Canada MNT coach Jesse Marsch: 51st-state rhetoric is ‘unsettling and, frankly, insulting’

Canada national team coach Jesse Marsch chastised President Trump and blasted the “polarized, disrespectful and often now hate-fueled climate that’s in the U.S.” as the representatives of the Concacaf Nations League semifinalists gathered to promote next month’s final four at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California.

Marsch, an American who made appearances in 2001 and 2007 with the U.S. national team, expressed disgust with Trump’s push to make Canada the United States’ 51st state when asked about the tense environment — spurred by Canadian fans booing the Star-Spangled Banner — when the countries’ hockey teams faced off earlier this month in the 4 Nations Face-Off in Montreal and Boston.

“These international tournaments for Canada mean something different now,” he responded, and “as an American, I’d like to address the 51st-state [rhetoric from Trump], which I find unsettling and, frankly, insulting. Canada is a strong, independent nation that’s deep rooted in decency. It’s a place that values high ethics and respect, unlike the polarized, disrespectful and often now hate-fueled climate that’s in the U.S.”

Marsch, without mentioning the president by name, said that he was “ashamed,” as an American, by the “arrogance and disregard that we’ve shown one of our historically oldest, strongest and most loyal allies.”

Trump’s declaration that Canada should be acquired as a 51st state, first made soon after beginning his second term as president and frequently repeated since, and his pledge to place tariffs on imported Canadian goods has forged a crisis with the U.S.’s tightest ally. Canadians made their displeasure clear by booing the U.S. national anthem in the Americans’ 4 Nations victories Feb. 13 against Finland and Feb. 15 against Canada in Montreal.

Canada won the tournament title last weekend in Boston, edging the U.S., 3-2, in overtime after Chantal Kreviazuk, singing the Canadian anthem beforehand, altered the lyrics of “Oh Canada” in protest of Trump’s remarks.

Canada will face Mexico in the second game of the Nations League semifinal doubleheader March 20 at SoFi. The winner will face the U.S. or Panama in the final on Feb. 23. Marsch was joined at the media gathering by Mexico head coach Javier Aguirre, Panama head coach Thomas Christiansen and former U.S. national team star Oguchi Onyewu, U.S. Soccer’s director of sporting.

The U.S. won the three previous editions with victories over Mexico in Denver in 2021, Canada in Las Vegas in 2023, and Mexico last March in Arlington, Texas.

Marsch was born and raised in Racine, Wis., attended Princeton University and played 14 years in MLS as a midfielder with D.C. United, Chicago Fire and Chivas USA, featuring on the winning side in the first three MLS Cup finals.

He began his coaching career in 2010 as a U.S. national team assistant coach under Bob Bradley, was hired in August 2011 as the first head coach at CF Montreal — then the Montreal Impact — and subsequently took charge at New York Red Bulls, Red Bull Salzburg, Red Bull Leipzig and Leeds United.

He took Canada’s reins last May, leading it to the Copa America semifinals last summer and to shutout victories in November over Honduras in both legs of a Nations League quarterfinal series.

“Canada values fairness and unity,” Marsch said. “It’s a place that I’ve learned as the national team coach where people really believe that their differences make them stronger. Honestly, it’s one of the things that I’ve enjoyed most about our team, is that they exemplify this as human beings and as a team. They’re almost all first- and second-generation Canadians, come from different heritage and cultures, but they uniquely are incredibly proud to be Canadian, to represent their country, to give everything to each other and the love that they have for each other in playing for their country.”

Marsch said he “couldn’t be prouder to be the Canadian national team coach” and that he’d “found a place where embodies for me the ideals and morals of love, not just [what] football and team is, but what life is. And that’s integrity, respect and the belief that good people can do great things together.”

“If I have one message to our president,” he said, “it’s lay off the ridiculous rhetoric about Canada being the 51st state. As an American, I’m ashamed of the arrogance and disregard that we’ve shown one of our historically oldest, strongest and most loyal allies.

“But one thing’s for sure, when I look forward to a month from now, is that I know this will fuel our team, the mentality we have, the will we have to play for our country, the desire we have to go after this tournament in every way and to show on the pitch exactly what Canadian character is.”

Onyewu demurred when asked to reflect on U.S.-Canada relationship and Marsch’s statement.

“We’re all here to promote Nations League and the strong competition,” he said. “My main focus right now and the U.S.’s main focus is the competition ahead and hopefully coming back as a four-peat champion, knowing that the competition is extremely stiff [against opponents with] quality on their staff, on their player pool to win this tournament.

“For us, it’s focusing at the task at hand, which is, hopefully, getting a fourth Nations League title.”

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