CANADA and Hull City star Liam Millar owes a debt of gratitude to Jesse Marsch – and their relationship is not the normal player-and-manager type.

Former Leeds United head coach Marsch displayed a real human touch when Millar’s devastating ACL knee injury sustained in October 2024 threatened to put his hopes of participating in a World Cup in his homeland in jeopardy.

During his lengthy 11-month rehabilitation – which represented a mental and physical ordeal – Marsch kept in contact with the winger on an almost daily basis and even invited him and his family over to his home in Tuscany.

Ahead of Canada’s Group B opener against Bosnia and Herzegovina in his home city of Toronto tonight, Millar has cause to be especially thankful.

FORT LAUDERDALE, FLORIDA - NOVEMBER 18: Jesse Marsch, head coach of Canada looks on prior to the International Friendly match between Venezuela and Canada at Chase Stadium on November 18, 2025 in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. (Photo by Leonardo Fernandez/Getty Images)

placeholder image — FORT LAUDERDALE, FLORIDA - NOVEMBER 18: Jesse Marsch, head coach of Canada looks on prior to the International Friendly match between Venezuela and Canada at Chase Stadium on November 18, 2025 in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. (Photo by Leonardo Fernandez/Getty Images)

Millar, who could line up against Tigers team-mate Amir Hadžiahmetović – who spent last season on loan at the club – said: "He (Marsch) is great; he's helped me so much in so many moments.

"With my knee, he was one of the first people to reach out to the doctor who ended up doing my surgery and what not.

"He was really, really honoured to help me and I think from a personal level, he's done so much for me. I always feel like I will run through a brick wall for him because of what he's done for me outside the pitch.

"And on the pitch, he's obviously transformed us into a completely different team and we're very electric, high-press with a lot of counter-attack."

Hull City and Canada winger Liam Millar celebrates scoring at Leicester City in their Championship match at the King Power Stadium last season. (Picture: Jacob King/PA)

Millar believes that Canada’s pace represents their biggest asset as they bid to make history by reaching the knock-out phases.

They bowed out in the group stages in their only two previous World Cup appearances in 2022 and 1986.

That said, the Maple Leafs have enjoyed previous competition success under Marsch, who led them to the semi-finals of the 2024 Copa America.

Millar, who made one brief substitute appearance at the last World Cup, added: "I am quick and Alphonso Davies is very, very fast. Tajon Buchanan is also very fast and Jonathan David is quite quick too.

"To be honest, we have such a high-paced, powerful front line and I think we can use it to our advantage with transitions and whatnot.

"It's just been great and you see a real difference from last cycle to this cycle where we are now."

Alongside potentially advancing from their group, Canada have the capacity to be one of the tournament's surprise packages, according to Millar.

They might be one of three co-hosts, but they are not here just for the party. Should they top their group, they stay in Canada for the knock-outs.

Millar, whose team mates include Middlesbrough’s Alfie Jones and ex-Barnsley and Huddersfield Town loanee Owen Goodman, said: "No chance. I think many people underestimate us and don't understand our quality, which is fair enough.

"A lot haven't seen us play before, so they obviously won't know. Our goal is to set the standard where Canada wants to be going forward."