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Jamaica national football team facts for kids

Kids Encyclopedia Facts
This page is about the men's team. For the women's team, see Jamaica women's national football team.
Quick facts for kids
Jamaica
Shirt badge/Association crest
Nickname(s) The Reggae Boyz
Association Jamaica Football Federation (JFF)
Confederation CONCACAF (North America)
Sub-confederation CFU (Caribbean)
Head coach Heimir Hallgrímsson
Captain Andre Blake
Most caps Ian Goodison (128)
Top scorer Luton Shelton (35)
Home stadium Independence Park
FIFA code JAM
First colours
Second colours
FIFA ranking
Current 54 Steady (7 February 2019)
Highest 27 (August 1998)
Lowest 116 (October 2008)
Elo ranking
Current 64 Increase 4 (3 March 2019)
Highest 380 (9 February 1998)
Lowest 126 (29 April 1984)
First international
 Haiti 1–2 Jamaica 
(Port-au-Prince, Haiti; 22 March 1925)
Biggest win
 Jamaica 12–0 British Virgin Islands 
(Grand Cayman, Cayman Islands; 4 March 1994)
 Jamaica 12–0 Saint Martin 
(Kingston, Jamaica; 24 November 2004)
Biggest defeat
 Costa Rica 9–0 Jamaica 
(San José, Costa Rica; 24 February 1999)
World Cup
Appearances 1 (first in 1998)
Best result Group stage (1998)
CONCACAF Championship / Gold Cup
Appearances 15 (first in 1963)
Best result Runners-up (2015, 2017)
CONCACAF Nations League Finals
Appearances 1 (first in 2024)
Best result Third place (2024)
Copa América
Appearances 2 (first in 2015)
Best result Group stage (2015, 2016)
Medal record
CONCACAF Gold Cup
Silver 2015 United States and Canada Team
Silver 2017 United States Team
Bronze 1993 Mexico and United States Team
CONCACAF Nations League
Bronze 2024 United States Team
CFU Caribbean Cup
Gold 1991 Jamaica Team
Gold 1998 Trinidad and Tobago and Jamaica Team
Gold 2005 Barbados Team
Gold 2008 Jamaica Team
Gold 2010 Martinique Team
Gold 2014 Jamaica Team
Silver 1992 Trinidad and Tobago Team
Silver 1993 Jamaica Team
Silver 2017 Martinique Team
Bronze 1997 Antigua and Barbuda and Saint Kitts and Nevis Team
Bronze 1999 Trinidad and Tobago Team

The Jamaica national football team, nicknamed the "Reggae Boyz", represents Jamaica in international football. The team's first match was against Haiti in 1925. The squad is under the supervising body of the Jamaica Football Federation (JFF), which is a member of the Caribbean Football Union (CFU), Confederation of North, Central American and Caribbean Association Football (CONCACAF), and the global jurisdiction of FIFA. Jamaica's home matches have been played at Independence Park since its opening in 1962.

Their sole appearance in the FIFA World Cup was in 1998, where the team finished third in its group and failed to advance. The team also competed in the Caribbean Cup winning six times. Jamaica also competes in the CONCACAF Gold Cup, appearing thirteen times and finishing twice as runners-up to Mexico in 2015 and the United States in 2017. They were also invited to the Copa América in 2015 and 2016, being eliminated in the group stage on both occasions. Jamaica has also qualified for the 2024 Copa América scheduled to begin June 20, 2024.

History

Early history (1893–1962)

19360113-thejamaicaxi
The Jamaica squad in 1936 taking on Trinidad and Tobago

In 1893, Jamaica's first football club, the Kingston Cricket Club, was formed. In 1910, the Jamaica Football Federation (JFF) was formed and controlled all of the games; in 1925, Jamaica was invited to play Haiti in a three match series with the team winning all three games 1–0, 2–1, and 3–0. In 1926, Jamaica hosted Haiti at Sabina Park and won 6–0. At the 1930 Central American Games in Cuba, Jamaica made its first international tournament appearance and lost both games in its group.

From 1925 to 1962, Jamaica had regular games with teams from Trinidad and Tobago, Haiti, and Cuba, as well as with clubs like the Haitian Racing CH and Violette AC, the British Corinthians, and the Argentinean Tigers. In 1952, the Caribbean All-Star team was formed with players from Trinidad, Cuba, Haiti, and Suriname. The team played four matches against Jamaica in Sabina Park. Jamaica won the second game 2–1 and the fourth 1–0, and the All-Stars won the first game 5–1 and the third 1–0.

Post-independence (1962–1989)

In 1962, the same year Jamaica became independent, the JFF became a member of FIFA. At the 1962 Central American and Caribbean Games played in Jamaica, the national team was led by Brazilian coach Jorge Penna. Jamaica finished in fourth place, with two wins over Puerto Rico and Cuba. A year later, Jamaica competed in the first CONCACAF Championship in El Salvador, where the team finished last in its group, which included Mexico, the Netherlands Antilles, and eventual winner Costa Rica.

In 1965, Jamaica attempted to qualify for the 1966 FIFA World Cup in England. After finishing first in its preliminary group that included Cuba and the Netherlands Antilles; Jamaica faced Costa Rica and Mexico in the final round, where the winner would qualify for the World Cup. Opening the final round campaign with a 3–2 loss at home against Mexico, Jamaica lost the return match 8–0, with Isidoro Díaz getting a hat-trick for Mexico. Jamaica then lost 7–0 to Costa Rica and ended with a draw at home in the return match, ultimately finishing with a single point. In January 1967, Jamaica attempted to qualify for the CONCACAF Championship but was eliminated after finishing third in the group of five.

