Dempsey Criticizes Marsch Over US Anthem Remarks at Cup

A public dispute over national pride and anthem etiquette has erupted between two prominent American soccer figures at the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Former United States star Clint Dempsey delivered a sharp on-air rebuke of Canadian head coach Jesse Marsch on Friday, June 12, after Marsch made comments comparing the passion of his Canadian players to his past experiences with the U.S. team.

The controversy began a day earlier when Marsch, speaking at a pre-match news conference in Toronto, praised his Canadian squad's commitment. He stated that every one of his players was incredibly Canadian and belted out their national anthem to show their pride. Marsch then contrasted this with his time as an assistant coach for the United States Men's National Team from 2010 to 2011 under Bob Bradley, saying that in the U.S., they sometimes had to beg players to sing the national anthem.

Dempsey, a former U.S. international and current television analyst, was informed of these comments during Fox Sports' World Cup coverage on Friday ahead of the tournament's opening matches. He responded with visible disbelief and a pointed critique of Marsch.

"He really said that?" Dempsey asked. "Man, I can't...