American head coach and former Leeds United boss Jesse Marsch made a stunning move to oversee the Canada national team.
Marsch was announced as the new head coach on Monday and will be dealt the task of leading Canada in the Copa América this summer. His contract with Canada goes through summer 2026 meaning he’ll also be in charge for the 2026 World Cup.
Marsch joins Canada
We got our guy #CANMNT pic.twitter.com/IErZjDx6O7
— CANMNT (@CANMNT_Official) May 13, 2024
United States men’s national team fans can’t wait for the next time the U.S. and Canada meet. Marsch was a finalist and one of the major candidates to replace current USMNT head coach Gregg Berhalter when his contract wasn’t renewed after the 2022 World Cup.
A considerable number of fans were pulling for Marsch to take the job from Berhalter. Ultimately U.S. Soccer brought Berhalter back following the conclusion of an investigation involving a domestic violence situation with his wife from decades ago.
Marsch has been vocal in the past about his desire to be the USMNT head coach. He spoke in an interview in 2020 that he’s hopeful to get the gig one day.
"I would be honoured and I’m very hopeful to someday coach the national team."@jessemarsch on his ambitions to coach the USMNT one day
— B/R Football (@brfootball) July 9, 2020
Marsch was let go by Leeds in February 2023 and will replace caretaker head coach Mauro Biello. Former Canada head coach John Herdman, who led Canada to their first World cup in 36 years, resigned in August to become Toronto FC’s new head coach.
The two American head coaches have also thrown shade at each other in recent times.
In March Berhalter took an indirect shot at Marsch after he criticized the decision to call up Gio Reyna for the Concacaf Nations League semifinal/final.
This is what Jesse Marsch said about Gio Reyna's call-up to the National Team. ⬇️ #USMNT
— USMNT X (@USMNTX) March 14, 2024
“I think I heard somewhere that someone asked: ‘why did Gio [Reyna] get called into camp?’ Did you guys hear any of that?” Berhalter said after the semifinal game.
It’s quite clear who Berhalter was referring to.
Fast forward to May and now one of Berhalter’s biggest critics is the head coach of his rival.
You can’t find dramas this good on TV these days.
Jesse Marsch and Gregg Berhalter during the next vs
pic.twitter.com/n0NM346oeC— Tactical Manager (@ManagerTactical) May 13, 2024
JESSE MARSCH FACING USA IN THE COPA pic.twitter.com/oxQsc1wQPj
— Men in Blazers (@MenInBlazers) May 13, 2024
That first Gregg Berhalter & USMNT vs. Jesse Marsch & Canada match is gonna hit like crack pic.twitter.com/yeA8OTCOXz
— USMNT Only (@usmntonly) May 13, 2024
I’m honestly more excited for the next USMNT vs. Canada game than I am for the next USMNT vs. Mexico game.
The rivalry against Mexico has become incredibly one-sided with the USMNT unbeaten in the last five years and conceding zero goals in the last five non-friendly games.
USMNT record vs. Mexico since 2021: 5 wins, 2 draws, 0 losses
Meanwhile the matchups against Canada have seen a bit more back-and-forth with the rivals to the north actually getting a win against the USMNT in the last few years.
USMNT record vs. Canada since 2021: 2 wins, 2 draws*, 1 loss
*1 Gold Cup penalty shootout win for the USMNT
With the recent history better and the addition of Marsch, the USA-CAN rivalry is looking delicious.
Marsch’s first games in charge for Canada will be brutal. His first two opponents will be June friendlies against Netherlands and France.
Following those two games his team will play the Copa América opener against Lionel Messi’s Argentina. His other two group stage opponents are Peru and Chile.
Trial by fire.
It’s time for Marsch to prove who is the better American head coach.
