Former United States international Clint Dempsey launched a furious response to Canada head coach Jesse Marsch on live TV during day two of the 2026 World Cup.

Canada and the United States’ men’s teams were both in action on Friday.

Marsch’s Canada came from behind to draw 1-1 with Bosnia and Herzegovina, while the United States secured an emphatic 4-1 win over Paraguay – a match which saw football history made with the first-ever ‘Mistaken Identity’ VAR check.

Marsch: ‘We Had to Beg US Players to Sing National Anthem’

Kevin Sousa via Reuters

Marsch, who was capped twice by the United States as a player and went on to work as an assistant coach under Bob Bradley, caused a stir this week by saying they had to sometimes “beg players to sing the national anthem” when he was part of the US setup.

Speaking about his current players, Marsch was quoted by The Guardian saying: “Every one of these boys is incredibly Canadian and the pride they have in putting on the jersey, representing the country, hearing the national anthem.”

He added: “In the US sometimes we had to beg players to sing the national anthem … these guys belt it out to the top of their lungs because they want to show the country how proud they are to be here, to be Canadians and to represent what Canada is.”

Dempsey Issues Stinging Response to Marsch

Fox Sports

Dempsey, the former Fulham and Tottenham star who now works as a pundit, was told of Marsch’s eyebrow-raising comments ahead of Friday’s two World Cup fixtures and issued a stinging response.

“He really said that?” Dempsey asked. “Man, I can’t take this guy too seriously. It was an honour for me growing up and represent my country. When the national anthem happened, I wasn’t someone who normally would sing. I put my hand over my heart, and I’d pray to the good man upstairs.

And as my boy Titi [Thierry Henry] would say, stay in your own lane. It looks like he’s in a dang moped, so worry about your own team.” Watch the clip below:

Dempsey is the joint-leading scorer in the history of the US Men’s National Team with 57 goals. He earned 141 caps for his country between 2004-2017, putting him fourth for most appearances in the nation’s history behind Cobi Jones (164 caps), Landon Donovan (157 caps) and Michael Bradley (151 caps).

Manchester United are preparing to offer a new contract to Bruno Fernandes, according to Sportsboom, in an attempt to keep the club captain for the long-term future.

It comes as the Red Devils are trying to build their squad with the hopes of taking them to the next level, having already lined up several deals this summer.

Ederson is set to join from Atalanta, while there is interest in Mateus Fernandes, Sandro Tonali, Lewis Hall, and more in an attempt to bolster the squad.

The return to the Champions League will play a huge part in any move, and that has come with the help of Bruno Fernandes over the past season and his record-breaking contribution.

Now, Man United look set to reward the Portuguese international.

Man United Prepare Bruno Fernandes Offer

According to the report from Sportsboom, Man United are preparing a new contract for Fernandes, with a wage in the region of £325,000-a-week set to be proposed to the club captain.

It’s claimed that Michael Carrick views the 31-year-old as the heartbeat of the team, and are keen to build the next phase of the team around the playmaker.

Fernandes has a deal until 2027 at Old Trafford, with the club holding the option of another year that could take his stay up until 2028.

There has been plenty of interest in the talisman in recent transfer windows, with links persisting over a possible move to the Saudi Pro League.

The 31-year-old has stayed up until this point, though, and looks set to stay after helping the team secure Champions League football for next season.

Last campaign, Fernandes managed to break the Premier League assist record for a single season with 21, going ahead of Thierry Henry and Kevin De Bruyne who had hit 20.

That underlines the impact of the star for Man United, and a new deal will reflect his standing in the squad and the plan to build around him for the future.

Man United Wages Concern

A move to extend Fernandes’s contract would be a show of faith for his quality during his time at Manchester United so far, which would be well-deserved.

However, there may be some concerns surrounding the wage structure, if a deal in the range of £325,000-a-week is made for the club captain.

While the playmaker is performing well now, which would justify such a wage increase, there is no guarantee that he will continue to perform at such a level.

Mohamed Salah is a good example, as he signed a fresh two-year deal last summer with Liverpool, but very quickly dropped off and is set to leave the club just halfway into that deal.

Marcus Rashford is another, as Man United now look to move the forward on with his massive wages, after he fell out of the club’s plans.

So, while a new contract may be well-deserved, it comes with risk at that price point.

Tottenham’s transfer business may have taken a twist this summer, as Florian Plettenberg reports that Luka Vuskovic has agreed terms over a potential exit from the club.

The Croatian international returns to Spurs this summer following a loan spell at Hamburg, where he continued to move from strength to strength in the early phases of his career.

Vuskovic was signed as a promising centre-back when he broke through at Hadjuk Split, making his senior debut at the age of just 15 as an initial signal of his talent.

In the years since, he has enjoyed several successful loan spells, with his return to Tottenham coming at a point where he seems ready for even more game time.

However, with doubts over the potential to do that with the North London club, it appears as though a possible exit could be on the cards for the centre-back.

Luka Vuskovic Agrees Brighton Deal

As Tottenham try and transform their defensive ranks, Florian Plettenberg reports that Vuskovic could leave after agreeing personal terms with Brighton over a move.

The Seagulls recently made a £30 million bid to Spurs for the 19-year-old centre-back, as talks continue over Jan Paul van Hecke moving in the other direction this summer.

It’s claimed that Vuskovic has already held talks with Brighton and their head coach, Fabian Hurzeler, to get an idea of what his place in the team and his progression may be like, if he joins the club.

While that agreement is in place, a deal may be tough to do as Tottenham don’t intend on letting the youngster go any time soon, while other clubs are also circling a move.

That’s not to say that Spurs may not also find their own challenges in trying to keep the star, as the transfer saga looks set to continue in the background.

Tottenham May Regret Vuskovic Exit

Tottenham face a clear battle on their hands to keep hold of Vuskovic this summer, as the defender looks for more guarantees over his playing time and development.

That is looking increasingly difficult, as Spurs may have backed themselves into a corner with the additions of Marcos Senesi and Van Hecke in the backline.

Adding that duo to an already strong squad of Micky van de Ven, Cristian Romero, Radu Dragusin, and Kevin Danso makes it tough to see where the opportunities will be for the Croatian international.

Even with some sales, the strength in depth is there to limit his chances. While another loan could be on the cards, there may be a desire to grow at a club in a permanent capacity.

Tottenham could end up regretting a sale for Vuskovic, which may be why they are intent on keeping the star. But whether that is in their control is unclear at this stage.