Montserrat national football team facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Montserrat

Nickname(s)	Emerald Boys
Association	Montserrat Football Association
Confederation	CONCACAF (North America)
Sub-confederation	CFU (Caribbean)
Head coach	Lee Bowyer
Captain	Lyle Taylor
Most caps	Alex Dyer (36)
Top scorer	Lyle Taylor (13)
Home stadium	Blakes Estate Stadium
FIFA code	MSR
First colours Second colours
FIFA ranking
Current	200 (7 February 2019)
Highest	165 (August 2014)
Lowest	206 (January 2011 – January 2012, June 2012, August – September 2012)
Elo ranking
Current	214 11 (3 March 2019)
Highest	107 (February 1950)
Lowest	233 (September 2012)
First international
Saint Lucia 3–0 Montserrat  (Saint Lucia; 10 May 1991)
Biggest win
British Virgin Islands 0–7 Montserrat  (Fort-de-France, Martinique; 9 September 2012)
Biggest defeat
Bermuda 13–0 Montserrat  (Hamilton, Bermuda; 29 February 2004)
The Other Final
Appearances	1 (first in 2002)
Best result	Runners-Up (2002)

The Montserrat national football team represents the island of Montserrat in international football matches. They are often called the Emerald Boys. Football is the second most popular sport in Montserrat, after cricket. The team plays their home games at the Blakes Estate Stadium. The Montserrat football team started in 1973. They have tried to qualify for the FIFA World Cup since the 2002 tournament, but they haven't made it past the first round yet.

From 1995 to 2010, a volcano on the island was very active. This meant the team could only play a few matches, mostly away from home. Their first wins were against their neighbors, Anguilla, in 1995. They won 3–2 at home and 1–0 away. Before 2018, most of their other matches were losses, except for one draw against Anguilla. However, since 2018, Montserrat has become much more competitive.

On June 30, 2002, the same day as the 2002 World Cup final, Montserrat played against Bhutan. At the time, these were the two lowest-ranked teams in the world. This friendly game was called "The Other Final". Montserrat lost 4–0.

Team History: Montserrat's Football Journey

The Montserrat national team is quite new to international football. Their first official match was on May 10, 1991, during the 1991 Caribbean Cup. They lost 3–0 to Saint Lucia. Their next game was a 1–1 draw against Anguilla.

Montserrat played in the Caribbean Cup again the next year. They were knocked out early after big losses to Saint Kitts and Nevis and Antigua and Barbuda. In the 1994 Caribbean Cup, they faced the same two teams and were again eliminated, giving up 17 goals in two matches. The Montserrat Football Association (MFA) was formed in 1994. Like other Caribbean teams, the MFA joined CONCACAF, which is the football organization for North and Central America and the Caribbean.

First Wins and Challenges

On March 26, 1995, Montserrat played their first ever home international match. They beat Anguilla 3–2, which was their first win! They won against Anguilla again in the next game, 1–0. This win helped them move to the next round of the 1995 Caribbean Cup. It was also their only game without letting in a goal for the next seventeen years. They were then knocked out of the competition, losing 20–0 to Saint Vincent and the Grenadines.

Soon after, the Soufrière Hills volcano became active. Its eruptions destroyed Plymouth, the capital of Montserrat, and made life on the island very difficult. Even with these challenges, the MFA became a member of FIFA in 1996. However, the team didn't play another match for three years. This was because many footballers had moved away from the island, often to England.

After a four-year break, the team played in the 1999 Caribbean Nations Cup. They lost 6–1 to the British Virgin Islands and were knocked out early. Montserrat couldn't enter the 1998 FIFA World Cup because of the volcano. Their first World Cup attempt was for the 2002 tournament, but they lost 6–1 to the Dominican Republic. In 2001, the MFA visited The Football Association in England to get money for a new stadium. Soon after, the Blakes Estate Stadium was opened.

The team's next game was "The Other Final" on June 30, 2002. Montserrat played Bhutan, and Bhutan won 4–0 in front of 15,000 fans in Thimphu.

Recent Improvements and New Coaches

Montserrat tried to qualify for the World Cup again in 2006, but lost 20–0 to Bermuda. They also played in the 2005 Caribbean Cup but didn't get past the first round. In 2008, they lost 7–1 to Suriname in the qualifiers for the 2010 World Cup.

On May 19, 2012, Montserrat played a friendly match against a team from Network Rail and drew 4–4. Later that year, Montserrat got their first win since 1995 and their first win since joining FIFA! They beat the British Virgin Islands 7–0 in a 2012 Caribbean Championship qualifying game.

