Jesse Marsch has declared Canada's ambition to challenge the United States and Mexico for supremacy in CONCACAF. The head coach made his case ahead of a recent friendly, arguing his team has proven it belongs in the region's elite conversation.

Marsch, who has led Canada for two and a half years, pointed to a strong recent record against their southern neighbours. "Institutionally, CONCACAF still looks at this as a region that's about Mexico, or U.S. and Mexico, probably in that order right now," Marsch said. "We need to continue to establish ourselves and show we are also part of this mix and we are also another dominant program in this region."

The statistics support his claim. Canada has won the last two meetings with the United States and holds a 3-2-2 record over the past seven encounters. This competitive edge was built on the foundation of topping the 2022 World Cup qualifying table. Two years later, the team reached the Copa América semifinals, a stage the U.S. and Mexico failed to reach. The most recent official match between the sides was a 1-0 win for the United States on October 7, 2026, a result that snapped Canada's two-game winning streak in matches against Peru and Chile. You can review the team's recent results and upcoming schedule on our fixtures page.

Marsch, a Wisconsin native, also addressed the personal narrative of his pursuit of the U.S. head coaching job in 2023, a role that ultimately went back to Gregg Berhalter. He insisted there is no lingering grudge, stating he feels a strong connection to Canada. "I gravitated toward Canadians at university due to similar ways of living life and thoughts about life," he explained, adding he is "honored and proud" to be Canada's coach.

The respect appears mutual. U.S. coach Mauricio Pochettino, who oversaw his team's 11 goals in three wins this window, praised his counterpart. "I celebrate we have coaches like Jesse [showing] pure emotion. I like this," Pochettino said. He acknowledged the physical challenge of a congested schedule, noting his squad was "not [in] the best condition" for a fourth match in the window after extensive travel.

Canada currently sits 27th in the FIFA rankings, just one spot below its all-time high. The team's progress under Marsch, which included a run to the 2024 World Cup Round of 16, has shifted perceptions. While a recent friendly was described as largely inconsequential due to liberal substitution rules, the broader message from Marsch was clear. He believes Canada's time as an underdog is over. The squad's current composition and player statistics are available on our squad and stats pages.

Marsch concluded by reaffirming his commitment to speaking his mind for the benefit of Canadian soccer, regardless of whether his views are popular. The team's next objective is to build on its recent form and stays in the CONCACAF hierarchy ahead of future tournaments.

This story first appeared at sports.yahoo.com