Canada manager Jesse Marsch has delivered a pointed message to United States head coach Mauricio Pochettino ahead of their round of 32 World Cup clash with Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Marsch guided Canada into the knockout rounds for the first time in their history, with Stephen Eustaquio’s dramatic stoppage-time goal sealing a 1-0 win over South Africa in Group B.
The American coach, appointed in 2024, became the first manager to take Canada into the World Cup’s knockout stages, a remarkable milestone for the nation’s football program.
Despite being an American himself, Marsch made clear he has little interest in how his home country performs against Bosnia, while still offering a caution to Pochettino.
“I don’t really care. It’s up to the U.S. to figure out, and they can learn from the matches that Bosnia played. I know a couple of players on their team, and Bosnia is a group of fighters, so they were not easy to play against.”
Bosnia reached the round of 32 as a third-place finisher in Group B, having led Canada for large parts of their meeting before eventually settling for a 1-1 draw.
Jovo Lukic gave Bosnia the lead in the 21st minute of that match, before Cyle Larin’s late equaliser denied them a famous victory over the tournament hosts’ neighbours.
Marsch’s relationship with the United States Soccer Federation carries added edge, given that he was a candidate for the USA job before Pochettino was eventually appointed instead.
The 52-year-old former Leeds United manager did not hide his frustration over how that process was handled, saying: “I went through a process with them, right? And I’m not going to go into it but I wasn’t treated very well in the process and so whatever, man. That’s in the past now and I’m fully focused. The minute it was done, I was like, ‘Okay, I’m moving forward and I’m going to figure out what’s right for me,’ and again, it motivated me again to find the right people.”
With that history in mind, Marsch may relish the prospect of advancing further in the tournament than the United States, giving his World Cup journey an added personal dimension.
Canada’s next assignment after defeating South Africa will be a mouth-watering last-16 tie against either Netherlands or Morocco, both of whom are yet to lose a game at this World Cup.
Morocco famously reached the semi-finals of the 2022 World Cup, making them a formidable opponent should they progress to face Marsch’s side.
The USA, by contrast, could face a more forgiving path, with Pochettino’s team potentially meeting either Senegal or Belgium in the quarter-finals if they can first overcome Bosnia’s resilient fighters.