Canada and coach Jesse Marsch head to enemy territory for next World Cup challenge

Canada has to leave the comforts of home games

Published Jun 24, 2026  •  4 minute read

Jesse Marsch, Head Coach of Canada, applauds fans after the team's 2-1 loss in its FIFA World Cup 2026 Group B match against Switzerland at BC Place in Vancouver on June 24, 2026. Photo by Alex Grimm /Getty Images

See more Toronto Sun on Google — save as a Preferred Source

Article content

If Jesse Marsch has to play the villain, the U.S.-born coach of Canada’s most accomplished men’s national soccer team is fine with it.

Article content

Article content

Through all the theatrics and memes and mocking from other countries, Marsch and Canada are going on to the Round of 32 at this World Cup, even after Canada’s valiant yet disappointing 2-1 loss to Switzerland in Vancouver on Wednesday.

And now he has his biggest challenge — and scrutiny — facing him in four days as Canada leaves the comforts of home soil and ventures into potentially hostile territory, even for their enthusiastic coach.

The good thing is that throughout, Marsch has had an up-yours attitude towards his critics — many of them in the United States — content to divert attention from his players, who have embraced the elbows-up mentality.

“I know that our players are so humble they didn’t want to go around and draw too much attention (to themselves),” Marsch told James Duthie in an interview that aired on TSN’s pre-game show on Wednesday.

Article content

Article content

“Thankfully they have an arrogant American coach who’s not afraid to make an ass of himself and make sure everyone is charged up by the overall experience.”

Marsch is both unabashed and unapologetic for his approach and the criticism that has accompanied it. He has made it clear that it’s important for Canada to play to an identity that will win over the nation.

Through three entertaining games in Canada and a near-miss of capturing the group, the team has done that. The program is better for it and headed to elimination play for the first time in its history. And that is all part of Marsch’s mission.

“If people want to say things about my reactions or actions, this is still about creating a movement in this country, about this sport, about these players, about this team,” Marsch said at Canada’s pre-match press conference on Tuesday. “This is different than what people may perceive in Europe or the States, or Mexico. We’re at a different stage in this country.”

Article content

And now they face their biggest challenge yet. In the U.S., no less, where surroundings will be noticeably more hostile than the incredible love-ins in Toronto and Vancouver.

Why L.A. in the round of 32 will be a challenge

A win or a draw on Wednesday would have yielded salivating advantages, including remaining in Vancouver for its Round of 32 match against a yet-to-be determined third-place opponent from another group.

As well, Marsch’s battered squad would have had four more days rest. Canada’s opponent for the Round of 32 contest in Los Angeles on Sunday won’t be known until later Wednesday, but is likely to be South Korea.

Had Canada won, the team would have rested until next Thursday, improving the opportunity for some of the walking wounded to not just return, but to have an impact.

It was an opportunity squandered, especially given the momentum Canada had brought into the biggest match in the program’s history, having been unbeaten in their previous nine games.

Article content

What went wrong for Canada?

TSN’s terrific game analyst, Steven Caldwell, cautioned prior to kickoff that “Canada would have to be at its best” warning that Switzerland was the farthest thing from the weak Qatar side as could be imagined.

“The quality needs to be better at this level,” Caldwell said as the shoddy play finally cost Canada with Switzerland’s first goal of the game, just 40 seconds into the second half. “There are too many mistakes.”

“If you look at the big picture of this, it’s (an accomplishment),” former Canadian captain and TSN panelist Atiba Hutchinson said. “And they did it not just by squeezing through.

“They will have to learn what it has to be when you are playing against top, top professionals. It’s the small details.”

In the end, the resolve that Canada showed, especially in the final 15 minutes when there were multiple chances to get the draw, there is clearly something to take forward to California.

“A brave and valiant effort to the end,” was how play-by-play man Luke Wileman put it.

And more from Caldwell: “To have a go like that at the end and just about get that equalizing goal was phenomenal stuff and they’ll be ready to go.

“They really troubled Switzerland. Ultimately they were playing against a top side and the resilience they showed was so impressive.”

The first eight minutes of the second half were painful and costly.

“They will punish you,” Hutchinson said on TSN. “At this level, they will put the ball in the back of the net.”

Article content

Where was Alphonso Davies (and will we see him)?

By early in the second half, cameras at Vancouver Stadium zoomed in on Canada’s injured captain, Alphonso Davies. And not for the last time.

And now we’re left to wonder just what the 25-year-old Bayern Munich star’s status really is?

It certainly appears to be gamesmanship on the part of the Canadian coach — which is part of the World Cup experience, of course — as to the status of Davies. The previous day, Marsch had all but guaranteed Davies would see some time. Now we wait.

“Alphonso wasn’t ready,” Marsch said in in his post-match press conference. “I was using him as a decoy. He’ll be ready for the next match.”

And a nation waits …

Article content