Wen e come to di US national team, di matter of singing di national anthem don become big tori. Ex-co-trainer Jesse Marsch don yarn say sometimes e for beg di American players to sing di anthem.
Di 52-year-old man, wey now be head coach for Canada, tok dis one for press conference before Canada opening match against Bosnia and Herzegovina for World Cup. E make comparison between di two teams: “Evry single one of dis boys na true Canadian,” e yarn. “And di pride wey dem feel wen dem wear di jersey, represent di country, and hear di national anthem… For US, we for sometimes beg di players to sing di anthem. Dis boys, dem dey sing di anthem, dem dey shout am full throat because dem wan show di country how proud dem be to be here, to be Canadian, and to represent wetin Canada stand for.”
Marsch, wey later coach RB Leipzig and Leeds United, bin be assistant coach for US under Bob Bradley from 2010 to 2011. For 2010 World Cup, di team reach round of 16 but lose 2-1 to Ghana for extra time.
Canada go play against Bosnia and Herzegovina today for 9pm, while US go face Paraguay for 3am.
But di anthem matter no be only old tori. Mauricio Pochettino, di current US coach, don tok say e no go sing di anthem. E explain: “I dey represent US only through sport. Na dat one dem pay me for. Di anthem, for example, I no go sing am. But I go give evryting to represent di country well.”
Di host country dey face plenty pressure from inside and outside because of many scandals and debates. Pochettino wan protect im team from all dis: “We all dey sensitive to injustice for di world. Nobody want violence, everybody want happiness and food for all. But our job na to prepare a team for World Cup.” E hope say di tournament go bring “good emotions” and “affection, joy, hope, love, empathy.”
Di World Cup 2026 wey dey hold for US, Canada, and Mexico don already get plenty wahala before e even start. Weta danger, rule changes, political protest, and scandals dey everywhere. And now di host country own coach dey cause more drama by refusing to sing di anthem.
Pochettino, wey reach Champions League final with Tottenham in 2019, tok say: “Football dey unite people from all cultures, religions, skin colors. Our responsibility na to connect, not to create more hate.\” E hope say e go generate “good emotions,” but whether di anthem refusal go help remain to see.
US go play as di last host country to start for di World Cup. Dem go face Paraguay on Saturday for Group D, wey also get Australia and Turkey. US target na to at least reach round of 16.
