Jesse Marsch believes Canada can build something special as they prepare for their Copa America quarter-final against Venezuela. (More Football News)
Canada are playing in their maiden Copa America and finished second in Group A behind defending champions Argentina after a win over Peru and a draw with Chile following their opening-day defe🐈at to Albiceleste.
They now know that beating the Group B winners will set t🥃hem up for a remaꦰtch against Argentina in the semi-finals if they win on Friday.
Marsch says he knew it was going to be tough when he took the job earl📖ier this year, but has praised the “positive” support that 🌞has spurred the team forward.
"I was thinking, 'Why did I ta💝ke this job with those three opponents [coming] up?'" Marsch said. "I knew when I took the job that the schedule was going to be very difficult, and𓂃 by the way – put Peru and Chile in there as well – the first five opponents I knew were going to be very difficult.
"But I thought that it would give us a chance to create really high standar♚ds for how we wanted to play and that these games would show the players that we need to uphold ourselves to very high standards. I felt that if we๊ could execute, then we could have some success.
"There's real excitement in Ca🀅nada about the team and the way we've played. That comes with, I think, a real hunger to keep this thing moving forward."
"I'll tell you: I'm glad I'm here, man. Because the people that I work with and the players that I work with, the things that we know that we can achieve together, the support that we have from inside the co🌠untry, the support system for this entire n🐓ational team is so positive.
"So, I think🧸 it gives us a real chance to develop something and build somethinౠg and be ready for a big tournament come 2026."
Canada have done better than their 2026 World Cup co-hosts USA, who crashed out in the group stage af🅷ter winning just one match in Grou💮p C.
Asked about his home country's performance at the tournam🧔ent, Ma🐷rsch admitted he was disappointed by what he saw.
"I'd like to say that I'm on♓ly focused on what we're doing here in Canada, but obviously, I'm paying attention to the U.S. men's national team as I always do, and like you, I'm sad," he added.
"I'm disappointed with the performance♍s, the lack of discipline. There are a lot of things that I think we've tried to embody about the game in the U.S., and we've always believed in this group of players."
