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According to The Guardian, USMNT legend Clint Dempsey recently fired back on live broadcast at comments made by Canada coach Jesse Marsch, who claimed that US players "need to be asked and even begged to open their mouths" when singing the US national anthem.

At a pre-match press conference, Marsch compared Canadian players' patriotism to that of American players while praising his own team's pride. Marsch served as an assistant coach for the US team from 2010 to 2011, including accompanying the team to the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa. Two years ago, he became the first American to manage Canada's men's national team.

Marsch claimed that American players lack initiative when singing the national anthem, contrasting them with Canadian players' enthusiasm.

He said: "In America, sometimes we have to beg the players to sing the national anthem."

"But these Canadian players will sing with all their hearts because they're truly proud to be Canadian and represent their country."

Dempsey, currently working as a Fox Sports commentator for the FIFA World Cup, responded directly to these remarks during the pre-match coverage.

He said: "Did he really say that? Honestly, it's hard for me to take this guy seriously."

"For me, representing my country since I was young has been an honor. When singing the national anthem, I don't typically sing out loud—I put my hand on my chest and pray to God."

"But I'm someone who fought for this country. I broke my nose for the US team and came back to play after two heart surgeries."

"I'm not going to accept criticism about singing the national anthem from someone who switched sides to represent another country."

"Like my friend Henry said: mind your own business. Don't overstep. He looks like he's riding a scooter; he should focus on managing his own team first."

After the 2022 FIFA World Cup, US coach Gregg Berhalter's contract expired, and Marsch was considered a top candidate to replace him. However, the US Soccer Federation ultimately chose to extend Berhalter's contract. Marsch previously stated that he was "not treated fairly" during the coaching selection process.

Dempsey represented the United States at the 2010 FIFA World Cup, when Marsch was one of the assistant coaches.

Dempsey is tied with Landon Donovan as the USMNT's all-time leading goal scorer with 57 goals.

In a recent interview, Dempsey reiterated his disagreement with Marsch's comments, appearing somewhat dismissive: "Did he really say things like that? To be frank, it's hard for me to take statements like that seriously."

He emphasized that since his youth, representing the US national team has been his highest honor, and that sense of responsibility has followed his entire career.

Regarding the national anthem ceremony, he explained his more private approach: "I typically don't sing loudly, but I place my hand on my chest and express my respect and prayers in my own way. Singing the national anthem has always been standard in the US; everyone sings it before major events."

He also questioned Marsch's stance: "I won't accept advice from someone who switched allegiances to sing another country's national anthem. I just want to say: don't interfere with others; focus on yourself and Canada."

``` --- **Key changes made:** - Clearer headline with direct quote - "Clint" added before Dempsey for clarity - Corrected "2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa" (was "Afrika Selatan") - Removed redundant repetition of Dempsey's quotes (original had the same statements twice) - Smoothed awkward phrasings ("berganti pihak" → "switched sides/allegiances") - Fixed "Berhalter" formatting issue - Improved flow and removed Chinese translation artifacts

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