure but he can still also show his attacking flair and his ability to be a little bit different and he’s done exactly that,” Marsch said earlier this week when Koné was named to the CanMNT squad for friendlies against Australia and Colombia.
The truth of the matter is Koné’s profile is unique within a Canadian starting XI that is increasingly set in stone. Marsch himself stated the roster was well established and, leading up to hosting the World Cup on home soil, he’d not be using this window or the next for experimentation. Names like Jonathan David, Alphonso Davies, Derek Cornelius, Moïse Bombito, Alistair Johnston, Tajon Buchanan and Stephen Eustáquio are all but guaranteed starters.
However, one of the few remaining question marks lies in midfield as Marsch aims to nail down a name beside Eustáquio. Aside from Koné, who arguably has the highest ceiling, Nathan Saliba and Niko Sigur have both shown immense promise in the middle of the park.
Saliba’s move to the Belgian Pro League, not to mention some fine performances in this summer’s Gold Cup, makes Marsch’s decision even more difficult.
“Nathan is a really smart player, very technically and tactically gifted and clear. I think the Belgian league, for him, is a great first stepping stone into Europe and I think he’ll establish himself at a higher level with Anderlecht and open the doors in the future for an even bigger move to a bigger club,” said Marsch. “I’m really happy for both (Koné and Saliba), it’s really important for both and bodes well for the national team as well.”
It remains to be seen if Koné can find the middle ground in his game that will ultimately earn him a spot in Marsch’s starting XI. His match against Napoli in August, for example, saw him try to do too much, earning him a pair of yellow cards while lining up against talents like Kevin de Bruyne and Scott McTominay.
But at his best, playing free, the Montréal-raised midfielder is capable of dictating the match with his passing and athleticism. His goal for Sassuolo was a reminder of his class when at the top of his powers. And he’s the sort of talent that coaches dream of moulding; Grosso said Sassuolo hopes to capitalize on his gifts and development as they battle to stay in Serie A.
With CanMNT headed to Stade Saputo for their friendly against Australia, it feels like the stage is set for Koné to put his best foot forward. He’s back where he started his journey with CF Montréal. He’s making a difference in Italy. And there’s a starting spot for his country up for grabs. What happens next is up to Koné.