Montserrat's luck really changed in 2018 when Willie Donachie became coach and the CONCACAF Nations League started. The team won three of their four qualifying games but just missed out on joining the 2019 CONCACAF Gold Cup because of goal difference. They then finished second in their group in the first Nations League season, with two wins, two draws, and two losses. This helped them stay in the second tier of the league.

After Willie Donachie, Matt Lockwood took over as head coach in 2022. In September 2023, Lee Bowyer became the new manager, with Steve Gallen as his assistant. In their very first game, they beat Barbados with a goal in the 99th minute! This put them second in their CONCACAF Nations League group.

Team Rankings: How Montserrat Compares

Because of their past results, the Montserrat team has often been at the lower end of the FIFA World Rankings. After losing to Bhutan in "The Other Final," they dropped to 203rd place, becoming the lowest-ranked team in the world. When two more teams joined FIFA, Montserrat reached a new low of 205th between July and October 2004.

In July 2006, they reached their highest rank of 196th. But then they fell to 198th the next month. Their success in the CONCACAF Nations League qualifiers and the first season of the league helped them rise to 184th place.

The team has also been low in the unofficial World Football Elo Ratings, which ranks teams based on their match results.

Team Colours and Kits

Since their first match in 1991, Montserrat has usually worn a green home kit. This has been either plain green or green and white stripes. Their current away kit is a red jersey, black shorts, and black socks.

Recent Matches and Upcoming Games

Here are some of Montserrat's recent match results and their upcoming games.

      Win       Draw       Loss       Fixture

2024 Matches

• March 21: Montserrat 4–0 Club Costa City (Friendly) - Win
• June 5: Nicaragua 4–1 Montserrat (World Cup Qualifier) - Loss
• June 9: Montserrat 1–3 Panama (World Cup Qualifier) - Loss
• September 5: Montserrat 1–4 El Salvador (Nations League) - Loss
• September 8: Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 2–0 Montserrat (Nations League) - Loss
• October 10: Bonaire vs. Montserrat (Nations League) - Upcoming
• October 13: Montserrat vs. Bonaire (Nations League) - Upcoming
• November 14: Montserrat vs. Saint Vincent and the Grenadines (Nations League) - Upcoming
• November 17: El Salvador vs. Montserrat (Nations League) - Upcoming

2025 Matches

• June 4: Montserrat vs. Belize (World Cup Qualifier) - Upcoming
• June 10: Guyana vs. Montserrat (World Cup Qualifier) - Upcoming

Coaching Team

The Montserrat national football team has a dedicated coaching staff.

Position	Name
Manager	Lee Bowyer
Assistant Manager	Ignatius Reid
Goalkeeping Coach	Raheem Jefferson
Head Physiotherapist	Robinson Plymouth

Past Coaches

Over the years, Montserrat has had several coaches:

Players: Who Plays for Montserrat?

Current Squad Members

Here are the players who were recently called up to play for Montserrat in November 2024.

No.	Pos.	Player	Date of birth (age)	Caps	Goals	Club
1	1GK	Trent Carter-Rogers	{{{age}}}	{{{caps}}}	{{{goals}}}	Hanwell Town
13	1GK	Corrin Brooks-Meade	{{{age}}}	{{{caps}}}	{{{goals}}}	Unattached
4	2DF	Nico Gordon	{{{age}}}	{{{caps}}}	{{{goals}}}	North Texas
5	2DF	Donervon Daniels	{{{age}}}	{{{caps}}}	{{{goals}}}	Walsall
6	2DF	Mackye Townsend-West	{{{age}}}	{{{caps}}}	{{{goals}}}	Ware
16	2DF	Jernade Meade	{{{age}}}	{{{caps}}}	{{{goals}}}	St Ives Town
21	2DF	Lucas Kirnon	{{{age}}}	{{{caps}}}	{{{goals}}}	Thompson Rivers WolfPack
22	2DF	Vashirn Roache	{{{age}}}	{{{caps}}}	{{{goals}}}	Hartpury College
3	3MF	Lewis Duberry	{{{age}}}	{{{caps}}}	{{{goals}}}	Kings Langley
8	3MF	Brandon Comley	{{{age}}}	{{{caps}}}	{{{goals}}}	Walsall
18	3MF	Alex Dyer	{{{age}}}	{{{caps}}}	{{{goals}}}	Wealdstone
20	3MF	Mylan Benjamin	{{{age}}}	{{{caps}}}	{{{goals}}}	Unattached
7	4FW	Brandon Barzey	{{{age}}}	{{{caps}}}	{{{goals}}}	Hemel Hempstead Town
11	4FW	Seigel Rodney	{{{age}}}	{{{caps}}}	{{{goals}}}	Pigotts SC
12	4FW	Dominic Richmond	{{{age}}}	{{{caps}}}	{{{goals}}}	Unattached
17	4FW	Ashley Boatswain	{{{age}}}	{{{caps}}}	{{{goals}}}	Ipswich Town
19	4FW	Josiah Dyer	{{{age}}}	{{{caps}}}	{{{goals}}}	Barnsley

Player Records: Top Players

Here are some of the players who have played the most games or scored the most goals for Montserrat.

