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Guyana national football team facts for kids

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This page is about the men's team. For the women's team, see Guyana women's national football team.
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Guyana
Shirt badge/Association crest
Nickname(s) Golden Jaguars
Association Guyana Football Federation
Confederation CONCACAF (North America)
Sub-confederation CFU (Caribbean)
Head coach Jamaal Shabazz
Captain Daniel Wilson
Most caps Walter Moore (77)
Top scorer Omari Glasgow (19)
Home stadium Providence Stadium
FIFA code GUY
First colours
Second colours
FIFA ranking
Current 177 Steady (7 February 2019)
Highest 86 (November 2010)
Lowest 185 (February 2004)
Elo ranking
Current 164 Increase 1 (3 March 2019)
Highest 86 (April 1980)
Lowest 183 (April 1996)
First international
 British Guiana 1–4 Trinidad and Tobago 
(British Guiana; 21 July 1905)
Biggest win
 Guyana 14–0 Anguilla 
(St. John's, Antigua and Barbuda; 16 April 1998)
Biggest defeat
Netherlands Surinam 9–0 British Guiana 
(Netherlands Antilles; 17 February 1952)
Netherlands Surinam 9–0 British Guiana 
(Aruba; 9 February 1953)
 Guyana 0–9 Mexico 
(Santa Ana, United States; 2 December 1987)
Gold Cup
Appearances 1 (first in 2019)
Best result Group stage (2019)

The Guyana national football team, nicknamed the Golden Jaguars, represents Guyana in international football and is controlled by the Guyana Football Federation. It is one of three South American nations to be a member of the Caribbean Football Union of CONCACAF alongside Suriname and French Guiana. Until the independence of Guyana (1966), it competed as British Guiana. They qualified for the Caribbean Nations Cup in 1991, coming fourth, and in 2007. Guyana has never qualified for the FIFA World Cup, but on 23 March 2019 they qualified for the first time for the CONCACAF Gold Cup.

History

British Guiana (1905–59)

Guyana (as British Guiana) played its first international football match on 21 July 1905, a 4–1 defeat against nearby and fellow British colony Trinidad and Tobago. Their next recorded game came almost 16 years later on 28 January 1921, an away 2–1 win against its neighbour Suriname. The two played again in Suriname on 27 August 1923, and on that occasion the hosts won 2–1. British Guiana did not play another match until 1937, when they lost two matches against Trinidad and Tobago in Suriname: 3–0 and 3–2. After seven years without a match, British Guiana entered a three-team tournament in Trinidad & Tobago against its national side and Barbados. They won twice against Barbados (1–0 and 3–0) before drawing 1–1 and losing 3–0 to Trinidad and Tobago. In the final of this Trinagular tournament they again lost 3–0 to Trinidad and Tobago.

In November 1947 British Guiana played in a Standard Life tournament in Trinidad and Tobago. They beat the hosts 2–1 in their opening game on 5 November before beating Jamaica 2–0 the very next day. On 10 November they drew 0–0 with Jamaica before losing 2–0 to Trinidad and Tobago in the last game on 14 November.

British Guiana played its first home games in 1950 against Trinidad and Tobago: these were British Guiana's first matches since the Standard Life tournament. British Guiana lost 1–0 and 4–1 before winning 1–0. The last match played under the name British Guiana was the next match on 2 March 1959 – a 2–2 draw against Trinidad and Tobago.

Guyana

After independence in 1966, Guyana did not play a match for five years. Their first fixtures under their new name were qualifiers for the 1971 CONCACAF Championship against Suriname. The first match, away, was lost 4–1 and the home match on 21 September 1971 was lost 3–2 as Suriname advanced 7–3 on aggregate. In 1976 Guyana entered its first ever World Cup qualification campaign with the aim of reaching the 1978 FIFA World Cup in Argentina. Guyana and Suriname were drawn in a two-legged preliminary in the Caribbean section of CONCACAF qualification and Guyana won the first leg 2–0 at home on 4 July 1976. The second leg in Paramaribo was lost 3–0 which allowed Suriname to advance.

