Jonathan David hat-trick powers Canada to first World Cup win

Canada’s first men’s World Cup victory arrived in a burst of goals and then settled into a quieter, more somber emotional register. Jonathan David scored a hat trick, Cyle Larin and Nathan Saliba added to the total, and Canada beat Qatar 6-0 at BC Place in Vancouver on June 18, 2026, yet the defining image for much of the night was Ismaël Koné leaving on a stretcher after a heavy challenge.

David opened the scoring in the 29th minute after Larin had struck first in the 16th, and he added another deep into first-half stoppage time at 45+3. By then, Canada had already seized control of its second Group B match, but the result became even more lopsided after Saliba made it 4-0 in the 64th minute and Mohamed Manai turned the ball into his own net in the 75th. David finished the rout with his third goal in the 90+2 minute, completing a landmark night for Jesse Marsch’s side.

The emotion around the goal was muted. David did not celebrate after his third strike, a reflection of how heavily Koné’s injury hung over the match. The 24-year-old midfielder was caught by Assim Madibo’s challenge, was taken off in a camilla, and later appeared seated and waving to the crowd with his left leg inside a large inflatable protective boot. Nathan Saliba, who had come on for Koné, honored him by lifting Koné’s shirt after scoring.

Qatar’s night unraveled further when Madibo and Homam Ahmed were both sent off, leaving the visitors with nine players by the end. Canada, by contrast, moved to four points after two matches and climbed to the top of Group B, leaving qualification for the round of 16 within reach.

For David, the performance carried historic weight beyond the scoreboard. FIFA described it as the first hat trick by a player on Canadian soil since Geoff Hurst for England in 1966 and named him player of the match. It also further underlined his status as Canada’s attacking centerpiece: entering the tournament, he had 42 goals in 79 appearances for the national team, and he arrived in the squad alongside Koné as Canada chased a breakthrough on home soil.