In 1968, George Hamilton became the new coach as Jamaica attempted to qualify for the 1970 FIFA World Cup in Mexico. Most of the squad for the campaign was young with only a few remaining players from its previous attempt at qualifying being in the team. This was due to most of its players being either retired or migrated abroad. Jamaica finished last with zero points from four games. After finishing last in the 1969 CONCACAF Championship and not qualifying for the following championship, Jamaica had to withdraw from qualifying for the 1973 CONCACAF Championship after 17 players were suspended for poor behavior during a tour to Bermuda. In 1977, Jamaica competed in qualifying for the 1977 CONCACAF Championship, which was also the qualifier for the 1978 FIFA World Cup. Taking on Cuba in the first round, Jamaica lost both of its games 5–1 on aggregate.

Jamaica did not attempt to qualify for the 1982 and 1986 due to insufficient funds and a poorly prepared team. The team returned to international competition after qualifying for the 1989 CONCACAF Championship, which was part of the qualifiers for the 1990 FIFA World Cup in Italy. After defeating Puerto Rico 3–1 on aggregate in the preliminary round, Jamaica played the United States for a spot in the finals. After a 0–0 draw at home, Jamaica lost 5–1 in the US and was eliminated.

Caribbean triumph and World Cup appearance (1990–2000)

In 1990, Carl Brown was signed as head coach and led Jamaica into qualifying for the 1990 Caribbean Cup, finishing tied for third place after the final round was abandoned due to Tropical Storm Arthur. In 1991, Jamaica defeated Trinidad and Tobago 2–0 to win the Caribbean Cup and qualify for the CONCACAF Gold Cup. In the Gold Cup, Jamaica finished last with zero points in a group consisting of Honduras, Mexico, and Canada.

After the Jamaicans lost to Trinidad and Tobago in the final of the 1992 Caribbean Cup, they started their campaign in preliminary rounds of qualifying for the 1994 World Cup. After defeating Puerto Rico 3–1 on aggregate in the second preliminary round, Jamaica eliminated Trinidad and Tobago and was grouped with Bermuda, Canada, and El Salvador, two of which would advance to the final round. Jamaica opened the second round with two 1–1 draws against Canada and Bermuda, but the team lost its return match in Canada after a single goal from Dale Mitchell. After a 3–2 home win over Bermuda and two losses to El Salvador, Jamaica finished in third place and was eliminated.

In 1993, Jamaica finished in second place after losing on penalties to Martinique in the final of the Caribbean Cup, which was a qualifier for the CONCACAF Gold Cup which was held later that year. During this tournament, the team opened with a 1–0 loss to the US before recording their first Gold Cup win against Honduras. After qualifying in second place with a 1–1 draw against Honduras, Jamaica lost 6–1 to Mexico in the semi-final in Mexico City. After not qualifying for the final round of the 1994 Caribbean Cup despite recording its largest-ever win margin in a 12–0 win against the British Virgin Islands, the team decided to hire Brazilian René Simões to assist Brown with the goal of qualifying for the 1998 World Cup. After being eliminated in the group stage of both the 1995 Caribbean Cup by virtue of head-to-head and the 1996 Caribbean Cup, Jamaica opened its 1998 World Cup qualifiers with an 2–0 aggregate win over Suriname and defeated Barbados 3–0 in the following round. In 1997, Simões, by then promoted to head coach, scouted for players in England that had Jamaican heritage to join the national team. Paul Hall, Fitzroy Simpson, Deon Burton and Robbie Earle were all named in the squad due their heritage. The term 'UB40' became used in Jamaica and more widely to describe their British-born players such as Hall and Gayle, the term is a nod to the English band UB40, who perform reggae, a genre of music that originated in Jamaica. After finishing winless in the first four games of the final qualifying round, Jamaica recorded three 1–0 wins over El Salvador, Canada, and Costa Rica, with Burton scoring the winning goal in each of the latter two matches. After a 0–0 draw against Mexico, Jamaica secured its qualification and made its first-ever World Cup appearance, and the following day was declared a national holiday.

In 1998, Jamaica competed at the 1998 CONCACAF Gold Cup, finishing first in a group comprising World Cup champion Brazil, Guatemala, and El Salvador. With the help of goalkeeper Warren Barrett, Jamaica opened with a 0–0 tie against Brazil. After wins over Guatemala and El Salvador, Jamaica advanced to the semi-final against Mexico. The match went into overtime before Mexican player Luis Hernandez scored the winning goal. In the third-place playoff, Jamaica lost 1–0 to Brazil, ending in fourth place. At the 1998 FIFA World Cup, Jamaica finished third in Group H with three points from a 2–1 win against Japan in Lyon. Theodore Whitmore scored both goals in the victory.

The following month, Jamaica competed in the finals of the 1998 Caribbean Cup, which was a qualifier for the 2000 CONCACAF Gold Cup. After finishing first in its group, Jamaica won the final 2–1 against Trinidad and Tobago, with goals from Oneil McDonald and Dean Sewell. In 1999, Jamaica experienced its biggest defeat in a 9–0 loss against Costa Rica. After finishing second in its group, Jamaica was eliminated by Cuba in the semi-finals of the 1999 Caribbean Cup. At the Gold Cup, Jamaica finished last in its group, losing against Colombia and Honduras 2–0 and 1–0, respectively.

