How Jesse Marsch could use Gold Cup to experiment with Canadian roster
With this summer’s Concacaf Gold Cup being the last opportunity for the World Cup 2026 co-hosts to play genuinely competitive matches, that could impact how Canadian national team coach Jesse Marsch builds his squad for the June tournament.
The summer of 2025 will not be quite as exciting as the summer of 2026.
But that is because the World Cup in 2026 will provide excitement the likes of which we have never experienced as a sporting nation — let alone a soccer nation. So, that’s not to throw shade on this year, which has Canadian soccer fans counting down the days to the Concacaf Gold Cup. That is probably not something you have heard too often in the past.
The Gold Cup has lost its edge over the last number of cycles. Following arduous and demanding European club seasons, the USA, Mexico and Canada have used the tournament to rest a few stars and blood new talents.
Could this year be different, though?
This will be the last opportunity for the three Concacaf World Cup co-hosts to play genuinely competitive matches. With no World Cup qualifying to worry about, we will be “treated” to friendlies leading up to and following the Gold Cup. So, will Canadian head coach Jesse Marsch look to field a strong squad in June as preparation for the following summer?
There is also the added factor of another oh-so-rare chance to win a trophy — something the Canadian men have not done in a quarter century. With Canada being a legitimate threat to win silverware in the region, doesn’t the national team owe it to its fans to give 100 per cent when given the opportunity?
Of course, there will be players absent due to the new and expanded FIFA Club World Cup that overlaps with the Gold Cup this summer. That means FC Porto’s Stephen Eustaquio will not be anchoring Canada’s midfield. Bayern Munich’s Alphonso Davies would have been absent as well, but sadly he will be forced to miss both tournaments after tearing an ACL while on international duty last month. There is also the possibility of a Club World Cup participant signing a player in an abbreviated transfer window just prior to the tournament, but that is just guess work at the moment.
At this point, a variety of factors make it difficult to speculate as to the strength of the squad this summer, but there are enough question marks to suggest that regardless of what is decided, this will be an extremely intriguing squad. Let’s break down some of the exciting possibilities.
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THE ATTACK
Shall we assume that Jonathan David and Cyle Larin will also be given the summer off? Marsch knows what he can expect from both, so there is no mystery there. Perhaps Larin is included to provide leadership, or to experiment with different formations. However, there are enough forwards who Marsch needs to see in action to justify leaving Larin out. What an opportunity it would be for Promise David and Daniel Jebbison to get some reps in red. Jebbison enjoyed a few minutes against Mexico in the Concacaf Nations League, while Promise David was stapled to the bench. Both players have the potential to become key contributors for their country, and the Gold Cup could be the perfect platform to ease them in.
Another attacker who has earned a call-up is Jacen Russell-Rowe of the Columbus Crew in MLS. Russell-Rowe was on the 2023 Gold Cup squad, as former coach John Herdman had picked him as one for the future. It never really kicked on for the player, but he is enjoying a great start to this MLS season with three goals already.
THE MIDFIELD
Even before Eustaquio was ruled out due to Club World Cup obligations, there was plenty of intrigue in midfield. The heir apparent to Atiba Hutchinson was supposed to be Ismael Kone, but a move to Marseille in France backfired, resulting in a loan to Rennes in January. A Gold Cup midfield of Kone and Mathieu Choiniere, who moved to Grasshopper in Switzerland, is very alluring as both players could use the reps. Throw in Tajon Buchanan and the likes of Jacob Shaffelburg — two wingers also in need of minutes — and you have a potential Gold Cup midfield group screaming to prove themselves. Remember, it was the Gold Cup in 2021 where a young Buchanan enjoyed his coming-out party for the national team.
THE DEFENCE
Moise Bombito and Derek Cornelius are locked in as starters for Canada at centre-half, and it would be a shock to see them not get the nod in 2026. But who is next in line? Getting reps at this level for England-based youngsters Jamie Knight-Lebel (on loan at Crewe Alexandra in EFL League Two) or Luc de Fougerolles (Fulham) seems to make a lot of sense, although it is extremely interesting to think of what CF Montreal’s Joel Waterman could do with a run of games for his country.
IN GOAL
It is still up for grabs, right? Do you use it as a battleground for Dayne St. Clair and Max Crepeau to prove themselves? Does Max need it more having lost his starting place in Portland? Or does the man who took his gloves at club level, James Pantemis, get a look?
So many questions.
You see why the Gold Cup will provide so much excitement now, right? Whether it should be used to experiment and see what depth the national team has, or whether it should be used to get more reps for the majority of the players who will represent the country on the world’s biggest stage one year later — and maybe even pick up that elusive trophy on the way — is what Marsch needs to consider between now and June.
That decision alone provides even more excitement.
