Team Canada head coach Jesse Marsch does not want to be bothered with his former team’s fate at the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
The American-born Marsch, who previously played and served as an assistant coach for the U.S. men’s national team, led Canada to a 1-0 win over South Africa on Sunday to become the first team to move on to the Round of 16. The victory was a historic for the Canadians, who had never even won a World Cup match before co-hosting this year’s tournament.
Canada scored an all-important draw against Bosnia and Herzegovina in the group stage to finish second in Group B, which earned the team a favorable matchup to open the knockout round. After Sunday’s celebratory result over South Africa, one reporter asked Marsch about the USMNT’s chances against Bosnia and Herzegovina — the Americans’ opponent on Wednesday in the Round of 32.
“I don’t really care,” Marsch replied, via FOX Sports’ Doug McIntyre. “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. I was very complimentary of them after the game. I thought we could have been better in the match, but I think that whoever they play, they will give a really hard match.”
Marsch has a strained relationship with the U.S. men’s national team, after the former Premier League coach got snubbed for the top American job in the past.
A USA-Canada clash in the knockout rounds is unlikely but not impossible. Marsch’s Canada side would need to beat the winner of the Netherlands vs. Morocco, then potentially overcome either France or Germany to get to the semifinals. Beyond Bosnia and Herzegovina, either Belgium or Senegal awaits the U.S. in the Round of 16, followed by a possible matchup against Portugal or Spain.
