Teenager Joins Jamaica’s Squad Laden With Strikers
Reggae Boyz head coach Steve McClaren recalls his magnificent seven for World Cup qualifiers
Seymour Reid has earned his first senior international call-up to the Jamaica set-up having impressed at U17 level.
The 17-year-old, who has only recently been promoted to the New York City FC first team, is one of a whopping nine forwards named in Steve McClaren’s World Cup qualifying squad.
Reid is a traditional no.9 player who relies on physicality, prowess and precision. He netted three goals in four Jamaica U17 appearances, and is one of the players to watch out for in Major League Soccer.
McClaren has included 15 England-based players in his 26-strong squad with only the Jamaica Premier League aces named being Harbour View FC midfielder Jahshaun Anglin and Mount Pleasant FA shotstopper Tafari Chambers.
The Boyz are set to tackle Curacao at Stadion Egilio Hato in Willemstad on 10 October, and four days later host Bermuda inside the cauldron of Kingston’s National Stadium.
Seven regular starters who missed the opening two World Cup qualifiers, beating Bermuda 4-0 and then seeing off Dwight Yorke’s Trinidad & Tobago 2-0, have returned to the Jamaica squad.
Goalkeeper and captain Andre Blake, defenders Amari’i Bell, Joel Latibeaudiere and Ethan Pinnock as well as the attacking trio of Rumarn Burrell, Bobby Decordova-Reid and Demarai Gray are back.
Inter Miami’s Ian Fray is the other newcomer alongside Reid. The versatile defensive midfielder declined an invitation last month, stating that he wasn’t ready for international matches.
Recent injuries meant that winger Leon Bailey along with strikers Michail Antonio and Warner Brown were not considered for selection.
Jamaica lead Group B in their qualifying standings, and should feel comfortable about reaching the 2026 FIFA World Cup finals by securing victory over second-placed Curacao.
Yet Curacao are not the pushover that they appear on paper, as they are coached by former Netherlands coach Dick Advocaat. This is the reason why McClaren has picked a strong squad to face Curacao and relative minnows Bermuda.
The three group winners will qualify directly for the World Cup finals, with the two best second-place finishers advancing to the FIFA Play-Off Tournament.
JAMAICA SQUAD
Goalkeepers | Andre Blake (Philadelphia Union, USA), Tafari Chambers (Mount Pleasant FA, Jamaica), Jahmali Waite (El Paso Locomotive, USA)
Defenders | Amari’i Bell (Charlton Athletic, England), Mason Holgate (Al-Gharafa, Qatar), Richard King (St. Mirren, Scotland), Joel Latibeaudiere (Coventry City, England), Gregory Leigh (Oxford United, England), Dexter Lembikisa (on loan at Lincoln City from Wolverhampton Wanderers, England), Damion Lowe (Houston Dynamo, USA), Ethan Pinnock (Brentford, England)
Midfielders | Karoy Anderson (Charlton Athletic, England), Jahshaun Anglin (Harbour View FC, Jamaica), Ian Fray (Inter Miami, USA), Isaac Hayden (on loan at Portsmouth from Newcastle United), Kasey Palmer (Hull City, England), Jon Russell (Barnsley Town, England)
Strikers | Rumarn Burrell (QPR, England), Bailey-Tye Cadamarteri (Sheffield Wednesday, England), Tyreece Campbell (Charlton Athletic, England), Renaldo Cephas (Ankaragücü, Turkey), Bobby Decordova-Reid (Leicester City, England), Kaheim Dixon (Crawley Town, England), Demarai Gray (Birmingham City, England), Shamar Nicholson (Tijuana, Mexico), Seymour Reid (New York City FC, USA)
CONCACAF GROUP A
1. Suriname 4pts (+1 goal difference)
2. El Salvador 3pts (0)
3. Panama 2pts (0)
4. Guatemala 1pt (-1)
CONCACAF GROUP B
1. JAMAICA 6pts (+6 goal difference)
2. Curacao 4pts (+1)
3. Trinidad & Tobago 1pt (-2)
4. Bermuda 0pts (-5)
CONCACAF GROUP C
1. Honduras 4pts (+2 goal difference)
2. Costa Rica 2pts (0)
3. Haiti 2pts (0)
4. Nicaragua 1pt (-2)
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