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Jamaica Football Federation photo by Rodriguez79 –

10 Best Jamaican Football (Soccer) Players

The Jamaican Football Federation was established in 1910, however, soccer in Jamaica has been played since 1893. Jamaica didn’t try to qualify for a FIFA World Cup until 1965 after the nation declared its independence.

Soccer was introduced to the island by British colonialists, and it has since become a popular sport in the Caribbean. Soccer is a pretty common sport to see boys playing on the streets, and even the legendary reggae singer Bob Marley was a huge fan.

Players from Jamaica are renowned for their strength and athleticism on the ball. The Jamaican men’s national team has a long and illustrious history of generating elite international talent, but since the Reggae Boyz qualified for the 1998 World Cup, supporters have been waiting for their team to win an international championship.

Jamaica will not be present at the 2022 FIFA world cup. The Canadian men鈥檚 national team qualified for the FIFA World Cup at the expense of Jamaica whom they defeated 4-0 at a sold-out BMO Field in Toronto to officially punch their ticket to Qatar 2022. 

Regardless, the nation has produced some of the finest talents in the football scene. Here are the top 10 best Jamaican football players.

1. Luton Shelton

Luton Shelton GS Kar艧谋s谋nda photo by Ultraslansi –

Luton Shelton, who played in three CONCACAF Gold Cups and scored 35 goals in 75 appearances for the Reggae Boyz, is the nation’s all-time leading scorer.  Shelton won 6 championships at the club and national team levels while scoring 85 goals in over 200 professional games across several different nations.

Shelton, who was only 35 years old, sadly had ALS and died from the disease’s effects in January 2021. In addition, he is the only male football player to have scored four goals in a single international appearance (2004).

Shelton started his career in Harbour View’s youth system after graduating from Wolmer’s Schools.

He was a member of the championship teams in the 2006 Svenska Cupen and the 2008 Norwegian Cup throughout his international club career. He also played in the United Kingdom, Denmark, Turkey, and Russia.

2. Theodore Whitmore

Theodore Whitmore made his national team debut in 1993 and went on to earn 105 caps with 24 goals. He went on to represent Jamaica for many years, becoming an important member of the National squad.

He is best remembered for scoring the two goals that gave Jamaica their lone World Cup victory in 1998. In 1998, he was named Caribbean Footballer of the Year.

He has also played for several English clubs and is the former manager of the Jamaican National Football team.

3. Ian Goodison

Ian Goodison. Image cropped from the original at Flickr. –

Ian De Souza Goodison is a retired professional footballer from Jamaica who played as a defender. He spent the majority of his career with Tranmere Rovers in England.

For 128 games, Ian Goodison was a rock at the back for the Reggae Boyz, scoring 10 goals. Goodison has the most caps for Jamaica.  Goodison made his Jamaica national team debut in a friendly match against Guatemala in March 1996, scoring his first international goal.

Goodison was chosen to Jamaica manager Theo Whitmore’s 23-man squad for the 2011 Gold Cup in the United States, however, he was later withdrawn for failing to report for pre-tournament training in Brazil.

He currently holds the record for most appearances for the nation with 120, and he has also scored 10 goals. 45 of those contests took place during the 1998 competition and FIFA World Cup qualification.

4. Ricardo Gardner

Affectionately known as 鈥淏ibi Gardner鈥�, Ricardo Gardner was known as a menace on the left wing, playing in defence and offence. He had a long career for Bolton Wanderers and earned 111 caps for Jamaica playing for Jamaica at the world cup level as well as the CONCACAF GOLD CUP. 

鈥淏ibi Gardner鈥� started his career at the early age of 14 for the Harbour View team in Kingston. He was made captain of the National team from 2005 to 2009 for which years he played at the club level for Bolton Wanderers team in the English Premier League.

He is currently coaching football professionally after retiring from the sport.

5. Leon Bailey

Leon Bailey, Jamaican soccer player photo by Fuguito –

One of the top young footballers in the world right now is Leon Patrick Bailey.

He presently plays for both the Jamaican national team and premier league club Aston Villa. After a very long wait, Bailey recently participated in a few events on behalf of Jamaica, most notably the Gold Cup. Before that, Bailey played for Bayern Leverkusen.

The quick winger has made a name for himself in Europe and has only received 8 Jamaican caps. On September 6, 2019, in a CONCACAF Nations League match against Antigua and Barbuda, Bailey scored his first goal for Jamaica. It was the fifth goal in a 6-0 victory.

6. Shamar Nicholson

Shamar Nicholson photo by Anton Zaitsev –

Shamar Amaro Nicholson is a Jamaican professional footballer who currently plays as a forward for Spartak Moscow in the Russian Premier League and for the Jamaica national team. Nicholson represented Jamaica in the 2015 CONCACAF U-20 Championship.

In February 2017, he made his senior national team debut. On June 5, 2019, Nicholson scored his first goal for Jamaica in a friendly against the United States.

7. Bobby Decordova-Reid

Bobby Decordova-Reid September 2018 photo by @cfcunofficial (Chelsea Debs) London –

Professional footballer Bobby Armani Decordova-Reid represents the Premier League team Fulham as a forward. He represents the Jamaican national team and was born in England.

Reid was given the go-ahead in June 2019 to participate in the CONCACAF Gold Cup for the Jamaican national team. He received a formal call-up in August for CONCACAF Nations League games against Guyana and Antigua & Barbuda.  On September 6, he played against Barbuda and scored in a 6-0 triumph.

8. Michail Antonio

The photo shows Michail Antonio (West Ham United). photo by –Steindy (talk) –

Michail Gregory Antonio is a forward who competes for the Jamaican national team and Premier League club West Ham United He became West Ham United’s all-time leading Premier League scorer on August 23, 2021.

Throughout his time at West Ham, Antonio has received praise for his versatility as a player. During his time with the club, Antonio has played defence, right midfielder, winger, and striker.  However, Antonio stated in 2016 that the wing was the favoured position.

9. Jamal Lowe

Jamal Akua Lowe is a professional footballer who plays as a forward for AFC Bournemouth in the Premier League and the Jamaican national team.

Lowe was born in England and represented the England C team before making his full international debut for Jamaica in 2021.

Lowe received his first call-up to the Jamaica national team in March 2021. This was part of the Jamaican Football Federation’s effort to target several English-born players for call-ups to strengthen Jamaica’s prospects of qualifying for the 2022 World Cup.

Lowe made his debut on March 25, 2021, scoring his first goal in a 4-1 loss to the United States. While playing non-league football, Lowe worked as a PE teacher. Nicke Kabamba and Junior Morias are his pals.

10. Wes Morgan

Wes Morgan Warming up vs Leaminton Spa photo by paul langley –

Westley Nathan Morgan is a former professional footballer who made over 750 professional appearances as a defender for Nottingham Forest, Leicester City and the Jamaican national team.

The hefty centre-back was recognized for his formidable aerial presence as well as his great calmness under pressure – an important asset for a top-flight defender. That is why he was instrumental in Leicester’s resurgence, helping them climb back up the lower levels and into the top flight.

As captain, he kept The Foxes motivated, overcoming a relegation battle to become the inspiring captain during Leicester’s fairytale 2015/2016 title-winning season. Morgan became the first Jamaican player to win the Premier League. It was a fitting reward for someone who had persevered through the lows to achieve the ultimate high.

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