Despite the Reggae Boyz’s 0-0 draw against a 10-man Cuban side in their opening Concacaf Nations League match on Friday, Jamaica Football Federation (JFF) President Michael Ricketts remains confident in the team’s progress. While the result may have been disappointing, Ricketts believes the foundations are being laid for the ultimate goal — qualification for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
The match, which marked the debut of new Head Coach Steve McClaren, saw the Reggae Boyz dominate from the outset, yet they were unable to convert any of their 14 shots on target. Even after Cuba was reduced to 10 men in the 44th minute, Jamaica couldn’t find the back of the net, with Cuban goalkeeper Rako Arozarena pulling off a string of impressive saves to secure an unlikely draw for his team.
Now, the Reggae Boyz turn their attention to Honduras, who secured a commanding 4-0 victory over Trinidad and Tobago in their opening match. Jamaica will face the Central American team on Tuesday, a challenge that Ricketts acknowledges but remains optimistic about.
“The Central American teams are always tough, but if you are going to qualify for the World Cup, you have to beat some tough teams,” Ricketts said. “I’ve always had trust and confidence in the coach and the coaching staff. The big picture is the World Cup in 2026, and these games — as important as they are — are part of the process to get there.”
Ricketts emphasized that McClaren, who is still in the early stages of his tenure, needs more time to fully assess the players and develop the team’s strengths. “It’s a work in progress. There’s a lot to learn from what happened this evening. I think we played a decent game, but we just didn’t score goals,” he said.
The JFF President praised the team’s efforts to secure a win in front of their home crowd at the National Stadium, but acknowledged that they were repeatedly thwarted by Arozarena’s heroics in goal. “Their goalkeeper was excellent. He made some brilliant saves and denied us several times, but there are interesting times ahead. I’m disappointed we didn’t score, but we’ll move forward,” Ricketts noted.
Despite the draw, Ricketts highlighted the positive turnout for Friday’s match, with close to 20,000 spectators in attendance — one of the largest crowds seen at the National Stadium for a Reggae Boyz game in recent memory. He reassured fans that the JFF is committed to improving the team and delivering a football experience they can be proud of.
“It’s a work in progress, but I’m definitely happy with the turnout. It just shows that football is alive and well in Jamaica,” Ricketts said. “We need to keep doing things to make the fans happy. There were glimpses of brilliance tonight, but we know the fans wanted goals. The Cubans defended well, and we struggled to break them down.”
The Reggae Boyz are set to face Honduras on Tuesday at 9:00 pm at Estadio Nacional Chelato Ucles, as they continue their Nations League campaign and look ahead to the long-term goal of World Cup qualification.
