Jamaica is not in attendance at the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022… Unfortunately, the island nation has not qualified for the prestigious tournament since 1998. Despite that, football is the lifeblood of the country. On any street across the island, you will find a student scuffing their shoes kicking a makeshift ball or bottle as they walk home, or find a group of men scrambling an improvised goal out of PVC pipes out of the roadway, as they wait out incoming traffic.
Unsurprisingly, a considerable number of players of Jamaican heritage make up the squads of a few teams attending the 2022 World Cup Finals.
Raheem Sterling
Jamaican-born Raheem Sterling moved to London with his family at five-years-old. The speedy winger quickly rose through the ranks of English football, playing for Queens Park Rangers before he was picked up by Liverpool Football Club. He’s since played for two of the most illustrious clubs in modern English football: the Chelsea Football Club and the Manchester City Football Club.
He was a key player at Manchester City FC, scoring 91 goals in 225 appearances in the English Premier League alone. His 2019-2020 run was particularly noteworthy as he finished the season with a career-best 30 goals, cementing himself as one of the most dangerous attacking players in the world.
Sterling’s star shines even brighter on the international stage. He has represented England at all levels and is a mainstay starter in the men’s senior team. At the UEFA Euro 2020-2021, England fell short to Italy in the finals, but Sterling left the tournament as England’s best player. As the pulse of the team, he was the player with the most international caps in the squad and their runner-up in goals scored.
Undoubtedly, the still-young 27-year-old Sterling, will continue to befuddle opposing defenders with blistering speed, tricky defending, and an eye for goal.
However, unfortunately, armed robbers broke into Sterling’s home in England, and he will not return to Qatar to join England’s squad for the World Cup unless his family is safe.
Sean Johnson
Sean Johnson is the backup goalkeeper for the US Men’s National Team. The lanky goalkeeper was drafted in the fourth round (51st overall) in the 2010 Major League Soccer (MLS) draft by the Chicago Fire. He now plays for New York City FC and has enjoyed a stellar 2022 season in the MLS, leading the team to a third-place finish in the Eastern Conference, and a deep playoff run before ultimately losing in the conference finals to the Philadelphia Union.
Despite declaring for the US early in his career, Johnson holds his Jamaican roots dear. “I feel like [Jamaica] is home away from home,” Johnson explained. “I’m used to the culture there…I have family all-over.”
While he’s unlikely to see action at the World Cup behind first-choice keeper Matt Turner, Johnson is a reliable locker room presence and professional veteran that will help guide a young US Men’s team at this tournament and in future competitions.
Callum Wilson
Callum Wilson is a striker for Newcastle United in the English Premier League. The imposing footballer was born in Coventry, West Midlands to Jamaican parents. Wilson spent a lot of his career bouncing around clubs up and down the English football pyramid, until settling in at Athletic Football Club Bournemouth. He hit his stride at the south coast club, rocketing them up the Championship (the tier below the Premier League) to become eventual winners, securing top-flight football to the tune of 20 goals in his debut season.
However, Wilson’s own body would conspire to stunt his career. He has faced injury setback after setback – no one doubted his talent, but what good was a footballer who could not stay on the football field?
In 2022, Wilson regained control of the narrative. He spearheads a Newcastle attack that has rocketed the Tyneside club to third place, ahead of footballing heavyweights such as Tottenham Hotspurs, Chelsea Football Club, Liverpool Football Club, and Manchester United. He is part of the English Senior Squad in Qatar, providing an option off the bench for international coach Gareth Southgate.
Tim Weah
Son of footballing royalty, and president of Liberia, George Weah, and Jamaican businesswoman and philanthropist, Clar Marie Duncan Weah, Timothy Weah was always tipped for greatness.
A product of the elite Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) academy, even making appearances for PSG’s senior team, Weah now plays for storied French club Lille Olympique Sporting Club, and is in regular rotation as a prospect for the future.
Due to parentage, Weah was eligible to represent Jamaica, Liberia, and the U.S. on the international stage. According to the 22-year-old, the choice was easy, he was born and raised in Brooklyn, New York, and has the deepest connection to the country.
It is hard to fault the decision. Tim Weah has been a fixture, and key performer on the U.S. team during their World Cup qualification run and is an x-factor against more dangerous competition later on in the tournament.