Struggles at continental level (2001–2009)

In the 2002 FIFA World Cup qualification semi-finals, Jamaica faced Honduras, El Salvador, and Saint Vincent and the Grenadines in the second group. Jamaica finished second, securing a spot in the final round despite losing two games to Honduras and El Salvador. In the final round of qualifying, Jamaica finished in fifth place after being eliminating by Honduras. Between the two rounds of World Cup qualifying, Jamaica was eliminated in the group stage of the 2001 Caribbean Cup by goal-difference and missed out on qualifying for the Gold Cup the following year. Jamaica qualified for the 2003 Gold Cup, reaching the quarter-finals before being eliminated by Mexico 5–0 at the Estadio Azteca.

Jamaica started its 2006 FIFA World Cup qualifying campaign in the second round with a 4–1 aggregate win over Haiti to reach the third round. Jamaica finished third in group play, with a 1–1 draw against the US and one point away from reaching the next round. Coach Sebastião Lazaroni was sacked due to the team's performance. In the 2005 Caribbean Cup, Jamaica tied its largest-ever win margin record with a 12–0 win over Saint Martin, with Luton Shelton and Roland Dean both getting hat-tricks. After reaching the final with wins against Saint Lucia and French Guiana, Jamaica claimed its third title and a spot at the Gold Cup. At the Gold Cup, Jamaica reached the quarter-finals before losing to the US 3–1 in Foxborough, with American player DaMarcus Beasley scoring two goals.

In 2006 and 2007, Jamaica continued to struggle, with one Jamaican journalist dubbing the team "The Reggae Toyz". The team failed to qualify for the 2007 Caribbean Cup after being eliminated due to goals scored, with St. Vincent and the Grenadines scoring three more goals than Jamaica. Two managers later, the team only earned a single point from three matches in the third round of qualification for the 2010 FIFA World Cup. With coach Theodore Whitmore, Jamaica secured three wins from its remaining matches, jumping from 116th to 83rd place in the world rankings. Despite the team's final win over Canada, Jamaica was eliminated by goal difference after Mexico finished three goals ahead. Jamaica won the 2008 Caribbean Cup, with Luton Shelton scoring both goals in the victory against Grenada to qualify for the Gold Cup. At the Gold Cup, Jamaica finished third in its group; with a single win over El Salvador, the side finished last among the third-place teams and was eliminated.

Continental finals appearances (2010–2019)

Usa v jamaica, Gold Cup 2011
Jamaica taking on the United States at the 2011 CONCACAF Gold Cup

Jamaica entered the final round of the 2010 Caribbean Cup after a 0–0 draw with Costa Rica. After finishing first in its group, Jamaica won against Grenada in the semi-finals, then defeating first-time finalists Guadeloupe in a penalty shoot-out. Jamaica earned its fifth title, and coach Theodore Whitmore became the first to win the Caribbean Cup as both player and coach. In the 2011 CONCACAF Gold Cup, Jamaica finished first in its group, beating Grenada 4–0, Guatemala 2–0, and Honduras 1–0 before being eliminated by the US, with goals from American players Jermaine Jones and Clint Dempsey.

In qualifying for the 2014 FIFA World Cup, Jamaica started in the third round and earned seven points in the first three games, which included a historic 2–1 win over the United States at home which was their first win over the Americans. Jamaica later qualified with a 4–1 win over Antigua and Barbuda, finishing two goals ahead of Guatemala in its group. After the team finished last in its group for the 2012 Caribbean Cup and failed to record a win in six matches in the fourth round of qualifying, team manager Theodore Whitmore resigned and was replaced by German coach Winfried Schäfer. After a 2–0 loss to the US, Jamaica finished in last place and was eliminated.

After qualifying for the 2015 Gold Cup due to winning the 2014 Caribbean Cup, Jamaica was invited to compete in the 2015 edition of the Copa América in Chile. At the Copa America, Jamaica was drawn in Group B with Uruguay, Paraguay, and Argentina. Jamaica finished last after losing all three of its matches 1–0, with Jobi McAnuff saying, "I don't think many people would have given us that chance." A few weeks later in the 2015 Gold Cup, Jamaica finished first in its group and defeated Haiti in the quarter-finals with a goal from Giles Barnes to qualify for the semi-finals for the first time since 1998. In the semi-final, Jamaica defeated the US 2–1 with goals from Darren Mattocks and Giles Barnes, reaching its first-ever Gold Cup final. In the final, Jamaica lost to Mexico 3–1.

In qualifying for the 2018 FIFA World Cup, Jamaica started in the third round and defeated Nicaragua 4–3 on aggregate to reach the fourth round. In the fourth round, Jamaica started off strong with a 1–0 win over Haiti and a 1–1 draw with Costa Rica, earning four points after three games. However, three straight losses, including a 2–0 loss against Panama, eliminated Jamaica from World Cup qualifying. Between the fourth-round matches, Jamaica competed in the Copa América Centenario after qualifying through the 2014 Caribbean Cup. Jamaica finished with no points from their three games, scoring no goals and conceding six.

After Whitmore returned to the team, Jamaica qualified for the 2017 Caribbean Cup, reaching the final before losing to first-time finalists Curaçao 2–1, with Elson Hooi scoring both of Curaçao's goals. In the 2017 Gold Cup, Jamaica upset Mexico 1–0 in the semi-finals, with Kemar Lawrence scoring the goal. In the final against the US, Jamaica conceded the opening goal at the end of the first half before Je-Vaughn Watson tied the score in the 50th minute. However, after a goal in the 88th minute from Jordan Morris, the US won the title, and Jamaica finished as runner-up.

