Some of the most recognizable football players with Jamaican Ancestry

Of all the nations that form CONCACAF, Jamaica is perhaps the biggest under-achiever.

The sad truth is that despite winning the Caribbean Cup 5 times, Jamaica’s Reggae Boyz have not earned any ‘major’ trophy in the sport of football.

Our proudest moment came in 1998 when  Jamaica became the smallest nation to score and win a game in the FIFA World Cup finals with our famous 2-1 victory over Japan.

A record which stands to this day.

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There should be no doubt in the mind of anyone that the Jamaican team has long had the quality to win smaller regional competitions such as the Gold Cup.

We have already proven that on the rare occasion, we can defeat teams such as Mexico and the United States.

These are teams which have consistently managed to qualify for FIFA World Cup finals and have won the Gold Cup several times.

The lack of proper facilities and technical training is undoubtedly one of the  biggest dampers to Jamaica’s growth in football.

It is a problem faced by many developing countries. Harsh economic conditions over the past few decades has resulted in many Jamaicans fleeing to other countries to seek a better life for themselves and their families.

Many of these individuals that fled to other countries have produced children who are excelling in some of the biggest football leagues around the world.

I often times wonder how much stronger our national side could have been if we had managed to lure them to our squad.

Of course it is too late for some of them now 🙁

Below is a short list of players with Jamaican roots who are currently garnering experience at the highest level of football around the world. 

Daniel Sturridge

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Daniel Andre Sturridge is an English footballer who plays for Liverpool and the England national team as a striker.

He is very proud of his Jamaican heritage and visits Jamaica regularly.

 

Ravel Morrison

 

 

 

 

 

 

Regarded as a prodigy, former Manchester United coach Sir Alex Ferguson described the playmaker as “the best talent he had ever seen”.

The midfielder began his career with Manchester United before joining West Ham in January 2012. He currently plays for Queens Park Rangers.

 

Nathan Dyer

Plays as a winger for Swansea City. He started playing as a teenager in the Southampton youth team and has played for Southampton, Sheffield United (on loan) and Swansea City.

He is also regarded as one of the best wingers in England.

 

Theo Walcott

 

 

 

 

 

 

Theo currently plays as a forward for Arsenal and the England national team.

On 30 May 2006 the speedy player became England’s youngest ever senior football player aged 17 years and 75 days.

 

Ashley Young

 

 

 

 

 

 

Young plays as a winger for Manchester United and the English national team.

This talented player has a Jamaican father and has already earned many caps for the England national team.

 

Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain

 

 

 

 

 

 

Alex plays for Arsenal and the England national football team as a winger.

 

Darren Bent

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Darren Ashley Bent currently plays for Fulham, on loan from Aston Villa, as a striker.

He has also represented England at under-15, under-16, under-17, under-19, under-21 and senior levels.

 

Raheem Sterling

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sterling plays as a winger for Premier League club Liverpool and the England national team.

He represented England at under-16, under-17 and under-21 level before being capped at full level by the national side in 2012.

 

Aaron Lennon

 

 

 

 

 

 

Aaron Justin Lennon currently plays as a right winger for Tottenham Hotspur in the Premier League and the England national team.

He has an English Jamaican father and English Irish mother.

 

John Barnes – Retired ages ago but what a great player he was!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

John Charles Bryan Barnes MBE (born 7 November 1963) is a Jamaican-born English former footballer and manager.

He had successful periods at Watford and Liverpool in the 1980s and 1990s, winning the First Division twice, the FA Cup twice, and playing for England 79 times (at the time, a record for a black player).

Did you know all these players had Jamaican heritage?

Please feel free to list names of other players worthy of note in the comments. I may even amend this list to include them.

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