The Canadian Soccer Federation have announced Jesse Marsch as the new head coach of the Canadian Men’s National Team.
Marsch becomes the first American to lead the CANMNT in their history, taking over from the caretaker Mauro Biello. The position had been left vacant since John Herdman left to take over at Toronto FC in October.
As a player, Marsch had a prodigious career in MLS as a midfielder, splitting over 300 league appearances between DC United, Chicago Fire, and the-now-defunct Chivas USA, winning 3 MLS Cups, 2 Supporter’s Shields, and 4 US Open Cup titles. His international career was more limited, with just 2 caps to his name.
Marsch actually made his coaching debut in Canada, stepping into the Head Coach role for the Montreal Impact (now CF Montreal) in their debut season in MLS. He was let go after a single season, eventually finding his way to the New York Red Bulls in 2015. With the Red Bulls, Marsch found immediate success, winning the Supporters’ Shield in 2015, the second major title in the club’s history. Marsch’s success was such that sister club RB Leipzig in the German Bundesliga poached him to be an assistant in the summer of 2018 (the Red Bulls would go on and win another Shield that year).
Marsch then caught the attention of European onlookers with his handling of Red Bull Salzburg in the Austrian Bundesliga from 2019 to 2021 with his motivational style and his team’s aggressive pressing systems. However, Marsch’s bright career dimmed somewhat after a mediocre start to the 2021-22 Bundesliga season in charge of Leipzig ended in a December sacking, followed by a doomed attempt to prevent Leeds United from being relegated from the English Premier League in successive seasons. Despite being connected with several English Premier League and Championship clubs, Marsch remained unattached. Rumor had it that Marsch was looking for the United States Men’s National Team Head Coach position, but, despite a protracted and somewhat-public flirtation, the US Soccer Federation eventually decided to reinstate Gregg Berhalter.
The Canada role thus presents not just a first foray into international coaching for Marsch, but also a chance to renew some of that faded luster on his career, and possibly stick it to the USMNT and U.S. Soccer after they spurned him. For Canada, this is a hope for a new and energetic direction after a limp finish in their return to the World Cup in 2022 after a 36-year hiatus. Now, with a Copa America this summer and the 2026 World Cup held partially in Canada, both Marsch and Canada have some big spotlights aimed at their direction.
