Jesse Marsch Criticizes Trump's 51st State Rhetoric Ahead of Nations League

Ahead of the Concacaf Nations League semifinals set to kick off on March 20th on Paramount+, coaches from Canada, Mexico, and Panama, alongside United States representative Oguchi Onyewu, participated in a media panel previewing the event on Wednesday. The political climate between Canada and the United States took center stage during the discussion, with Canadian head coach Jesse Marsch, an American himself, addressing President Donald Trump's repeated allusions to Canada becoming the 51st state.

Political Tensions Ahead of the Concacaf Nations League

President Trump has made several public statements suggesting that Canada should become the 51st state since the beginning of his second term in January. These remarks have sparked controversy and have surfaced during international competitions between the United States and Canada. Following Canada's thrilling 3-2 overtime victory over Team USA in the 4 Nations Face-Off Championship, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau took to X (formerly Twitter) to express his sentiments:

"You can't take our country -- and you can't take our game,"

Marsch echoed these sentiments, stating that the current political climate is unsettling and frankly insulting. He emphasized Canada's strength as an independent nation deeply rooted in decency, high ethics, and respect, contrasting it with the polarized and disrespectful climate prevailing in the United States.

"If I have one message to our president, it's to lay off the ridiculous rhetoric about Canada being the 51st state. As an American, I'm ashamed of the arrogance and the disregard that we've shown one of our historically oldest, strongest and most loyal allies."

Canada's Determination and Unity on the Pitch

Marsch highlighted how this political discourse will fuel Canada's determination on the pitch, further solidifying their unity and desire to represent their country with pride. He expressed confidence in the team's ability to showcase Canadian character both on and off the field.

"One thing's for sure when I look forward to a month from now, is I know that this will fuel our team, the mentality we have, the will we have to play for our country, the desire that we have to go after this tournament in every way and to show on and off the pitch exactly what Canadian character is."

Canada's progress has been remarkable, evident in their fourth-place finish at the Copa America last summer, surpassing expectations significantly. Marsch attributes their success to the team's embracing of diversity and the values of fairness and unity.

"They're uniquely and incredibly proud to be Canadian to represent their country to give everything to each other the love that they have for each other and to play for their country."

Other Perspectives

U.S. Soccer vice president of sporting Oguchi Onyewu, while acknowledging Marsch's comments, focused on promoting the Nations League, SoFi Stadium as the venue for the semifinals and final, and the competition that the USMNT will face.

Mexican head coach Javier Aguirre also shared his thoughts, addressing President Trump's executive order renaming the "Gulf of Mexico" to the "Gulf of America." Aguirre expressed his disagreement with the change, emphasizing the historical and cultural significance of the original name. He underscored the importance of respect and gratitude towards all those who contribute to the beautiful game.