Scott Stinson: How head coach Jesse Marsch became Canada’s favourite arrogant American

Jesse Marsch, head coach of Canada, celebrates after his side's first goal during the FIFA World Cup 2026 Round Of 32 match between South Africa and Canada at Los Angeles Stadium on June 28, 2026 in Inglewood, Calif. Photo by Fran Santiago /Getty Images

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When Jesse Marsch was the head coach of one of the biggest football clubs in northern England, supporters there were quick to give him a nickname: Ted Lasso.

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It was not intended as a compliment.

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Leeds United fans were not comparing Marsch to the sweet earnestness of the titular character played by Jason Sudeikis on the television show, but they felt that, like Lasso, he was a clueless American.

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He was brash, he was arrogant. Leeds supporters didn’t like that he would sometimes lead a post-match huddle on the pitch, a performative display of coaching that would normally be left to the privacy of the dressing room.

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Marsch gave one of those speeches on the pitch in Los Angeles on Sunday, after the biggest win in the history of the Canadian men’s national team.

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“You guys are Canadian heroes,” the coach of Canada’s team said, on a broadcast feed that was still being watched around the world. “You should be so proud of who you are. You should be so proud of this game — you never lost belief.”

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Marsch said the 1-0 win over South Africa, which came on Stephen Eustaquio’s goal in the dying minutes, would impact future generations of soccer players in this country. “You are Canadian heroes,” he said again.

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At this point, you half-expected a polar bear or a moose to lumber across the screen, such was the Canadiana on display.

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Jesse Marsch speaks with his players in a huddle after the team’s victory against South Africa at Los Angeles Stadium on June 28, 2026 in Inglewood, Calif. Photo by Alex Grimm /Getty Images

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On the Fox broadcast in the United States, analyst Peter Schmeichel, former goalkeeper for Manchester United, wasn’t having any of it. “I honestly don’t like it,” he said. “That is for the dressing room, but that is a personal opinion I have.”

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In his post-game press conference, Marsch was asked about that kind of pushback. His response was, well, brash.

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“There are people who like to say it’s performative to meet on the pitch, and frankly, I don’t give a s–t,” he said. “All I care about is our own team and what we do together.”

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Ted Lasso would not have been quite so blunt.

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When Marsch became the head coach of the Canadian men’s team in 2024, it is fair to say there was considerable skepticism. A former player who had a long career in Major League Soccer, he had a successful stint as coach of the New York Red Bulls in that same league, and then a decent run in Salzburg, but a job in charge of RB Leipzig, in the top German league, lasted barely three months.

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He took over Leeds United in England’s Premier League midway through the following season, but only made it about a year before being dismissed with the club near the bottom of the standings.

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When Canada Soccer hired Marsch, it seemed possible that they had simply tried to find a big name instead of one with a proven track record. Would this outsider American really be the guy to lead Canada into a home World Cup?