Canadian national team manager Jesse Marsch has found himself on the receiving end of withering criticism from Fox Sports analysts Clint Dempsey and Thierry Henry after suggesting that American players had to be begged to sing their national anthem during the 2010 World Cup.
Marsch’s anthem comments
Speaking to reporters on Thursday ahead of Canada’s 1-1 draw with Bosnia and Herzegovina, the Wisconsin-born Marsch drew a stark contrast between the United States squad he served as an assistant coach under Bob Bradley and the Canadian team he now leads. “In the US 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 here, to be Canadians and to represent what Canada is.”
Marsch, who worked as an assistant for the USMNT during the 2010 tournament in South Africa, made the remarks while lauding the passion of his current squad. The United States reached the Round of 16 that year – where they lost to Ghana – with a squad that included Tim Howard, Landon Donovan, Michael Bradley and Dempsey, a player who would go on to earn 141 caps and score 57 international goals, joint with Donovan as the nation’s all-time leading scorer.
Dempsey leads the response
Dempsey, speaking on Friday’s Fox Sports pregame show, reacted with disbelief. “He really said that?” the Texan asked. “Man, I can’t take this guy too seriously.” The former Fulham and Tottenham forward then offered a detailed defence of his own relationship with the anthem, explaining that not singing did not equate to a lack of pride.
“It was an honour for me growing up [to] represent my country,” Dempsey said. “When the national anthem happened, I wasn’t someone who normally would sing. I put my hand over my heart, and I’d pray to the good man upstairs. I’m someone who’s bled for this country. I broke my nose playing for this country. I’ve come back from two heart procedures and played for this country.”
Dempsey, a three-time U.S. Soccer Player of the Year and a member of the National Soccer Hall of Fame since 2022, underscored his personal sacrifices to underscore the point: for him, and he implied for many of his teammates, the anthem was a moment of personal reflection and devotion rather than vocal performance.
The Texan then turned Marsch’s own position against him. “I’m not going to take advice from someone who switched to the other side and is singing another country’s national anthem,” Dempsey said. He concluded by invoking a familiar phrase from his fellow Fox analyst Thierry Henry: “And as my boy [Henry] would say, stay in your own lane. It looks like he’s in a dang moped, so worry about your own team.”
Henry questions underdog narrative
Henry, the former Arsenal legend who now works as a Fox Sports analyst, took a different but equally sharp line of attack. He criticised Marsch for what he saw as a false underdog posture, given the quality of the Canadian squad. Canada currently boasts Bayern Munich left-back Alphonso Davies – though the captain missed the Bosnia match due to a hamstring injury – and Juventus forward Jonathan David.
“You got to walk the walk and talk the talk. You can’t hide behind the fact that you are a decent team,” Henry said before the match. He pointed out that Marsch inherited a side that had already been developed by his predecessor. “You took a job, by the way, that someone started… That team was already there when he arrived. Yes, he elevated them. Let’s see what he can do today against Bosnia [and Herzegovina].”
Henry’s own background adds weight to his critique. The Frenchman, who managed the France U23 side to a silver medal at the Paris 2024 Olympics, has built a reputation for blunt, experienced analysis since moving into television work with Sky Sports and Fox Sports.
Marsch’s record and the Bosnia draw
Marsch’s tenure with Canada began in May 2024, following a career that included MLS Coach of the Year honours with the New York Red Bulls in 2015, consecutive doubles at Red Bull Salzburg, and a stint at Leeds United. Under his leadership, Canada reached the semifinals of the 2024 Copa América, achieved its highest-ever FIFA world ranking, and won the inaugural 2025 Canadian Shield. As of mid-May 2025, his record stood at six wins, four draws and five losses.
The 1-1 draw against Bosnia and Herzegovina on June 12 gave Canada its first ever point in a senior men’s World Cup finals. After falling behind to a 20th-minute Jovo Lukić strike, Cyle Larin equalised in the 79th minute. Marsch took personal responsibility for the sluggish opening 45 minutes. “I’m disappointed with the first half,” he said. “I just felt we were tentative. We didn’t play as aggressively as I would have liked.” He added that he “didn’t do enough” to prepare his side and said: “I got to figure out how to get a little bit more out of some of the starters too, and make sure that we have a better performance from the start.”
The row with Dempsey and Henry has placed Marsch in an uncomfortable spotlight as Canada prepares to face Qatar on June 18 – a side that also drew 1-1 with Switzerland in its own opening match – but the manager’s immediate concern remains the same as it was before the controversy erupted: getting more from his squad.