2006

Guyana had a remarkable calendar year in 2006, with eleven successive wins, including five CONCACAF Gold Cup qualifiers These results boosted Guyana's spot in the FIFA World Rankings by 87 spots in little over a year. As a consequence, the team rose to the top 12 in CONCACAF and were in the third rank of seeds in the World Cup qualifying draw.

Caribbean Nations Cup 2007

At the 2006–07 Caribbean Nations Cup, Guyana finished top of Group A in Stage One, then top of Group H in Stage Two (which they hosted), and finished 3rd in the Bobby Sookram Group, missing out on a semi-final berth on goal difference alone. Had Guyana reached the semi-finals, they would have qualified for the 2007 CONCACAF Gold Cup.

2014 World Cup qualifying

With the return of international coach Jamaal Shabazz, Guyana finished top of a group containing Trinidad and Tobago, Barbados and Bermuda to reach the third round of qualifying for the 2014 World Cup in Brazil. They qualified with one game to go with a 2–1 home win against Trinidad and Tobago on 11 November 2011.

Guyana organised friendly matches against Colombia, Bolivia, Jamaica and Panama for the first team. In the third round group, they finished last, behind Mexico, Costa Rica and El Salvador, with one point from their six matches.

Lack of football 2013/14

From November 2012 to October 2014 Guyana did not play a single international fixture. This amongst other factors led to FIFA stepping in and removing the GFF executive at the end of 2014.

2015 and 2016 return of the Golden Jaguars

With FIFA stepping into Guyana once again, a FIFA Normalisation Committee was installed to regularise football in Guyana. With this came the search for a National Team Head Coach with Jamaal Shabazz reinstalled initially for one game versus Barbados in Jan 2015. As Guyana had lost many first team players to retirement since 2012, the squad was a new younger group with major gaps in the goalkeeper and defensive areas.

However a 2–2 draw with Barbados was enough for Shabazz and his staff, consisting of assistant coach Wayne Wiggy Dover, Operations Manager Mark Xavier, Team Manager Faizal Khan, Kit Man Trevor Burnett, GoalKeeper Coach Andrew Hazell, Physical Trainer Anson Ambrose, Medical Officer Denzil Hernandez.

Results and fixtures

Main article: Guyana national football team results

The following is a list of match results in the last 12 months, as well as any future matches that have been scheduled.

      Win       Draw       Loss       Fixture

2024

2025

Coaching staff

As of 21 November  2023 (2023 -11-21)

Head coach Trinidad and Tobago Jamaal Shabazz
Assistant coach Guyana Ibraheem Anil
Strength & Conditioning Coach Guyana Renzo Patel
Team Manager Guyana Tyrese Stanley
Goalkeeping coach Guyana Evon Cobaine
Kitman Guyana Hal Portius
Head scout Guyana Romild Christie
GFF President Guyana Wayne Forde
Technical director Guyana Gennarius Huxley

Coaching history

  • Guyana Feroze Usman (1975–82)
  • Guyana Mervyn Wilson (1983)
  • Guyana Lennox Arthur (1984–1987)
  • Guyana Mervyn Wilson (1988)
  • Guyana Gordon Braithwaite (1991–1992)
  • Guyana Mervyn Wilson (1993–1994)
  • Guyana Earl O'Neal (1996)
  • Guyana Deryck White (1998)
  • Guyana Joseph Wilson (2000–2002)
  • Brazil Neider dos Santos (2002–2004)
  • Trinidad and Tobago Jamaal Shabazz (2005–2009)
  • Guyana Wayne Dover (2009–2010)
  • Trinidad and Tobago Jamaal Shabazz (2011–2012)
  • Guyana Denzil Thompson (2014)
  • Trinidad and Tobago Jamaal Shabazz (2015–2016)
  • Guyana Wayne Dover (2017)
  • Jamaica Michael Johnson (2018–2019)
  • Brazil Márcio Máximo (2019–2021)
  • Trinidad and Tobago Jamaal Shabazz (2021–present)

Players

Current squad

The following players were called up for the 2024–25 CONCACAF Nations League A matches against Guatemala and Suriname on 11 and 15 October 2024.

