The Reggae Girlz, Jamaica’s senior women’s national soccer team, has qualified for the World Cup, making history on the island and throughout the Caribbean. In the match against Panama’s women’s national team last Wednesday, the team came to victory in the penalty kicks after a 2-2 draw.
While Panama is scheduled to play Argentina next month as a chance to qualify for the cup, the Jamaicans have their spot in the cup locked in. This qualification for the FIFA Women’s World Cup marked history for the nation, as well as on a larger scale. The team became the first Caribbean team to ever qualify for the tournament, which will be held in France next year.
Celebrations were absolutely in order. The team celebrated by singing the national anthem after the match.
This win was a long time coming. The journey to the World Cup for these ladies has been a long one; however, it is an inspiring story.
The famous Jamaican singer, Bob Marley, has a daughter, Cedella Marley, who became an ambassador for the team in 2014 as a way to help get more financial support for the Reggae Girlz. The Bob Marley Foundation helped lead the efforts to fund the travel for the players, as a way to help them access training and practice matches. In further support, the Jamaica Football Federation launched a crowdfunding campaign online to help fund the training for the team. Alacran Foundation also worked with the Bob Marley Foundation as a sponsor for the team.
Head coach, Hue Menzies, told FIFA.com in August, “ support from the Bob Marley Foundation has been so important to us. Bob Marley loved football, of course. Cedella has continued that passion, and she really wants to help women’s football develop in Jamaica. Marley herself was beyond excited for the team’s qualification. She tweeted out, “The journey has just begun.”
The entire nation as a whole is extremely proud of the team’s hard work. For a country that truly thrives in track and field, as well as bobsledding, sports, and more importantly pride in their national sports, seeing the Reggae Girlz working their way up to the success of qualifying brings such a strong sense of national pride.
The inspiring success and marker of history for this women’s team makes for an encouraging story for women and girls around the world. Hard work pays off and eventually, history can be made.