Canada coach Jesse Marsch previously served as an assistant for the United States Men's National Team. Photo by Caroline Brehman/EPA
June 12 (UPI) -- Canada's Jesse Marsch said he previously "had to beg" U.S. soccer players to sing the national anthem before games while working as an assistant for the Americans.
Marsch, now Canada's head coach the 2026 World Cup, made the comments during a news conference Thursday in Toronto. Canada hired Marsch in 2024.
"Every one of these boys is incredibly Canadian," Marsch told reporters. "And the pride that they have in putting on the jersey, representing the country, hearing the national anthem.
"In the U.S., sometimes we had to beg players to sing the national anthem. These guys sing the national anthem, belt it out to the top of their lungs, because they want to show the country how proud they are to be here, to be Canadians and to represent what Canada is."