Caps and goals updated as of 15 October 2024, after the match against  Suriname.

No. Pos. Player Date of birth (age) Caps Goals Club
1GK Akel Clarke (1988-10-25) 25 October 1988 (age 36) 21 0 Guyana Slingerz
1GK Quillan Roberts (1994-09-13) 13 September 1994 (age 30) 20 0 New Zealand Western Suburbs
1GK Kai McKenzie-Lyle (1997-11-30) 30 November 1997 (age 27) 13 1 England Oxford City
2DF Colin Nelson (1991-08-09) 9 August 1991 (age 33) 39 1 Guyana Guyana Defence Force
2DF Leo Lovell (1996-12-06) 6 December 1996 (age 28) 27 2 Guyana Slingerz
2DF Liam Gordon (1999-05-15) 15 May 1999 (age 26) 22 2 England Walsall
2DF Terence Vancooten (1997-12-29) 29 December 1997 (age 27) 21 1 England Burton Albion
2DF Jalen Jones (1998-11-13) 13 November 1998 (age 26) 17 1 England Oxford City
2DF Curtez Kellman (1998-03-06) 6 March 1998 (age 27) 17 0 Guyana Slingerz
2DF Jeremy Garrett (2000-01-01) 1 January 2000 (age 25) 15 1 Guyana Slingerz
2DF Reiss Greenidge (1996-08-10) 10 August 1996 (age 28) 8 0 England Maidstone United
2DF Raushan Ritch (2000-04-05) 5 April 2000 (age 25) 5 0 Guyana Slingerz
3MF Daniel Wilson (1993-11-01) 1 November 1993 (age 31) 65 1 Guyana Western Tigers
3MF Stephen Duke-McKenna (2000-08-17) 17 August 2000 (age 24) 26 2 England Harrogate Town
3MF Kadell Daniel (1994-06-03) 3 June 1994 (age 31) 25 3 England Croydon Athletic
3MF Nathan Moriah-Welsh (2002-03-18) 18 March 2002 (age 23) 20 3 Scotland Hibernian
3MF Ryan Hackett (1999-09-11) 11 September 1999 (age 25) 11 0 Guyana Guyana Defence Force
3MF Nathan Ferguson (1995-10-12) 12 October 1995 (age 29) 8 0 England Maidenhead United
4FW Kelsey Benjamin (1999-05-08) 8 May 1999 (age 26) 36 8 Guyana Guyana Defence Force
4FW Omari Glasgow (2003-11-22) 22 November 2003 (age 21) 28 17 United States Chicago Fire FC II
4FW Deon Moore (1999-05-14) 14 May 1999 (age 26) 15 5 England Woking F.C.
4FW Osaze De Rosario (2001-07-19) 19 July 2001 (age 23) 5 1 United States Tacoma Defiance
4FW Isaiah Jones (1999-06-26) 26 June 1999 (age 25) 4 2 England Middlesbrough
4FW Benjamin Opara (1994-04-19) 19 April 1994 (age 31) 0 0 Guyana Guyana Defence Force

Recent call-ups

The following players have been called up within the past year.


