The Athletic meets... Jesse Marsch
The Athletic FC Podcast
The Athletic
4.0 • 1.3K Ratings
🗓️ 28 December 2025
⏱️ 45 minutes
🧾️ Download transcript
Summary
Today we bring you an exclusive interview with Canada head coach, Jesse Marsch. Speaking to writers from The Athletic in New York, including Adam Crafton and David Ornstein, Marsch sets out his ambitions for Canada, why getting out of the group isn’t enough, and how he’s been building the team with the 2026 World Cup firmly in mind.
Marsch reflects on his time in the Premier League, the realities of modern football, and the short-term thinking that defines the game. He also shares his thoughts on Erling Haaland, who he managed, and why he believes the striker is the best in the world.
With: Adam Crafton, David Ornstein, Laura Williamson, Paul Tenorio and Josh Kloke
Producer: Paul Iliffe
Exec Producer: Adey Moorhead
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Transcript
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| 0:00.0 | The Athletic FC |
| 0:03.1 | Welcome to the Athletic FC podcast with me, Ayur Akimilar. |
| 0:09.2 | Coming up, a special interview with Jesse Marsh, the American who will be leading Canada |
| 0:13.7 | as head coach in the 26 World Cup. |
| 0:17.0 | We'll hear Marsh talk about all sorts, his ambitions next summer, his thoughts on modern football, and Erling Horland, who he managed at Red Bulls Salzberg. |
| 0:26.6 | So here's Marsh speaking to a group of writers from The Athletic, including Adam Crafton and David Ornstein in New York earlier this month. |
| 0:39.6 | I think you've been asked this, but like, I want to know about both sides. |
| 0:44.6 | What does success at the World Cup look like to you on the field, but also off the field in terms of legacy for Canada? |
| 0:54.4 | Well, I think I've said you I hate the word legacy because... |
| 0:57.6 | That's why I used. |
| 0:58.3 | Yes. |
| 0:58.9 | No, because I'm like, I don't use it for myself because I think it reflects too much on me |
| 1:03.1 | and not enough on the overall picture of what's being creating. |
| 1:06.7 | Because in the end, this is a part of the story, right? |
| 1:10.5 | Regardless of what happens, I don't even want to be sort of remembered as the end, this is a part of the story, right? Regardless of what happens, I don't even |
| 1:12.3 | want to be sort of remembered as the coach, even though that's your role is, I want this to be |
| 1:17.3 | remembered about the players and their identity and the country and the development of the sport |
| 1:24.2 | and the opportunity to showcase what the sport's becoming in the country. What success is, bare minimum, we have to get out of the sport and the opportunity to showcase what the sport's becoming in the country. |
| 1:29.0 | What success is bare minimum, we have to get out of the group. |
| 1:32.4 | And I've often said this, that the structure of the tournament makes it even clearer for us. |
| 1:37.3 | The only way we stay in Canada for the knockout round is if we win the group. |
| 1:41.1 | So for me, it's not just getting out of the group. |
... |
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