Marsch on Canada exit: We were the better team
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- Canada was eliminated from the World Cup with a 3-0 round-of-16 loss to Morocco in Houston on Saturday
- Azzedine Ounahi scored twice and substitute Soufiane Rahimi added a late third for Morocco, who advanced to the quarterfinals
- Jesse Marsch insisted Canada were "the better team," saying "I'd rather be us than them" and claiming his side outperformed the No. 7-ranked team in the world
- Canada dominated the first half with chances for Jonathan David and Tani Oluwaseyi before Ounahi broke through in the 50th minute
- Morocco coach Mohamed Ouahbi pushed back on Marsch's claim: "It takes some nerve to say that, when you lose 3-0," arguing his side was better in the second half
- Alphonso Davies was unavailable due to a hamstring concern that flared two days before the match, with Marsch saying the team "didn't want to stress it"
- Canada reached the round of 16 for the first time after exiting at the group stage in their previous appearances in 1986 and 2022
Why it matters: Marsch's defiant framing reframes a historic exit as progress — Canada reached the knockout stage for the first time after group-stage exits in 1986 and 2022, and his public praise of an aggressive performance signals the program is positioning the showing as a foundation rather than a ceiling.
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