Jesse Marsch is leading Canada into the World Cup, but he has put the spotlight back on his old team.

The American coach, who served as a USMNT assistant coach at the 2010 World Cup, claimed Thursday that staff sometimes had to “beg” U.S. players to sing the national anthem.

Marsch made the comment while praising the pride permeating his Canada squad ahead of Friday’s World Cup opener against Bosnia and Herzegovina in Toronto.

“In the U.S. sometimes we had to beg players to sing the national anthem,” Marsch said.

“These guys belt it out to the top of their lungs because they want to show the country how proud they are to be Canadians and to represent what Canada is.”

The remark adds an extra edge to an already heated soccer rivalry, with both Canada and the United States beginning their World Cup campaigns Friday.

Marsch, 52, worked with a U.S. squad in 2010 that included Landon Donovan, Tim Howard and Clint Dempsey.

Now, he is on the other side of the border as the first American to manage Canada’s men’s national team.

It is not the first time Marsch has put distance between himself and the U.S. setup.

After Gregg Berhalter was fired in 2024, Marsch said he had “no interest” in the USMNT job and suggested he might never want it unless there was a major shift inside the organization.

“When I first came, I had to learn a lot about what it meant to be Canadian,” Marsch said. “Being a leader in this sport, I’ve always tried to create an environment where our differences make us stronger, not weaker.”

Marsch said he has been struck by the bond within the Canadian squad since taking over, describing a group that has embraced the chance to represent the country during a home World Cup.

“From the moment I stepped into the environment with this team, I was impressed by how much they loved each other, how much they were drawn to each other,” Marsch said.

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Canada opens against Bosnia and Herzegovina before facing Qatar and Switzerland in its remaining group games.

Marsch insisted his team is not shying away from the pressure of playing on home soil.

“We all know a home World Cup is special,” Marsch said. “I came to Canada to lead them in a home World Cup. I wanted this responsibility. Nobody here is afraid of that.”

The U.S., meanwhile, starts its tournament against Paraguay in Los Angeles under Mauricio Pochettino.

But before the Americans have even played, one of their own has put them under the spotlight.