Post-pandemic (2020–present)

In 2020, Jamaica played a single international friendly versus Bermuda before all international football was placed on hold by FIFA due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

In 2021, Jamaica reached the 2021 Gold Cup quarterfinals, where they lost 0–1 to the United States. On 9 December 2021, Theodore Whitmore was dismissed as senior national team head coach.

On 21 November 2023, Jamaica qualified for the 2024 Copa América by reaching the 2023–24 CONCACAF Nations League A semifinals on a 3–2 comeback against Canada. Jamaica had previously lost 2–1 on the first leg, however, the victory resulted in a 4–4 goal aggregate tie that went in their favour after winning 3–2 on away goals.

Stadium

Main article: Independence Park (Jamaica)
Independence Park
Independence Park in 2011

Between 1926 and 1962. Jamaica played its matches at Sabina Park, which is also home to the West Indies cricket team. In 1962, the football team moved to Independence Park, which was built for the 1962 Central American and Caribbean Games held after the country gained independence; the first home match was a 6–1 victory over Puerto Rico. The stadium is nicknamed The Office while the team plays.

The team has also played at Jarrett Park and Trelawny Stadium at the 2008 Caribbean Cup. They have also played at the Montego Bay Sports Complex in the 2014 Caribbean Cup.

Kits

The national team have used four clothing manufacturers to supply the official kit for Jamaica. The team's first supplier was Italian manufacturer Lanzera in 1995 before it merged with Kappa a year later. This deal was terminated after the 1998 World Cup. In 2000, the JFF signed a deal with German sporting brand Uhlsport, which lasted until 2006. After another three-year contract with Kappa between 2012 and 2014, the JFF signed a four-year deal with Emirati sportswear company Romai Sports for US$4.8 million.

In 2021, Umbro was the kit provider for Jamaica. In 2022, Adidas signed a deal to become the new kit provider for Jamaica starting in 2023.

Results and fixtures

Main article: Jamaica 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

2023

2024

2025

Coaching staff

Coaching staff

Position Name
Head of Delegation Jamaica Sheridan Samuels
Head coach Iceland Heimir Hallgrímsson
Assistant coach Sweden John Wall
Assistant coach Jamaica Merron Gordon
Goalkeeper coach Iceland Gudmundur Hreidarsson
Fitness coach Germany Sebastian Boxteitner
Video Analyst Jamaica Kyle Chin
Team Doctor Jamaica Dr. Bersha Cole
Physiotherapist Jamaica Dr. Kevin Christie
Physiotherapist Jamaica Christopher Kelly
Trainer Jamaica Lamar Morgan
Press Officer Jamaica Simon Preston
Kit & Equipment Jamaica Norman Stone
Massage Therapist Jamaica Devin Lawson
Massage Therapist Jamaica Rory Rhoden

Technical staff

Position Name
Technical Director Jamaica Wendell Downswell
General Manager Jamaica Roy Simpson

Coaching history

Caretaker managers are listed in italics.
  • Brazil Jorge Penna (1962, 1965–1967)
  • Haiti Antoine Tassy (1962–1964)
  • Jamaica George Hamilton (1967)
  • Jamaica George Thomson (1967–1974)
  • Jamaica George Prescod (1974–1975, 1975–1978)
  • West Germany Otmar Calder (1975)
  • Jamaica Jackie Bell (1978–1982)
  • Jamaica Carl Brown (1983–1986, 1990–1994, 2001–2004)
  • Jamaica Allie McNab (1987)
  • Jamaica Delroy Scott (1987–1988)
  • Jamaica Geoffrey Maxwell (1988–1990)
  • Brazil René Simões (1994–2000, 2008)
  • Brazil Sebastião Lazaroni (2000)
  • Brazil Clovis de Oliveira (2000–2001)
  • Brazil Sebastião Lazaroni (2004–2005)
  • Jamaica Wendell Downswell (2005–2006)
  • Jamaica Carl Brown (2006)
  • Serbia Bora Milutinović (2006–2007)
  • England John Barnes (2008–2009)
  • Jamaica Theodore Whitmore (2009–2013, 2016–2021)
  • Germany Winfried Schäfer (2013–2016)
  • Jamaica Paul Hall (2021–2022)
  • Jamaica Merron Gordon (2022)
  • Iceland Heimir Hallgrímsson (2022–present)

Players

Current squad

The following 23 players were named to the squad for the 2023-24 CONCACAF Nations League Finals matches, March 21 and 24, 2024.

Caps and goals correct as of 21 November 2023, after the match against Canada.