Pos. Player Date of birth (age) Caps Goals Club Latest call-up
GK Jamain Cumberbatch (1999-04-21) 21 April 1999 (age 26) 2 0 Guyana Guyana Defence Force v.  Cambodia; 26 March 2024
DF Samuel Cox (1990-10-10) 10 October 1990 (age 34) 35 0 England Oxford City v.  Martinique; 9 September 2024RET
DF Quincy Adams (1989-01-07) 7 January 1989 (age 36) 26 1 Guyana Slingerz v.  Belize; 11 June 2024
DF Miquel Scarlett (2000-09-27) 27 September 2000 (age 24) 6 0 England Chatham Town v.  Panama; 7 June 2024
DF Terique Mohammed (2000-01-27) 27 January 2000 (age 25) 1 0 United States Des Moines Menace v.  Trinidad and Tobago; 15 May 2024
DF Kevin Layne (1998-01-01) 1 January 1998 (age 27) 10 0 Guyana Police v.  Cambodia; 26 March 2024
DF Marcus Simmons (2000-07-16) 16 July 2000 (age 24) 1 0 Canada Sigma FC v.  Cambodia; 26 March 2024
DF Amos Ramsey (1991-12-20) 20 December 1991 (age 33) 4 0 Guyana Guyana Defence Force v.  Cambodia; 26 March 2024
MF Elliot Bonds (2000-03-23) 23 March 2000 (age 25) 21 0 England Fleetwood Town v.  Martinique; 9 September 2024
MF Darron Niles (2003-05-03) 3 May 2003 (age 22) 4 0 Guyana Slingerz v.  Belize; 9 June 2024
FW Ryan Khedoo (1999-10-27) 27 October 1999 (age 25) 1 1 United States St. Charles FC v.  Cambodia; 26 March 2024

INJ Withdrew due to injury.
PRE Preliminary squad.
RET Retired from the national team.
WD Withdrew for personal reasons.

Player records

Players in bold are still active with Guyana.

Most appearances

Walter Moore 1
Walter Moore is Guyana's most capped player with 77 appearances.
Rank Player Caps Goals Career
1 Walter Moore 77 5 2004–2019
2 Daniel Wilson 65 1 2011–present
3 Charles Pollard 60 3 1996–2012
4 Anthony Abrams 58 15 2004–2017
5 Trayon Bobb 51 12 2011–present
6 Howard Lowe 46 1 2002–2010
Gregory Richardson 46 17 2002–2019
8 Dwain Jacobs 42 1 2008–2017
9 Kayode McKinnon 41 4 2002–2012
10 Colin Nelson 39 1 2009–present

Top goalscorers

Rank Player Goals Caps Ratio Career
1 Nigel Codrington 18 26 0.69 2001–2010
2 Omari Glasgow 17 28 0.61 2021–present
Gregory Richardson 17 46 0.37 2002–2019
4 Anthony Abrams 15 58 0.26 2004–2017
5 Trayon Bobb 12 51 0.24 2011–present
6 Neil Danns 11 25 0.44 2015–2023
Emery Welshman 11 28 0.39 2015–present
8 Randolph Jerome 9 21 0.43 1998–2008
Sheldon Holder 9 34 0.26 2011–2021
10 Vurlon Mills 8 32 0.25 2011–2019
Kelsey Benjamin 8 36 0.22 2017–present

Competitive record

FIFA World Cup

FIFA World Cup FIFA World Cup qualification
Year Round Position Pld W D* L GF GA Pld W D* L GF GA
1930 to 1970 Not a FIFA member Not a FIFA member
West Germany 1974 Did not enter Declined participation
Argentina 1978 Did not qualify 2 1 0 1 2 3
Spain 1982 6 2 0 4 8 13
Mexico 1986 2 0 1 1 1 2
Italy 1990 2 0 0 2 0 5
United States 1994 2 0 1 1 2 3
France 1998 2 0 0 2 1 8
South Korea Japan 2002 Suspended by FIFA Suspended by FIFA
Germany 2006 Did not qualify 2 0 0 2 1 8
South Africa 2010 2 0 0 2 1 3
Brazil 2014 12 4 2 6 14 30
Russia 2018 2 0 2 0 6 6
Qatar 2022 4 1 0 3 4 8
Canada Mexico United States 2026 To be determined 2 1 0 1 3 3
Morocco Portugal Spain 2030 To be determined
Saudi Arabia 2034
Total 0/13 40 9 6 25 43 92

