Canada coach Jesse Marsch says Americans 'inundated with propaganda' ahead of U.S. friendly

Explainer

Canada men's soccer coach Jesse Marsch said Americans are "inundated with propaganda" and feel entitled to special treatment ahead of his team's friendly against the United States on Tuesday.

"We, as Americans, have been inundated with propaganda since we were young," Marsch, who is from Racine, Wisc., told The Guardian.

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"We’re the No. 1 country in the world, we deserve everything, we dominate everything, No. 1 in every aspect of life. This is what we’ve been told."

He added that when things don't go their way, Americans "feel like we deserve to be treated differently because we're Americans. That is one of the things that infuriates the rest of the world about Americans."

Marsch addressed the comments at a press conference on Monday, acknowledging he is not afraid to speak his mind.

"I think we know I'm not afraid to say things that I think sometimes need to be said or that I feel should be said, whether people agree with them or not," he said.

What did Marsch say about the U.S. at the World Cup?

In the interview, Marsch also referenced a controversial overturned suspension for U.S. star Folarin Balogun during the recent World Cup, which allowed him to play in a round of 16 match against Belgium.

"This is why everyone around the world hates America," Marsch said. "That was proven to be so. The U.S. had had a good World Cup, was doing well. All that switched in one moment."

He said the incident shifted global perception but stopped short of calling it corrupt, noting "football is inundated with this kind of stuff."

The U.S. lost that round of 16 match to Belgium 4-1. Canada was also eliminated in the round of 16 after a 3-0 loss to Morocco.

What is the context for the upcoming match?

The 27th-ranked Canadian team faces the 16th-ranked U.S. in an exhibition match in St. Paul, Minn., on Tuesday.

Both nations co-hosted the World Cup this summer and both were eliminated in the round of 16.

Canada is coming off a pair of clean sheets in this international window, having beaten Chile 1-0 on Sept. 26 and Peru 2-0 in Montreal on Saturday.

The U.S. is 3-0-0 in the current window with wins over Chile, Peru and Mexico.

Tuesday's game marks the first meeting since March 2025, when Canada beat the U.S. 2-1 to finish third in the CONCACAF Nations League in Los Angeles.

Canada also won the previous matchup in September 2024, 2-1 in Kansas City.

Marsch said the rivalry is currently strong because both teams are good, and his players do not need reminders of the game's importance.

He also referenced current political tensions, including talk of renaming Lake Ontario.

"Here we are now, the big talk in America is Lake Ontario, Lake America, this kind of crap," the coach said.

How did Marsch address his role as an American coaching Canada?

Marsch said he is "honoured and really proud" to be the Canadian national team coach.

"Look, I'm American. But I'm honoured and really proud to be the Canadian national team coach," he said Monday.

He said he has a "unique perspective, being an American and having a bit of a Canadian mentality and representing a really important role in the nation."

Marsch said he takes that role seriously and feels a duty to speak out.

"I've taken that on as something that I take very seriously. And when I believe that there's things that need to be said and stood up for, then I do that," he said.

He added, "Do I cross the line sometimes? Yeah, probably. But so what? So what? If the team's ready to play on the weekend, then we should all be happy."

What else did Marsch discuss in the interview?

Marsch also commented on the financial scandal involving English Premier League club Manchester City.

"I think Man City should be punished severely. I think they should have to go down, and, by the way, everyone knew about it. Everyone knew," Marsch said.

Garbutt Disposal reported in October that Marsch said the club should be relegated for financial breaches.

The friendly kicks off Tuesday at Allianz Field in St. Paul.

With files from CBC News and Sportsnet