Canada shouldn't be favourite heading into Gold Cup, captain says
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'Of course, I know we have a strong team and we can challenge, for sure, to win it. To be favourites isn't something I would say, personally. But I know we can achieve it.'
The 30th-ranked Canadians will kick off their Gold Cup quest Tuesday when they host No. 75 Honduras at Vancouver's B.C. Place.
The two sides last met during CONCACAF Nations League play in March, where Canada recorded a 4-1 victory.
That doesn't mean much, though, said Canada head coach Jesse Marsch.
'We have to make sure that in no way we take anything for granted or assume we are better than anyone. We have to fight for everything on the pitch,' Marsch said.
'That has to be the first thing in our mentality for what this is going to take. And to earn the right to play the football that we think we can play, we have to be up for the challenge, up for the fight, and make sure that we are first when it comes to duels, when it comes to foot races, when it comes to physically being in the match.'
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Published Jun 16, 2025 • 4 minute read Canada's Jonathan David gestures during second half Canadian Shield Tournament action against Ukraine, in Toronto, Saturday, June 7, 2025. Photo by Chris Young / The Canadian Press Reviews and recommendations are unbiased and products are independently selected. Postmedia may earn an affiliate commission from purchases made through links on this page. VANCOUVER — One of Canada's brightest soccer stars doesn't believe the country should be the favourite heading into the Gold Cup. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. THIS CONTENT IS RESERVED FOR SUBSCRIBERS ONLY Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account. Get exclusive access to the Toronto Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on. Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists. Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists. Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword. SUBSCRIBE TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account. Get exclusive access to the Toronto Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on. Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists. Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists. Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword. REGISTER / SIGN IN TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account. Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments. Enjoy additional articles per month. Get email updates from your favourite authors. THIS ARTICLE IS FREE TO READ REGISTER TO UNLOCK. Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments Enjoy additional articles per month Get email updates from your favourite authors Don't have an account? Create Account Canada is a solid squad, striker Jonathan David said, but it has only won the tournament once — and that was 25 years ago. 'I think to be favourites in a tournament, you have to be the one that maybe has won it the most times,' David told reporters on Monday. 'Of course, I know we have a strong team and we can challenge, for sure, to win it. To be favourites isn't something I would say, personally. But I know we can achieve it.' The 30th-ranked Canadians will kick off their Gold Cup quest Tuesday when they host No. 75 Honduras at Vancouver's B.C. Place. The two sides last met during CONCACAF Nations League play in March, where Canada recorded a 4-1 victory. That doesn't mean much, though, said Canada head coach Jesse Marsch. Read More Your noon-hour look at what's happening in Toronto and beyond. By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. Please try again This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. 'We have to make sure that in no way we take anything for granted or assume we are better than anyone. We have to fight for everything on the pitch,' Marsch said. 'That has to be the first thing in our mentality for what this is going to take. And to earn the right to play the football that we think we can play, we have to be up for the challenge, up for the fight, and make sure that we are first when it comes to duels, when it comes to foot races, when it comes to physically being in the match.' 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'It's just not sitting back, not letting the other team set the tempo for us, that we have to be on the front foot, we have to be the aggressors,' said the striker. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Marsch has named David captain for the tournament — a move the 25-year-old didn't initially agree with. 'We got on a call and (Marsch) told me 'I'm thinking of putting you captain.' At first, it was my maybe humble answer that I think there's maybe a couple of guys ahead of me,' David explained. 'But then, we kept talking a little bit more and I was like, 'OK.' This is also a challenge for me to also put myself a little bit more out there and help the team in different ways. So I see it as a challenge. And I'm ready for it.' For David, part of that challenge is finding his voice. 'I'm often more a chill, laid-back guy that loves to play, loves to work hard on the pitch so I think people can feed off that,' he said. 'So the challenge for me is to be more vocal about saying more to the team and not be shy to speak my mind, even if it's wrong. And also to be open to have those conversations with teammates and not to be afraid.' This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. This year's Gold Cup is taking place at several of the venues that will host the 2026 World Cup games — including B.C. Place. While the tournament is an opportunity to work toward next summer's ambitions, the Canadians are keeping their focus locked on what's directly ahead. That focus is what has helped the team achieve success in the past, Marsch said. 'We can talk about grander visions, but right now, we're solely focused on this match against Honduras and making sure that we know what they're going to challenge us with and that we're up for understanding the match,' he said. Canada has faced Honduras 28 times across all competitions, and Honduras holds a 12-9-7 record in those meetings. Heading into Tuesday's game, Marsch said he's expecting to come up against an aggressive opponent that will be defensively stingy and dangerous on set pieces. 'We think that this is the most important game of the tournament,' the coach said. 'Honduras is a very good team, and we know that if we can manage the first game in the right way, that we can set ourselves up for success.' Toronto Maple Leafs Toronto Maple Leafs Toronto & GTA Columnists Columnists