CONCACAF Gold Cup

Main article: Guyana at the CONCACAF Gold Cup
CONCACAF Championship & Gold Cup record Qualification record
Year Round Position Pld W D* L GF GA Squad Pld W D* L GF GA
El Salvador 1963 Did not enter Did not enter
Guatemala 1965
Honduras 1967
Costa Rica 1969
Trinidad and Tobago 1971
Haiti 1973
Mexico 1977 Did not qualify 2 1 0 1 2 3
Honduras 1981 6 2 0 4 8 13
1985 2 0 1 1 1 2
1989 2 0 0 2 0 5
United States 1991 6 2 1 3 9 15
Mexico United States 1993 3 1 0 2 3 7
United States 1996 2 0 0 2 0 7
United States 1998 Did not enter Did not enter
United States 2000 Did not qualify 5 1 2 2 19 12
United States 2002 3 2 0 1 4 3
Mexico United States 2003 2 1 0 1 2 2
United States 2005 Withdrew Withdrew
United States 2007 Did not qualify 9 7 1 1 28 7
United States 2009 5 1 3 1 7 5
United States 2011 3 0 1 2 1 6
United States 2013 8 4 0 4 15 11
Canada United States 2015 3 0 1 2 0 4
United States 2017 6 3 0 3 21 12
Costa Rica Jamaica United States 2019 Group stage 13th 3 0 1 2 3 9 Squad 4 3 0 1 14 3
United States 2021 Did not qualify 7 3 1 3 12 14
Canada United States 2023 8 3 2 3 9 17
Total Group stage 1/27 3 0 1 2 3 9 — 86 34 13 39 155 148

CONCACAF Nations League

CONCACAF Nations League record
League Finals
Season Division Group Pld W D L GF GA P/R Finals Result Pld W D L GF GA Squad
2019–20 B C 6 3 1 2 12 10 Same position United States 2021 Ineligible
2022–23 B B 6 3 1 2 8 14 Same position United States 2023
2023–24 B D 5 5 0 0 20 5 Rise United States 2024
2024–25 A A To be determined 2025 To be determined
Total — — 17 11 2 4 40 29 — Total 0 Titles — — — — — — —

Caribbean Cup

CFU Championship & Caribbean Cup record Qualification record
Year Round Position Pld W D L GF GA Pld W D L GF GA
Trinidad and Tobago 1978 Did not qualify 2 0 0 2 1 4
Suriname 1979 Did not enter Did not enter
Puerto Rico 1981
French Guiana 1983 Did not qualify 4 1 2 1 3 5
Barbados 1985 2 1 1 0 1 1
Martinique 1988 2 0 0 2 0 5
Barbados 1989 Did not enter Did not enter
Trinidad and Tobago 1990 Did not qualify 3 0 2 1 1 6
Jamaica 1991 Fourth place 4th 4 1 0 3 4 14 2 1 1 0 5 1
Trinidad and Tobago 1992 Did not qualify 3 1 1 1 4 5
Jamaica 1993 3 1 0 2 3 7
Trinidad and Tobago 1994 2 0 0 2 1 4
Cayman Islands Jamaica 1995 2 0 0 2 0 7
Trinidad and Tobago 1996 2 1 0 1 3 3
Antigua and Barbuda Saint Kitts and Nevis 1997 4 1 1 2 5 9
Jamaica Trinidad and Tobago 1998 3 1 1 1 17 4
Trinidad and Tobago 1999 2 0 1 1 2 4
Trinidad and Tobago 2001 3 2 0 1 4 3
Barbados 2005 Withdrew Withdrew
Trinidad and Tobago 2007 Group stage 5th 3 1 1 1 4 5 6 6 0 0 24 2
Jamaica 2008 Did not qualify 5 1 3 1 7 5
Martinique 2010 Group stage 8th 3 0 1 2 1 6 6 4 1 1 9 4
Antigua and Barbuda 2012 Did not qualify 6 3 0 3 11 9
Jamaica 2014 3 0 1 2 0 4
Martinique 2017 6 3 0 3 21 12
Total Fourth place 3/25 10 2 2 6 9 25 71 27 15 29 122 104

See also

Kids robot.svg In Spanish: Selección de fútbol de Guyana para niños

  • Guyana national under-20 football team
  • Guyana national under-17 football team
  • Football in Guyana
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