Jamaican leaders and personalities celebrated their national team’s historic success at the Women’s World Cup in Australia and New Zealand. “This is undoubtedly the proudest moment in Jamaica’s football history to date,” Culture and Sport Minister Olivia Grange wrote on social media. The “Reggae Girlz” became the first team from the Caribbean to reach the knockout stages of a World Cup on Wednesday, beating Brazil 0-0.
“Historical!” tweeted Prime Minister Andrew Holness, among others. Ex-sprint star Usain Bolt also congratulated the team around Manchester City striker Khadija “Bunny” Shaw via the short message service.
Team in chronic cash distress
Cedella Marley, daughter of reggae legend Bob Marley, posted photos of herself crying with joy on Facebook. “So proud. Played three games. Not a single goal allowed,” wrote the musician. She also quoted a famous saying from her father: “#footballist freedom”.
Cedella Marley is an ambassador for her home country’s women’s national soccer team and has been supporting it financially for several years through the Bob Marley Foundation, after the team was dissolved due to insufficient funding.
World Cup trip only after fundraiser
Shortly before their second World Cup participation, the “Reggae Girlz” had complained in an open letter to the Jamaican football association JFF in mid-June about shortcomings in “planning, transport, accommodation, training conditions, compensation, communication, nutrition and accessibility to suitable resources”.
To cover the cost of the trip to Australia, midfielder Havana Solaun’s mother ran an online crowdfunding campaign that has so far raised just over half of the $100,000 target.
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