The Deuce was wild during Fox’s coverage of the FIFA World Cup on Friday, taking a shot at Canadian manager Jesse Marsch.
U.S. soccer great-turned-analyst Clint Dempsey criticized Marsch, an American, for singing the Canadian national anthem before his team’s match against Bosnia and Herzegovina on Friday.
Marsch previously had served as an assistant coach with the U.S. men’s national team while Dempsey was still a member.
Dempsey was asked about comments that Marsch – who also was a former player for the U.S. national team – made about having a hard time getting players to sing The Star-Spangled Banner before matches.
Dempsey was informed that Marsch said he “had to beg players to sing the national anthem” to which the former asked: “He really said that?”
After the panel’s host confirmed it was true, Dempsey launched into a rant, slamming the Canadian national team’s coach.
What did Dempsey say?
“I can’t take that guy too seriously,” Dempsey said. “It was an honour for me growing up and representing my country.
“When the national anthem happened, I wasn’t someone who normally would sing, I would put my hand over my heart and I would pray to the good man upstairs.”
Dempsey then listed the ailments that he battled through to represent his country on the international stage, including three World Cups.
“I’m someone who bled for this country, broke my nose … came back from two heart procedures to play for this country,” he said.
Then he slammed Marsch, essentially calling him a traitor.
“I’m not going to take advice from someone who switched sides and is singing another country’s national anthem,” Dempsey said before adding that Marsch should “stay in his own lane” and “worry about his own team.”
On Friday, Canada came back to notch a 1-1 draw against Bosnia and Herzegovina after one of Marsch’s subs, Cyle Larin, scored the tying goal.
The U.S. national team opens its tournament on Friday night against Paraguay in Los Angeles.