Jesse Marsch hopes Tigres pearl will choose Canada over Mexico

With the World Cup just around the corner, Canada didn’t exactly get the luck of the draw. The team is set to face Switzerland and potentially Italy—far from an easy path. Even so, head coach Jesse Marsch remains confident in what the Maple Leaf squad can accomplish.

Canada call-up inspires Flores

In his search to strengthen the roster, Marsch may have stumbled upon a gem—one that hasn’t fully broken out yet, but flashed serious potential on Sunday when he guided Tigres to a win over Atlético San Luis: Marcelo Flores scored twice just days after receiving a surprise call up by Canada’s national team.

“I’d heard a lot about Marcelo before meeting him. When I took this job, I came in with an open mind about everything and everyone. What stood out when I finally met Marcelo was how mature he is for such a young guy,” Marsch told Hérculez Gómez in a recent interview. “He’s had some big experiences and some tough ones too, and that’s forced him to grow up in a lot of different ways.”

Marsch added that Flores impressed the staff during a November training camp. “He trained really well—he made a big impact on all of us. I think he’s learned a lot at Tigres, but more than anything, he’s Canadian. He was born in Canada, he feels Canadian, he knows the players on this team.”

A big opportunity for Marcelo

Flores, who was born in Georgetown, has been called up for Canada’s friendly against Guatemala this Saturday (January 17) - a match set to be played in California at 7 p.m. Eastern Time as part of the team’s World Cup preparations.

“There’s no final decision yet, but I wanted to give him the chance to show himself, to be around this Canada group,” Marsch said. “It’s a great opportunity, and we want to convince him to make the switch because he is Canadian.”

In a 2025 interview, Flores admitted that his dream had long been to play in a World Cup with Mexico. He came up through Mexico’s youth system and eventually debuted with the senior team, appearing in friendlies against Chile and Guatemala before making his official debut in the 2022 Concacaf Nations League against Suriname—where he missed a penalty in the 84th minute.

Now 22, Flores has scored 13 goals in 73 appearances across all competitions for Tigres. He has gradually earned the trust of Guido Pizarro and become an important piece in the club’s setup.

His next step could be a World Cup with Canada—but first, he’ll need to convince Marsch and prove he belongs among the other contenders fighting for a spot on the final roster.