Jesse Marsch Leads Canada to First-Ever Knockout Stage: ‘We Believe in Our Group’

The final whistle brought disappointment, but it also delivered history. Despite a 2-1 loss to Switzerland on Wednesday afternoon, Canada, under coach Jesse Marsch, secured its first-ever trip to the FIFA World Cup knockout stage. Marsch has transformed Canada from a nation primarily known for hockey into a team that believes in itself. That belief has been evident throughout the tournament as Canada looks to make an impact on the World Cup stage. “One thing I know about our team is we have heart, and we won’t stop,” Marsch said. “We’re so committed to the game and to each other, so that part I’m really proud of. We have to now take that performance and make sure we apply that from the start when we go down to LA.” Switzerland is one of the most complete teams in this year’s tournament, but that didn’t shake Marsch’s belief in his squad. His ambitions extend beyond a single match, as he believes this Canadian team is capable of something special. “We knew that this team [Switzerland] was more established and the goals are bigger than just one goal, one point or one win,” Marsch said. “We want to really make a run at it because we believe in our group.” Marsch said injuries played a role in Wednesday’s loss, saying that Canada has struggled to get players healthy throughout the tournament. Still, he added that the team expects captain and star player Alphonso Davies to return for its next match. “One of the things that’s been a little bit unlucky is trying to get guys healthy again,” Marsch said. “Alphonso Davies will be ready to go next game, so that’s a good sign. Everyone here puts so much into it, and they care so much about this program.” Adding Davies back to the lineup will be key for a Canada team set to face one of Group A’s qualifiers: South Korea, Czechia or South Africa. Canada will need a full-strength squad if it hopes to continue its World Cup run. “It’s an honor to coach this national team,” Marsch said. “We’re going to go down to LA and make sure that we put our best performance forward.”