HEAD COACH PROFILE – Jesse Marsch’s journey as a coach took place in Austria, Germany, Canada, and the U.S.
The person who believed Marsch could coach was Bob Bradley. He is the same person who was an assistant coach for Marsch’s Princeton University team, as well as with Marsch’s first-ever MLS team he played for, D.C. United.
He was with the USMNT as an assistant coach until Bradley got fired by the USMNT back in 2011. Some time afterwards, he got his first major head coaching job in his career, with the Montreal Impact (now CF Montréal). At the time, the club just got elevated from the second tier of the U.S. leagues to MLS.
Jesse Marsch: His Journey to the CANMNT
Montreal Impact (2011-12)
His introduction to the Montreal Impact (CF Montréal) organization was historic. He came as head coach of the team ahead of their historic 2012 MLS season.
This is what was said in the Impact media for the then Montreal Impact site by president, Joey Saputo, on Marsch becoming head coach:
“It’s an honour to be named the first head coach of the Montreal Impact in MLS,” said Jesse Marsch. “It’s a great opportunity to establish something special. There are good soccer people in this organization who are committed to doing things the right way. My time in MLS and with the US National Team exposed me to this game at the highest level. We will be committed to the process of becoming a winning team.”
The Impact did surprisingly well in their first-ever MLS season, almost making the MLS playoffs in their first year. Their first-ever MLS game at Stade Saputo (Saputo Stadium) was on June 19, 2012, where they defeated the Seattle Sounders FC by a score of 4-1.
This is what Marsch said his time years later, as now the CANMNT head coach, according to Joshua R J Healey’s website:
“I’ve got a connection to this city because I was the first (MLS) coach of the Montréal Impact, now CF Montréal,” Marsch told reporters. “I have some friends here still, certainly still have a connection with the Saputo family. There’s still a lot of history and experiences that I enjoyed from my time here.
He also talked about his departure from the organization. He had a disagreement with Montreal Impact owner, Joey Saputo, back in 2012. This resulted in Marsch leaving the club but helped him become a better head coach that CanMNT fans see today. This is what he said, according to the Canadian Press:
“And I always strive to be at my best when things are the most difficult,” he added. “That I think is the real measure of a person, a professional. And so I learned a lot from that experience. It made me better. I feel like I’m much more equipped to handle the difficulties and the challenges than I’ve ever been.
Marsch would then coach the New York Red Bulls, where his coaching career really started to take off.
New York Red Bulls (2015-18)
Marsch talked about the rivalry with New York City FC (NYCFC), a team that came into the league in 2015 on the New York Red Bulls website:
“The 7-0 result. It should live in infamy. That should be something our fans should be talking about 50 years, 100 years from now.”
The Red Bulls achieved a lot of success, including winning the 2015 and 2018 Supporters’ Shield (best season record in MLS). He also won the 2015 MLS Coach of the Year Award. He also had the most wins ever for a Red Bulls manager, securing 76 wins for that club.
Then, Sporting Director of the New York Red Bulls, Ali Curtis, talked about Marsch getting his players prepared, and how he used that for the Red Bulls’ success in 2015, as mentioned by the MLS Soccer website:
In the same MLS Soccer article, Marsch was humble about getting the award of 2015 MLS Coach of the Year, and said the players deserve all the credit.
His success with the Red Bulls was a big reason why he was able to coach in Europe, as he got a coaching job with Red Bull Salzburg.
Red Bull Salzburg (2018-21)
He originally came in as an assistant coach and held that position for a year. This is what RB managing director, Oliver Mintzlaff, said about it in quotes, according to James Benge of CBS Sports:
“He’s a successful coach who wants to be in Europe,” RB managing director Oliver Mintzlaff said at the press conference announcing that Ralf Rangnick was returning to his former role as head coach for a season. “We believe that he can help us with his approach, and the chemistry with Ralf Rangnick is good.”
He was very successful with the club, as he won four championships. Two with the Austrian Bundesliga and two with the Austrian Cup, both happening in 2019-20 and 2020-21.
A part of his success might have been his ability to integrate himself into the culture, something he learned after learning about his mentor, Bob Bradley’s bad experience at Swansea City FC, according to Adam Bate of Sky Sports:
This experience allowed him to get a job with RB Leipzig (2021), but he was only there for four months. After that, he was with Leeds United FC from 2022-23.
Leeds United FC (2022-23)
Marsch got his first job at the top level of English soccer. This was with Leeds United FC, a side that was just promoted to the English Premier League.
After the miraculous 3-2 win on the road against the Wolverhampton Wolves in the English Premier League, Marsch talked about the victory, according to the Sky Sports Premier League’s YouTube Account on March 18, 2022:
That mentality was a big reason Marsch was initially successful at Leeds, with results like the 2-1 win over Norwich City.
However, later on, Leeds started to struggle and was close to the relegation zone, going three months without a win, which led to Marsch being sacked. Shortly afterwards, they were relegated from the Premier League to the EFL Championship (England).
CANMNT (2024-Present)
According to Ben Steiner of Sports Illustrated, Marsch’s next club was going to be Leicester City. This was the case until the United States Soccer Federation called him to give him a job as the head coach of the USMNT. As a result, Marsch turned down the job with Leicester City. However, the U.S. later on, rescinded their offer, forcing Marsch to look elsewhere.
READ MORE: 2026 CANMNT March Roster: A Notably Rotated Roster
As a result, Marsch ended up coaching the CANMNT. When he took over, the Canadian men’s soccer team was ranked 50th in the world; now, they are ranked 31st overall.
Some of his greatest accomplishments with Canada include finishing fourth in the Copa America tournament and beating the U.S. twice since taking over as head coach.
This is what Marsch said about this group of players, as well as the Canada Soccer Association (CSA) in general, according to Ben Steiner of Sports Illustrated:
“Canada is calmer. There are fewer people and spheres of influence,” Marsch added, going on to mention that he still wishes the best for the USMNT. “There’s more of a desire for everybody to work together. And there is more of an understanding that this moment in time is important for everyone in the country.”
Marsch will look to use this to his advantage as he has high expectations for Canada leading up to the 2026 FIFA World Cup (Men’s).
READ MORE: CANMNT Head Coach Jesse Marsch: His Journey as a Pro Player
Games Coming Up
READ MORE: CANWNT Head Coach Casey Stoney: Former Lionesses Captain
First, Canada will play Uzbekistan on June 1 at Commonwealth Stadium in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. The CANMNT will then have a friendly at Saputo Stadium (Stade Saputo) in Montreal, Quebec, Canada, where they will host the Republic of Ireland on June 5. This game serves as the final warm-up game before the official start of the 2026 FIFA World Cup for Canada.
Photo Credit: Fundy Soccer Association Facebook Page of Jesse Marsch, on January 19, 2025 (Uploaded on January 22, 2025).
Note #1: The main photo also includes technical director, Jason Brown, and club head coach, Kyle Reade, from the Fundy Soccer Association, who were also present, as well as Patrice Gheisar, who was then the head coach of the HFX Wanderers FC.
Note #2: Photo (left-right): Kyle Reade, Jesse Marsch, Jason Brown, and Patrice Gheisar.
