Jesse Marsch has come under criticism from a leading English pundit for kissing the badge on the Canadian soccer jersey.
Marsch has already led Canada to World Cup history this summer. Never before had the country won a game at the most iconic tournament in the sport, but that is now a thing of the past.
They are now set for a round of 16 meeting with either the Netherlands or Morocco, having beaten South Africa 1-0 in their round of 32 meeting held in Los Angeles.
That came after they beat Qatar 6-0 on home soil, after drawing with Bosnia and Herzegovina in their first game.
Anyone who has watched Marsch over the course of his managerial career will know that he is deeply passionate. One pundit in England, however, believes he might have gone too far…
Marsch slammed for kissing Canada badge after World Cup win
Former Chelsea defender Jason Cundy is one of the United Kingdom’s biggest pundits, appearing on the talkSPORT platform.
Cundy has made headlines in recent weeks for some of his antics, including wearing a Paris Saint-Germain jersey and celebrating wildly after they beat Arsenal in the Champions League final.
Reacting to Marsch kissing the Canadian badge, Cundy said: “I know [he’s their head coach] but he’s American!
“Kiss the badge?! I can’t imagine [Thomas] Tuchel kissing the England badge.”
Before adding: “He’s American in America!”
Marsch, of course, is American. Born in Wisconsin, he briefly played for the USMNT earlier in his career and has consistently been linked with the managerial job.
A deeply passionate coach, Marsch hailed his players as “Canadian Heroes” after they beat South Africa to reach the last 16 in the World Cup.
Marsch took the Canada job in 2024 and led them to the semi-finals of the Copa America later that year in what was his first tournament in charge of the country.
They lost to eventual champions Argentina before losing the third-place play-off to Uruguay on penalties.
Picking up where he left off, Marsch has broken new ground in the World Cup for the Canadian National Team.