No. Pos. Player Date of birth (age) Caps Goals Club
1 1GK Andre Blake (captain) (1990-11-21) 21 November 1990 (age 34) 70 0 United States Philadelphia Union
23 1GK Jahmali Waite (1998-12-24) 24 December 1998 (age 25) 8 0 United States El Paso Locomotive FC
13 1GK Shaquan Davis (2000-11-11) 11 November 2000 (age 24) 0 0 Jamaica Mount Pleasant
17 2DF Damion Lowe (1993-05-05) 5 May 1993 (age 31) 58 3 United States Philadelphia Union
3 2DF Michael Hector (1992-07-19) 19 July 1992 (age 32) 36 0 England Charlton Athletic
5 2DF Richard King (2001-11-27) 27 November 2001 (age 22) 14 0 Iceland ÍBV
2 2DF Dexter Lembikisa (2003-11-04) 4 November 2003 (age 21) 14 0 Scotland Heart of Midlothian
22 2DF Greg Leigh (1994-09-30) 30 September 1994 (age 30) 12 0 England Oxford United
6 2DF Di'Shon Bernard (2000-10-14) 14 October 2000 (age 24) 11 1 England Sheffield Wednesday
4 2DF Tayvon Gray (2002-08-19) 19 August 2002 (age 22) 3 0 United States New York City FC
10 3MF Bobby Decordova-Reid (1993-02-02) 2 February 1993 (age 31) 27 6 England Fulham
8 3MF Daniel Johnson (1992-10-08) 8 October 1992 (age 32) 23 3 England Stoke City
15 3MF Joel Latibeaudiere (2000-01-06) 6 January 2000 (age 24) 12 0 England Coventry City
14 3MF Kasey Palmer (1996-11-09) 9 November 1996 (age 28) 3 0 England Coventry City
16 3MF Karoy Anderson (2004-10-01) 1 October 2004 (age 20) 2 0 England Charlton Athletic
20 4FW Renaldo Cephas (1999-12-08) 8 December 1999 (age 24) 1 0 Turkey Ankaragücü
11 4FW Shamar Nicholson (1997-02-16) 16 February 1997 (age 27) 44 16 France Clermont
9 4FW Cory Burke (1991-12-28) 28 December 1991 (age 32) 31 7 United States New York Red Bulls
18 4FW Romario Williams (1994-08-15) 15 August 1994 (age 30) 19 3 United States Hartford Athletic
12 4FW Demarai Gray (1996-06-28) 28 June 1996 (age 28) 10 5 Saudi Arabia Al-Ettifaq
19 4FW Jamal Lowe (1994-07-21) 21 July 1994 (age 30) 6 2 Wales Swansea City
7 4FW Kaheim Dixon (2004-10-04) 4 October 2004 (age 20) 0 0 Jamaica Arnett Gardens

Recent call-ups

The following players have also been called up to the team in the past 12 months.


