For everyone on the East Coast who got up early this morning to watch Jamaica’s Reggae Girlz at the Women’s World Cup, you were treated to history.
The Jamaican women’s soccer team, which made its first FIFA Women’s World Cup appearance in 2019, has already shocked the field with its performance so far, bringing joy to Jamaican fans across the globe.
In 2019, the Reggae Girlz lost their three matches by a combined score of 12-1.
But 2023 has been a completely different story.
This morning, Jamaica tied Brazil 0-0 and advanced to the Knockout round for the first time ever despite only scoring one goal in the group stage.
They also made history by becoming the first Caribbean nation to make the Knockout stage in Women’s World Cup history.
For a team that was struggling to raise money to make the trip to Australia/New Zealand, they’ve more than made up for a lack of finances with their refusal to quit or bow down to traditional soccer powerhouses like France and Brazil.
Jamaica’s 2023 WWC began with a 0-0 tie with France, earning the team its first-ever World Cup point.
A week later, the Reggae Girlz made history again by earning their first-ever World Cup victory, a 1-0 win over Panama. They also scored their first goal of the tournament.
That victory earned them a shot at Brazil, a country well known for its love of the Beautiful Game and its soccer prowess.
But reputation meant nothing to Jamaica.
The team fought through long stretches of Brazilian attacks on goal and periods of not being able to clear the ball. And despite fatigue setting in, the Reggae Girlz refused to succumb and matched the Samba Queens stride for stride until the whistle sounded to signal the end of the game.
At that moment, Jamaican fans erupted in celebration while the team hugged and cried tears of joy.
“I think people are getting behind the team now, which is good because I used to wonder if women’s football would ever take off in Jamaica,” said head coach Lorne Donaldson.
But similar to the response to the Jamaican bobsled, hockey and lacrosse teams, fans take to Jamaican teams and athletes quickly, which helps the growth of those sports on the island.
And now the Reggae Girlz are continuing that trend.
“People are waking up early in the morning in Jamaica watching the game and I think that is good for the sport overall, especially for women’s sport in Jamaica,” continued Donaldson.
While Jamaica waits to learn who it will be playing next Tuesday, the team has time to recover and reflect on what they’ve accomplished both this year and in the four years since its last World Cup appearance.
And as they prepare for the Round of 16, the team, its fans and the global soccer community all know that the Reggae Girlz have arrived.
