Jesse Marsch Admits ‘Mistake’ in Canada vs. Mexico Battle for Ex-Arsenal Talent

Marcelo Flores is at the center of a tug of war between Canada and Mexico for his international allegiance ahead of this summer’s World Cup.

Jesse Marsch has a battle on his hands if he wants to convince Marcelo Flores. | James Gill-Danehouse/Getty Images

Canada men’s national team head coach Jesse Marsch revealed Tigres UANL winger Marcelo Flores would not attend Canada’s January camp and friendly against Guatemala despite being named to the roster, leaving him eligible to represent one of Canada, Mexico or England.

The 22-year-old scored a brace for Tigres in a 2–1 Liga MX win over Atlético San Luis on the weekend and was set to join Canada as an official roster player for the first time. However, he won’t be part of the camp, leaving his international future in question.

Marsch admitted that it was a “mistake” to call up Flores, as he would not have been able to play against Guatemala without filing a one-time switch, unless the contest, set to take place at LAFC’s BMO Stadium, happened behind closed doors. 

At the same time, he clarified that the plan always included Flores playing for his club side in the weekend’s clash against Atlético. 

Jesse Marsch admits it was his “mistake” to call Marcelo Flores up to this #CanMNT camp

"It was my idea to try and get him here — but I made a mistake on that. Turns out, unless it's a closed-door match, he can't play."

It’s a Tier-1 friendly v 🇬🇹.

pic.twitter.com/itiumKqQc0

— Ben Steiner (@BenSteiner00) January 13, 2026

“It was my idea to try to get him here, thinking that we could make this more like a lower-tier FIFA match, and that even though he hadn’t made a one-time switch, we could get him in the game against Guatemala. But I made a mistake on that, and it turns out that no matter how we tried, unless it’s a closed-door match, he can’t play, so it’s a little bit unfortunate,” Marsch told reporters in Irvine, California. 

“I think he has big potential as a player. I think he’d be great here with us in Canada, but I want to support him in the right way to make a decision that he feels the best about, and I still strongly believe that that could be Canada.”

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Canada, Mexico Battle for Flores

Marcelo Flores has had limited opportunities with Mexico, which has led to Canadian curiosity. | Alex Avila/Jam Media/Getty Images

Flores, who spent his youth career with Arsenal in England, has represented Mexico at the youth levels and has played for El Tri’s senior squad three times. He featured as a substitute in December 2021, in a friendly against Chile and again in an April 2022 friendly against Guatemala, before facing Suriname in June 2022 in the Concacaf Nations League.

Since then, he has been a rotational squad player for Tigres and had largely fallen out of the Mexico national team picture. He joined Canada’s November camp as a training player and was expected to play a key role in the friendly against Guatemala.

Born and raised in Canada to a Mexican father and English mother, Flores has battled with his decision of international allegiance throughout his career, with Mexico seemingly having the inside track on his recruitment. 

Marsch, however, has been consistent in his efforts to bring him into the team, after previous head coach John Herdman’s attempts never came to fruition, despite consistent efforts. 

“I want him to be successful in his career and in his life,” Marsch added. “I think that can be done very much here with Canada and I know he feels that way, too.

“When you work with people, we all have self-interest in whatever we do, but I want Marcelo to have a really strong and long career to show everybody how good he is. I think he can do that here in Canada, but at the core of all that, I just want him to be successful.”

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Performances Impact Canada vs. Mexico Decision 

Marcelo Flores could be eyeing a call-up to Mexico’s January camp after pulling out of Canada's roster. | Fredy Lopez/Jam Media/Getty Images

While Flores’s hesitancy to commit to Canada through a change of international allegiance for January’s camp raises concerns for Marsch’s plans, his recent form is a strong indication that he could have an international future with Canada or Mexico. 

Following his brace in his 73rd appearance for Tigres, manager Guido Pizarro spoke highly of Flores, and the plans for the young winger to join Canada’s camp, with aims at cracking the 2026 World Cup roster. 

“I hope we can help him so he’s on the Canadian team [for the World Cup],” Pizarro said, before Flores pulled out of camp. “He is working hard for that, you can see it in his day-to-day, and you can see it in how he has played.”

Now, the door will remain open for Flores to continue his form in the early parts of the Liga MX Clausura campaign with Tigres, as they face Pumas UNAM and Deportivo Toluca this week, which he would have missed to join Canada. 

Following the matches, Mexico are also set to host their own January camp, where Flores could re-emerge in the national team picture, further complicating his decision for the best fit for his short and long term international future. 

Nuevamente de zurda, doblete de Marcelo y así se aseguraban los 3 puntos de visita.@CervezaTecate pic.twitter.com/POI0K8HdkB

— Club Tigres 🐯 (@TigresOficial) January 12, 2026

“I told him, keep pushing yourself, keep going, establish yourself this season with Tigres, and we’ll finish the camp here, and then we’ll speak in a week or so and we’ll talk about the possibilities,” Marsch added about Flores’s potential to crack Canada’s 2026 World Cup squad, with only two friendlies in March and another pair in June remaining. 

“Marcelo tells me a lot that he’s Canadian, he grew up in Canada, and he knows a lot of the guys. I think there are a lot of things, but he’s gonna have to do what’s best for him in his heart.”

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