Football: Canadian coach criticizes "the ridiculous rhetoric (of Trump) which presents Canada as the 51st state"

Canadian men's national soccer team coach Jesse Marsch on Wednesday slammed the "ridiculous rhetoric that presents Canada as the 51st state" of the United States that President Donald Trump has repeated in recent weeks.

Marsch, himself a 51-year-old U.S. citizen and Canada's coach since 2024, spoke to reporters in Los Angeles Wednesday ahead of next month's Concacaf Nations League finals. "If I had one message to our president, it would be to drop the ridiculous rhetoric that Canada is the 51st nation. As an American, I am ashamed of the arrogance and contempt we have shown to one of our historic allies."

"Canada is a strong, independent nation with a deep tradition of decency. It's a place that values ​​ethics, respect, as opposed to the polarized, disrespectful and now often hateful climate that exists in the United States." Marsch led Canada to fourth place at last year's Copa America, held in the United States. Canada will co-host the 2026 World Cup, the first to feature 48 teams, with the United States and Mexico.