Kingston (Jamaica) (AFP) – They don’t have tons of money, sponsors or flashy practice facilities but they didn’t let that stop them: Jamaica’s ‘Reggae Girlz’, the women’s national football team that did not even exist a few years ago, are heading to France to do battle for the World Cup.
With the help of the daughter of late reggae legend Bob Marley, the team — the first from the Caribbean to make it to the finals — are ready to compete for the sport’s Holy Grail.
Before heading to France, the Reggae Girlz gave their fans something to celebrate with a 3-1 victory over Panama at the National Stadium in Kingston on May 19.
The friendly was only part of the day, which turned into a colorful Sunday street party, complete with blaring vuvuzelas and blasting dancehall music.
But the festivities did not mask the difficult task ahead — the Reggae Girlz stand only 53rd in the world in FIFA’s rankings, and on paper, they are clearly the weakest squad in the draw.
The players are certainly aware of their humble pedigree: the stadium’s malfunctioning scoreboard and malfunctioning sound system symbolize where they stand in terms of the world’s top teams.
But the women are used to playing through adversity — until just before the friendly with Panama, they were not even paid by their home federation.
“It’s a milestone — they deserve it. Obviously it took the World Cup to get us to this point but we got it done,” head coach Hue Menzies, who has helped the women negotiate their contracts, told AFP.
“We had the boxing gloves on,” Menzies added.
The Reggae Girlz are a young team, made up mainly of players who competed at the university level in the United States.
On a Friday in mid-May, they launch into a practice without Menzies, who is going to argue with the federation on their behalf. They play on a field at a college campus in Kingston that is way too dry and covered with divots.
Players carry their own water and equipment to the field from the bus. It’s a far cry from what awaits them in France.
– ‘They needed help’ –
By qualifying for the World Cup, the Reggae Girlz have duplicated the feat achieved in 1998 by the Reggae Boyz, who went to the men’s World Cup that year — also in France.
from World Soccer Talk http://bit.ly/2EUTlCu
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