Pos. Player Date of birth (age) Caps Goals Club Latest call-up
GK Amal Knight (1993-11-19) 19 November 1993 (age 31) 12 0 United States Lexington 2024 CNL Finals PRE
GK Kemar Foster (1992-08-30) 30 August 1992 (age 32) 3 0 Jamaica Waterhouse 2024 CNL Finals PRE
GK Jeadine White (2000-07-07) 7 July 2000 (age 24) 3 0 England Reading 2024 CNL Finals PRE
GK Coniah Boyce-Clarke (2003-03-01) 1 March 2003 (age 21) 1 0 England Reading 2024 CNL Finals PRE
GK Jayden Hibbert (2004-08-05) 5 August 2004 (age 20) 0 0 United States Atlanta United FC v.  Trinidad and Tobago, 3 March 2024
DF Adrian Mariappa (1986-10-03) 3 October 1986 (age 38) 72 1 England Salford City 2024 CNL Finals PRE
DF Alvas Powell (1986-10-03) 3 October 1986 (age 38) 55 2 United States FC Cincinnati 2024 CNL Finals PRE
DF Javain Brown (1999-03-09) 9 March 1999 (age 25) 29 0 Canada Vancouver Whitecaps FC 2024 CNL Finals PRE
DF Amari'i Bell (1994-05-05) 5 May 1994 (age 30) 16 1 England Luton Town 2024 CNL Finals PRE
DF Ricardo Thomas (1997-08-30) 30 August 1997 (age 27) 12 0 Jamaica Dunbeholden 2024 CNL Finals PRE
DF Ethan Pinnock (1993-05-29) 29 May 1993 (age 31) 10 0 England Brentford 2024 CNL Finals PRE
DF Jamoi Topey (2000-01-13) 13 January 2000 (age 24) 9 0 Jamaica Mount Pleasant 2024 CNL Finals PRE
DF Wesley Harding (1996-10-20) 20 October 1996 (age 28) 2 0 England Millwall 2024 CNL Finals PRE
DF Kyle Ming (1999-01-25) 25 January 1999 (age 25) 1 0 Jamaica Cavalier 2024 CNL Finals PRE
DF Lamonth Rochester (2003-06-10) 10 June 2003 (age 21) 1 0 United States Chicago Fire FC 2024 CNL Finals PRE
DF Romain Blake (2005-07-24) 24 July 2005 (age 19) 0 0 United States Chicago Fire FC 2024 CNL Finals PRE
DF Joel Cunningham (1996-08-21) 21 August 1996 (age 28) 0 0 Jamaica Arnett Gardens 2024 CNL Finals PRE
DF Adrian Reid (2006-09-05) 5 September 2006 (age 18) 0 0 Jamaica Cavalier 2024 CNL Finals PRE
DF Emelio Rousseau (1999-12-11) 11 December 1999 (age 24) 0 0 Jamaica Portmore United v.  Trinidad and Tobago, 3 March 2024
DF Garth Stewart (2001-01-27) 27 January 2001 (age 23) 0 0 Jamaica Harbour View v.  Trinidad and Tobago, 3 March 2024
DF Stephen Young (2001-07-22) 22 July 2001 (age 23) 0 0 Jamaica Portmore United v.  Trinidad and Tobago, 3 March 2024
DF Sue-Lae McCalla (1992-11-24) 24 November 1992 (age 31) 1 0 Jamaica Mount Pleasant v.  Trinidad and Tobago, 3 March 2024
DF Jon Bell (1997-08-26) 26 August 1997 (age 27) 1 0 United States Seattle Sounders FC v.  Guatemala, 11 November 2023
DF Kemar Lawrence (1992-09-17) 17 September 1992 (age 32) 78 3 unattached 2023 CONCACAF Gold Cup
MF Devon Williams (1992-04-08) 8 April 1992 (age 32) 35 1 United States Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC 2024 CNL Finals PRE
MF Kevon Lambert (1997-03-22) 22 March 1997 (age 27) 26 0 United States Real Salt Lake 2024 CNL Finals PRE
MF Tyreek Magee (1999-08-27) 27 August 1999 (age 25) 10 0 United States Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC 2024 CNL Finals PRE
MF Demario Phillips (1998-11-10) 10 November 1998 (age 26) 9 0 Jamaica Mount Pleasant 2024 CNL Finals PRE
MF Kemar Roofe (1993-01-06) 6 January 1993 (age 31) 5 1 Scotland Rangers 2024 CNL Finals PRE
MF Jon Russell (2000-10-09) 9 October 2000 (age 24) 4 1 England Barnsley 2024 CNL Finals PRE
MF Ramone Howell (1995-04-15) 15 April 1995 (age 29) 4 0 Jamaica Mount Pleasant 2024 CNL Finals PRE
MF Omari Hutchinson (2003-10-30) 30 October 2003 (age 21) 2 0 England Ipswich Town 2024 CNL Finals PRE
MF Delano McCoy-Splatt (2004-10-11) 11 October 2004 (age 20) 1 0 England Fulham 2024 CNL Finals PRE
MF Shaniel Thomas (2001-09-14) 14 September 2001 (age 23) 1 0 Jamaica Cavalier 2024 CNL Finals PRE
MF Ronaldo Webster (2001-07-04) 4 July 2001 (age 23) 1 0 North Macedonia Bregalnica 2024 CNL Finals PRE
MF Romario Guthrie (1998-12-10) 10 December 1998 (age 25) 0 0 Jamaica Mount Pleasant 2024 CNL Finals PRE
MF Alex Marshall (1998-02-24) 24 February 1998 (age 26) 13 0 Jamaica Portmore United v.  Trinidad and Tobago, 3 March 2024
MF Jahshaun Anglin (2001-05-06) 6 May 2001 (age 23) 5 0 Jamaica Harbour View v.  Trinidad and Tobago, 3 March 2024
MF Jamone Shepherd (2002-04-09) 9 April 2002 (age 22) 0 0 Jamaica Arnett Gardens v.  Trinidad and Tobago, 3 March 2024
MF Shamour Smith (2004-12-31) 31 December 2004 (age 19) 0 0 Jamaica Montego Bay United v.  Trinidad and Tobago, 3 March 2024
MF Brandon Cover (2003-09-25) 25 September 2003 (age 21) 1 0 England Leicester City v.  Jordan, 19 June 2023
FW Bailey Cadamarteri (2005-05-09) 9 May 2005 (age 19) 0 0 England Sheffield Wednesday 2024 CNL Finals RET
FW Michail Antonio (1990-03-28) 28 March 1990 (age 34) 14 3 England West Ham United 2024 CNL Finals INJ
FW Leon Bailey (1997-08-09) 9 August 1997 (age 27) 30 5 England Aston Villa 2024 CNL Finals PRE
FW Dujuan Richards (2005-11-10) 10 November 2005 (age 19) 10 1 England Chelsea 2024 CNL Finals PRE
FW Kaheem Parris (2000-01-06) 6 January 2000 (age 24) 10 0 Azerbaijan Sabah 2024 CNL Finals PRE
FW Maalique Foster (1996-11-05) 5 November 1996 (age 28) 9 3 United States Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC 2024 CNL Finals PRE
FW Deshane Beckford (1998-04-14) 14 April 1998 (age 26) 2 0 United States Hartford Athletic 2024 CNL Finals PRE
FW Norman Campbell (1999-11-24) 24 November 1999 (age 24) 3 0 Serbia Vojvodina 2024 CNL Finals PRE
FW Devante Cole (1995-05-10) 10 May 1995 (age 29) 0 0 England Barnsley 2024 CNL Finals PRE
FW Fabian Reid (1991-08-06) 6 August 1991 (age 33) 8 3 Jamaica Arnett Gardens v.  Trinidad and Tobago, 3 March 2024
FW Devonte Campbell (2003-10-25) 25 October 2003 (age 21) 0 0 Jamaica Mount Pleasant v.  Trinidad and Tobago, 3 March 2024
FW Justin Dunn (2003-08-27) 27 August 2003 (age 21) 0 0 Jamaica Tivoli Gardens v.  Trinidad and Tobago, 3 March 2024
FW Andre Fletcher (1999-01-31) 31 January 1999 (age 25) 0 0 Jamaica Waterhouse v.  Trinidad and Tobago, 3 March 2024
FW Jason Wright (1994-12-26) 26 December 1994 (age 29) 0 0 Jamaica Molynes United v.  Trinidad and Tobago, 3 March 2024
FW Trivante Stewart (2000-03-22) 22 March 2000 (age 24) 3 0 Serbia Javor Ivanjica v.  Canada, 21 November 2023

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

Player records

Players in bold are still active with Jamaica.

