As Christian Pulisic found himself at the center of a storm over his decision to skip the CONCACAF Gold Cup, Canada head coach Jesse Marsch entered the fray with a quiet but unmistakable message—one that seemed aimed at both Pulisic and those in charge of the U.S. men’s national team.
While leading Canada into a pivotal tournament, Marsch could not resist weighing in on the controversy surrounding his native country’s star player, taking the opportunity to highlight a stark contrast in attitudes between his own squad and that of the U.S. The former Leeds manager has never hidden his frustrations with U.S. Soccer, and this moment proved no different.
The controversy started when Pulisic requested to skip the Gold Cup, citing the need for rest after a long season at Milan. His decision triggered a backlash from fans and former stars alike, including Landon Donovan, Tim Howard, and Clint Dempsey, all of whom questioned the winger’s commitment to the national team.
Pulisic responded in an interview with CBS Sports, explaining, “Towards the end of the season, my body just started talking to me… I had to make the best decision for myself and, in the long run, for my [national] team.” He emphasized that skipping the tournament was not a sign of indifference but rather a professional choice to preserve his physical and mental health for the long term.
“To question my commitment, especially towards the national team, in my opinion, that’s way out of line,” he added. “I’ve never missed a game in all my years in the national team due to anything but an injury.”
What did Marsch say?
It was in this context that Marsch made his own feelings known, using a press conference to deliver a pointed contrast between Canada’s squad and the U.S. setup. “This is the internal pressure we put on each other,” Marsch said. “There’s no time off.”
Those four words—“there’s no time off”—landed like a well-aimed jab, especially when followed by the coach’s elaboration: “Not one guy called me and said, ‘Coach, I don’t know, it’s been a long year, maybe I don’t come to the Gold Cup.’ Not one guy. Not even close to that conversation.”
While Marsch didn’t name Pulisic or U.S. coach Mauricio Pochettino directly, the message was unmistakable: in the Reds’ camp, the desire to represent the national team outweighs personal fatigue.
