Canada continue to make history at the 2026 World Cup , beating South Africa 1-0 to progress to the round of 16.
A relatively uneventful match looked like it was heading for extra time, before Stephen Eustaquio’s 92nd-minute goal sealed victory for Jesse Marsch’s side and broke South African hearts in the process.
They had already made it further than any other Canadian team at the World Cup when they made it out of Group B and into the knockout phase, and they’ve gone one step further, with Marsch quick to praise his side and brand them “Canadian heroes.”
Troy Deeney Questions Marsch's "Free Hit" Mentality
Troy Deeney gave a scathing assessment of Marsch's choice of words, taking aim at the suggestion that Canada's last-16 tie is a "free hit," rather than a genuine shot at progression.
Speaking on CBS Sports, the former Watford and Birmingham City striker said:
"Are we here to try and win? So that means we can lose 10-nil?"
It's a fair question to raise, given the message it could send to a Canada squad who have already made history simply by reaching this stage of the tournament. Deeney went further, saying: "If that's the case, go and have a beer now."
Marsch's comments in his post-match interview didn't go down well with Ian Wright and Patrick Vieira.
Marcelo Balboa was equally unconvinced by Marsch's framing, branding it a "bad message" to send to his players ahead of such a significant fixture. The former USMNT defender's concern centres on the idea that labelling a knockout tie as a "free hit" risks lowering the stakes in players' minds, regardless of the intention behind it.
Watch more of Deeney's criticism below:
What's Next For Canada and Jesse Marsch?
Canada now know they'll face either Morocco or the Netherlands , FIFA's sixth and seventh ranked nations, for a place in the quarter-finals, a daunting assignment by anyone's standards.
While Marsch's comments may have been designed to take the pressure off his squad and encourage them to play with freedom, there's a risk that framing the game as a "free hit" could have the opposite effect, subtly lowering ambitions at the exact moment Canada require their players to be fully focused on the job at hand.
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It continues a tournament in which Marsch's man-management style has split opinion, with many likening his somewhat performative approach to the popular TV series, Ted Lasso. Whether his words inspire Canada to another famous result, or end up undermining their belief before kick-off, will be proved in just a handful of days.
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