Dempsey fires back at Marsch over claim he had to 'beg' US players to sing anthem

Clint Dempsey has publicly rebuked Canada head coach Jesse Marsch after Marsch claimed he sometimes had to “beg” United States players to sing the national anthem during his time as assistant to Bob Bradley with the USMNT.

Marsch made the remarks ahead of Canada’s World Cup opener against Bosnia and Herzegovina in Toronto, using the contrast to praise his current squad’s patriotic fervour. “In the US, sometimes we had to beg players to sing the national anthem,” he said. “These guys sing the national anthem, belt it out to the top of their lungs, because they want to show the country how proud they are to be here, to be Canadians and to represent what Canada is.”

Dempsey, the United States’ all-time leading scorer with 57 international goals, was unsparing in his response on Fox Sports. “He really said that? Man, I can’t take this guy too seriously,” the former Tottenham and Fulham forward said. “It was an honour for me growing up and representing my country. When the national anthem happened — I wasn’t someone who would usually sing — I put my hand over my heart and prayed for the good man upstairs.”

Dempsey pointed to his own physical sacrifices for the national team as the basis for his frustration. “I’m someone who’s bled for this country, I’ve broke my nose playing for this country, I’ve come back for two heart procedures and played for this country,” he said.

He then delivered a pointed rebuke aimed squarely at Marsch’s decision to take charge of a rival nation. “I’m not going to take advice from someone who’s switched to the other side and is singing another country’s national anthem. And as my boy Titi [Thierry Henry] would say, stay in your own lane — and it looks like he’s in the dang moped, so worry about your own team.”

The two men have history on the field: Dempsey shared the pitch with Marsch during a friendly win over China in 2007 and played under him between 2010 and 2011. Marsch himself was a USMNT international during his playing career before transitioning into coaching.

The United States begin their own World Cup campaign against Paraguay in Los Angeles, after Canada’s opening fixture against Bosnia and Herzegovina.