Jesse Marsch

Jesse Marsch is the head coach of Canada at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, leading Les Rouges into their home World Cup as co-hosts after dragging the team back to relevance in less than two years. Born in Racine, Wisconsin, on 8 November 1973, Marsch is the first American coach to manage in the German Bundesliga and the first to win a major European title.

A combative MLS midfielder during his playing days, his coaching career took off at the New York Red Bulls (2015–2018), where he won two Supporters' Shields and the MLS Coach of the Year award. After an assistant stint under Julian Nagelsmann at RB Leipzig, he took over Red Bull Salzburg and won back-to-back Austrian league-and-cup doubles (2019–20, 2020–21). Stints at Leipzig and a tumultuous spell at Leeds United (2022–23) followed.

Appointed by Canada Soccer in May 2024 — replacing John Herdman — Marsch immediately steered the side to a fourth-place finish at Copa América 2024, eliminating Venezuela in the quarter-finals before losing to Argentina in the semis. His high-pressing, gegenpressing-flavoured football has weaponised the pace and energy of Alphonso Davies, Tajon Buchanan, Jonathan David and Stephen Eustáquio.

Canada are in Group B with Switzerland, Qatar and Bosnia, opening at BC Place on 12 June. Marsch's challenge: turn Canada's first home World Cup since the men's team has ever co-hosted one into a knockout-stage run that legitimises the country as a genuine football nation by 2030.