Jesse Marsch hails ‘incredible’ Canada after Copa run, but accepts improvement needed

CHARLOTTE – Canada made “incredible strides” in their run to the Copa America semi-finals, but still have much to do to compete with the world’s top teams as the country prepares to co-host the 2026 World Cup, coach Jesse Marsch said.

Developing more Canadian-born talent at a younger age and encouraging players to be more vocal leaders on and off the pitch would help them on the international stage, the former Leeds United manager said ahead of their third-place play-off with Uruguay at the Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte on July 13.

Canada were defeated 2-0 by reigning World Cup and Copa America champions Argentina in the semi-finals, while Uruguay failed to reach their first Copa final since last lifting the title in 2011 after their 1-0 loss to Colombia.

“We’re establishing things at some high levels. But, in order to be a real team that can hold up to the biggest moments and biggest matches, there’s more work to be done,” said Marsch, who took over just five weeks before the tournament.

“Physically, mentally, intellectually, we’ve got to find a way to develop players faster. When you play Argentina, when you play France, you can see the speed of play and the power at which the best players play – that’s where we need to go.

“We actually have the athletes in this country.

“We need to now develop them in a way where they understand high-level football.”

Excluding the Gold Cup, Canada’s storybook run to the semi-finals marked their deepest foray at a major tournament, an experience that Marsch hopes will inspire a love of football in the hockey-mad nation.

“We want to inspire the nation. We want to develop the sport in the country. We want people to remember this as a moment in time that changed the trajectory of what this sport is in Canada,” he said of his 48th-ranked side, who lifted the Gold Cup in 1985 and 2000.

With an eye on their July 13 clash against Marcelo Bielsa’s Uruguay, Marsch ran a training session on July 10 with players who did not start the July 9 semi-final.

The 50-year-old American is still evaluating who will start that game, but he said some non-starters have clearly earned the honour and would benefit from playing elite opponents.

Marsch added that Alphonso Davies’ X-rays were “negative” after he suffered an ankle injury in the last-four match, but it was unclear if he would be able to feature in the third-place play-off.

Uruguay will find Canada a tricky opposition as Marsch’s men have been beaten only by world No. 1 Argentina at this tournament and that task has become more daunting following the aftermath of their semi-final loss, when a fracas between Uruguay players and Colombia fans broke out.

South American football governing body Conmebol has since opened an investigation.

Videos on social media showed what appeared to be Uruguay players climbing into the stands and exchanging blows with opposition fans.

Uruguay’s Darwin Nunez and Ronald Araujo were among the players at the forefront of the melee. Captain Jose Maria Gimenez said the players were trying to defend their families.

Players and staff from Colombia and Uruguay were also involved in a confrontation on the field after the final whistle.

“Conmebol has opened an investigation to understand the sequence of events and the responsibilities of those involved in the acts of violence that occurred at the end of the match,” the organisation said in a statement on July 11.

“We want to reaffirm and warn that no action will be tolerated that tarnishes this global football celebration.

“It is unacceptable that an incident like this turns passion into violence.

“Therefore, no behaviour that harms the sporting competition will be tolerated.” REUTERS