Most appearances

Ian Goodison 1
Ian Goodison is Jamaica's most capped player with 128 appearances.
Rank Player Caps Goals Career
1 Ian Goodison 128 10 1996–2008
2 Linval Dixon 127 3 1993–2003
3 Theodore Whitmore 120 24 1993–2004
4 Ricardo Gardner 111 9 1997–2012
5 Warren Barrett 108 0 1990–2000
6 Andy Williams 107 22 1997–2008
7 Durrant Brown 102 0 1984–1998
8 Jermaine Taylor 101 0 2004–2017
9 Donovan Ricketts 100 0 1999–2013
10 Jevaughn Watson 95 4 2008–2022

Top goalscorers

LutonShelton (cropped)
Luton Shelton is Jamaica's top scorer with 35 goals.
Rank Player Goals Caps Ratio Career
1 Luton Shelton 35 75 0.47 2004–2013
2 Onandi Lowe 27 81 0.33 1995–2004
3 Theodore Whitmore 24 120 0.2 1993–2004
4 Paul Young 22 49 0.45 1989–1997
Andy Williams 22 107 0.21 1997–2008
6 Walter Boyd 19 75 0.25 1991–2001
7 Darren Mattocks 18 50 0.36 2012–2019
Paul Davis 18 61 0.3 1983–1997
9 Shamar Nicholson 16 47 0.34 2017–present
Hector Wright 16 71 0.23 1988–1997

Competitive record

Overview
Event 1st place 2nd place 3rd place 4th place
World Cup 0 0 0 0
Gold Cup 0 2 2 2
Nations League 0 0 1 0
Caribbean Cup 6 3 2 0
Copa América 0 0 0 0

FIFA World Cup

Main article: Jamaica at the FIFA World Cup

Jamaica's only appearance at the FIFA World Cup was in 1998. The team opened with a 3–1 loss against Croatia in Lens. After falling behind in the 27th minute, Robbie Earle scored the equalizer to close the first half. In the second half, Croatia scored two goals, causing Jamaica to lose the match. The second match against Argentina saw Gabriel Batistuta getting a second half hat-trick, aiding in Jamaica's second defeat and elimination from the World Cup. In the final match of the tournament, Theodore Whitmore scored a double, securing Jamaica's first World Cup win with a 2–1 win over Japan, whilst also allows Jamaica to become the second team from the Caribbean after Cuba to have won a World Cup game.

FIFA World Cup Qualification
Year Host Round Pos. Pld W D L F A Squad Pld W D L F A
1930 to 1962 Not a FIFA member Not a FIFA member
1966  England Did not qualify 8 2 3 3 8 11
1970  Mexico 4 0 0 4 2 11
1974  West Germany Withdrew Withdrew
1978  Argentina Did not qualify 2 0 0 2 1 5
1982  Spain Did not enter Declined participation
1986  Mexico Withdrew Withdrew
1990  Italy Did not qualify 4 2 1 1 4 6
1994  United States 8 2 3 3 9 11
1998  France Group stage 22nd 3 1 0 2 3 9 Squad 20 11 6 3 24 15
2002  Japan
 South Korea		 Did not qualify 16 6 2 8 14 18
2006  Germany 8 2 5 1 11 6
2010  South Africa 8 5 1 2 19 6
2014  Brazil 16 3 6 7 14 19
2018  Russia 8 2 1 5 6 13
2022  Qatar 14 2 5 7 12 22
2026  Canada
 Mexico
 United States		 To be determined To be determined
2030  Morocco
 Portugal
 Spain
2034  Saudi Arabia
Total Group stage 1/15 3 1 0 2 3 9 — 116 37 33 46 124 143

CONCACAF Gold Cup

Main article: Jamaica at the CONCACAF Gold Cup

CONCACAF Championship 1963–1989, CONCACAF Gold Cup 1991–present

CONCACAF Championship & Gold Cup record Qualification record
Year Result Position Pld W D L GF GA Squad Pld W D L GF GA
El Salvador 1963 Group stage 8th 3 0 0 3 1 16 Squad Qualified automatically
Guatemala 1965 Did not enter Did not enter
Honduras 1967 Did not qualify 4 1 2 1 4 4
Costa Rica 1969 Round-robin 6th 5 0 1 4 3 10 Squad 2 1 1 0 3 2
Trinidad and Tobago 1971 Did not qualify 2 0 1 1 0 1
Haiti 1973 Did not enter Did not enter
Mexico 1977 Withdrew Withdrew
Honduras 1981 Did not enter Did not enter
1985 Withdrew Withdrew
1989 Did not qualify 4 2 1 1 4 6
United States 1991 Group stage 8th 3 0 0 3 3 12 Squad 4 4 0 0 13 2
Mexico United States 1993 Third place 3rd 5 1 2 2 6 10 Squad 5 4 1 0 10 1
United States 1996 Did not qualify 3 2 0 1 4 3
United States 1998 Fourth place 4th 5 2 1 2 5 4 Squad 7 5 2 0 18 5
United States 2000 Group stage 12th 2 0 0 2 0 3 Squad 5 5 0 0 12 4
United States 2002 Did not qualify 3 2 0 1 4 3
United States 2003 Quarter-finals 7th 3 1 0 2 2 6 Squad 6 4 2 0 17 4
United States 2005 Quarter-finals 8th 4 1 1 2 8 10 Squad 10 8 2 0 38 5
United States 2007 Did not qualify 3 2 0 1 7 2
United States 2009 Group stage 10th 3 1 0 2 1 2 Squad 5 4 1 0 11 2
United States 2011 Quarter-finals 5th 4 3 0 1 7 2 Squad 5 4 1 0 12 3
United States 2013 Did not qualify 3 0 1 2 1 3
Canada United States 2015 Runners-up 2nd 6 4 1 1 8 6 Squad 4 2 2 0 6 1
United States 2017 Runners-up 2nd 6 3 2 1 7 4 Squad 4 2 1 1 7 5
Costa Rica Jamaica United States 2019 Semi-finals 4th 5 2 2 1 6 6 Squad 4 3 0 1 12 3
United States 2021 Quarter-finals 7th 4 2 0 2 4 3 Squad 6 5 1 0 21 1
Canada United States 2023 Semi-finals 3rd 5 3 1 1 11 5 Squad 4 1 3 0 7 5
Total Runners-up 15/27 63 23 11 29 72 99 — 93 61 22 10 211 65