Players in bold are still active with Montserrat.

Most Games Played

Dean Mason has played many games for Montserrat.

Top Goal Scorers

Lyle Taylor has scored the most goals for Montserrat.

Tournament Records: How Montserrat Has Done

FIFA World Cup Qualifiers

Montserrat has tried to qualify for the FIFA World Cup several times.

FIFA World Cup										Qualification
Year	Round	Position	Pld	W	D*	L	GF	GA		Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA
1930 to 1994	Not a FIFA member									Not a FIFA member
1998	Did not enter									Did not enter
2002	Did not qualify									2	0	0	2	1	6
2006										2	0	0	2	0	20
2010										1	0	0	1	1	7
2014										2	0	0	2	3	8
2018										2	0	1	1	3	4
2022										4	2	2	0	9	4
2026	To be determined									2	0	0	2	2	7
2030										To be determined
2034
Total	–	0/7	–	–	–	–	–	–		15	2	3	10	19	56

CONCACAF Gold Cup Qualifiers

The team has also tried to qualify for the CONCACAF Gold Cup, which is the main football tournament for North America, Central America, and the Caribbean.

CONCACAF Gold Cup record
Year	Round	Position	Pld	W	D*	L	GF	GA
1991	Did not qualify
1993	Did not enter
1996	Did not qualify
1998	Did not enter
2000	Did not qualify
2002
2003	Withdrew
2005	Did not qualify
2007	Did not enter
2009
2011	Did not qualify
2013
2015
2017	Did not enter
2019	Did not qualify
2021
2023
Total	–	0/17	–	–	–	–	–

CONCACAF Nations League Performance

The CONCACAF Nations League is a newer competition. Montserrat has played in it since 2019.

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	B	6	2	2	2	4	5			2021	Ineligible
2022–23	B	B	6	1	1	4	6	14			2023
2023–24	B	B	6	3	0	3	9	14			2024
2024–25	B	A	To be determined								2025
Total	—	—	18	6	3	9	19	33	—		Total	0 Titles	—	—	—	—	—	—	—

Head-to-Head Records: Who Montserrat Has Played

This table shows how Montserrat has done against other teams they've played.

Against	Played	Won	Drawn	Lost	GF	GA	GD	% Won
Anguilla	4	2	1	1	6	7	−1	50%
Antigua and Barbuda	4	0	1	3	6	20	−14	0%
Aruba	1	1	0	0	2	0	+2	100%
Barbados	3	2	0	1	7	9	−2	66%
Belize	3	1	0	2	4	8	−4	33%
Bermuda	2	0	0	2	0	20	−20	0%
Bhutan	1	0	0	1	0	4	−4	0%
Bonaire	3	1	1	1	1	1	0	33.33%
British Virgin Islands	3	1	0	2	8	6	+2	33%
Cayman Islands	1	1	0	0	2	1	1	100%
Curaçao	2	0	1	1	3	4	−1	0%
Dominican Republic	5	2	1	2	5	8	−3	40%
El Salvador	5	0	1	4	3	10	−7	0%
Guyana (will be played in June 2025)	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0%
Martinique	1	0	0	1	0	5	−5	0%
Nicaragua	1	0	0	1	1	4	−3	0%
Panama	1	0	0	1	1	3	−2	0%
Saint Kitts and Nevis	4	0	0	4	2	29	−27	0%
Saint Lucia	3	1	1	1	2	4	−2	33%
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines	5	0	0	5	1	31	−30	0%
Suriname	2	0	0	2	2	14	−12	0%
U.S. Virgin Islands	1	1	0	0	1	0	+1	100%
Total	55	13	7	35	59	188	−129	23.63%

Note: teams in italic are not FIFA members.

Images for kids

• Montserrat2000sH.png

  2000s Home Kit

• Montserrat2000sA.png

  2000s Away Kit

• Montserrat2012H.png

  2012 Home Kit

• Montserrat2012A.png

  2012 Away Kit

• Montserrat17h.png

  2014 Home Kit

• Montserrat17a.png

  2014 Away Kit

• Montserrat2016H.png

  2016 Home Kit

• Montserrat2016A.png

  2016 Away Kit

• Montserrat2018H.png

  2018 Home Kit

• Montserrat2019H.png

  2019 Home Kit

• Montserrat2020H.png

  2020 Home Kit

• Montserrat2020A.png

  2020 Away Kit

See also

In Spanish: Selección de fútbol de Montserrat para niños