CONCACAF Nations League

CONCACAF Nations League record
Season Division Group Pld W D L GF GA P/R RK
United States 2019−20 B C 6 5 1 0 21 1 Rise 13th
United States 2022–23 A A 4 1 3 0 7 5 Same position 5th
United States 2023–24 A A 8 5 1 2 16 12 Same position 3rd
Total 18 11 5 2 44 18 3rd

Copa América

Main article: Jamaica at the Copa América

Jamaica was invited to the Copa América for the first time in 2015, finishing last among Argentina, Uruguay, and Paraguay. The following year, the team competed in the Copa América Centenario as winners of the 2014 Caribbean Cup, again finishing last in the group stage with a 3–0 loss to Uruguay. Jamaica qualified for the 2024 Copa América by reaching the 2023–24 CONCACAF Nations League A semifinals after beating Canada in quarter-finals.

Copa América record
Year Result Position Pld W D L GF GA Squad
Chile 2015 Group stage 12th 3 0 0 3 0 3 Squad
United States 2016 Group stage 15th 3 0 0 3 0 6 Squad
United States 2024 Qualified
Total Invitation 0 titles 6 0 0 6 0 9 —

CFU Caribbean Cup

CFU Championship & Caribbean Cup record Qualification record
Year Result Pld W D L GF GA Squad Pld W D L GF GA
Trinidad and Tobago 1978 Did not qualify 2 0 0 2 1 3
Suriname 1979 4 2 0 2 4 9
Puerto Rico 1981 2 1 0 1 2 4
French Guiana 1983 Did not enter Did not enter
Barbados 1985
Martinique 1988
Barbados 1989 Did not qualify 4 0 2 2 2 6
Trinidad and Tobago 1990 Abandoned 2 0 2 0 0 0 Squad 3 2 1 0 4 0
Jamaica 1991 Champions 4 4 0 0 13 2 Squad Qualified as host
Trinidad and Tobago 1992 Runners-up 5 3 1 1 4 3 Squad Qualified as champions
Jamaica 1993 Runners-up 5 4 1 0 17 4 Squad Qualified as host
Trinidad and Tobago 1994 Did not qualify 3 2 0 1 18 5
Cayman Islands Jamaica 1995 Group stage 3 2 0 1 4 3 Squad Qualified as host
Trinidad and Tobago 1996 Group stage 3 1 0 2 5 5 Squad 2 1 0 1 2 2
Antigua and Barbuda Saint Kitts and Nevis 1997 Third place 4 2 2 0 8 3 Squad 3 3 0 0 10 2
Jamaica Trinidad and Tobago 1998 Champions 5 5 0 0 12 4 Squad Qualified as host
Trinidad and Tobago 1999 Third place 4 2 0 2 7 5 Squad Qualified as champions
Trinidad and Tobago 2001 Group stage 3 2 0 1 4 3 Squad Qualified automatically
Barbados 2005 Champions 3 3 0 0 4 1 Squad 7 5 2 0 34 4
Trinidad and Tobago 2007 Did not qualify 3 2 0 1 7 2
Jamaica 2008 Champions 5 4 1 0 11 2 Squad Qualified as host
Martinique 2010 Champions 5 4 1 0 12 3 Squad Qualified as champions
Antigua and Barbuda 2012 Group stage 3 0 1 2 1 3 Squad Qualified as champions
Jamaica 2014 Champions 4 2 2 0 6 1 Squad Qualified as host
Martinique 2017 Runners-up 2 0 1 1 2 3 Squad 2 1 1 0 5 2
Total 16/25 60 38 12 10 110 45 — 35 19 6 10 89 39

Head-to-head record

As of 18 November 2023, the national team has played in 528 matches, with 231 wins, 132 draws, and 227 losses since their first international match in 1925. In total, the team has scored 787 goals and conceded 778 goals. Jamaica's highest winning margin is twelve goals, which has been achieved on two occasions: against the British Virgin Islands in 1994 (12–0) and against Saint Martin in 2004 (12–0). Their longest winning streak is seven wins and their unbeaten record is 22 consecutive official matches.

      Positive Record       Neutral Record       Negative Record

Honours

Major competitions

  • Runners-up (2): 2015, 2017
  • Third place: 1993
  • Fair Play Award: 2015
  • CONCACAF Nations League
    • Third place (1): 2023–24

Other competitions

  • Caribbean Cup
  • Champions (6): 1991, 1998, 2005, 2008, 2010, 2014
  • Runners-up (3): 1992, 1993, 2017
  • Third place (2): 1997, 1999

See also

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

  • National Premier League (top league in Jamaica)
  • Jamaica national under-20 football team
  • Jamaica national under-17 football team
  • Football in Jamaica
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