Women’s World Cup: Jamaica first Caribbean nation to play in tourney –- thanks to Bob Marley’s daughter
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}The women’s national soccer team from Jamaica is making history this weekend when it hits the field to stir it up against Brazil at the FIFA Women’s World Cup in France.
The ladies – known as the “Reggae Girlz” – are the first squad from a Caribbean nation to qualify for the women’s tournament, and only the second time a team from the small island nation has qualified for either the men or women’s competition.
It’s a dream that almost didn’t happen had Bob Marley’s daughter not decided to get up, stand up.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}FULL COVERAGE OF THE WOMEN'S WORLD CUP
The Jamaica Football Federation had cut the senior women’s program in 2010 due to lack of funding, forcing them out of the qualifiers for the 2011 Women’s World Cup. But no women, no cry -- it was only a temporary setback.
In April 2014, Cedella Marley, the eldest daughter of music legend Bob Marley, became the ambassador for the Jamaican women's national soccer team. (Photo by Henry S. Dziekan III/Getty Images for Barneys New York)
Three years later, Marley’s grandson brought home a flier asking for donations for the Jamaican national team. That piece of paper angered Cedella Marley, the eldest daughter of the music legend.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}She made some calls, and she grew angrier.
“People were saying no to [the women], and it was for no reason,” she told ESPN in a story published Tuesday. “The more I got involved, the angrier I got.”
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{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}The now 51-year-old decided to work to fix the situation and in April 2014, she was named the team’s official ambassador. She spearheaded fundraising efforts and using her pull – as a top executive for her father’s record label, Tuff Gong – she got people interested.
When asked if she was surprised to hear about the decision to cut the women’s team, Cedella told ESPN: “Coming from Jamaica? Not really.”
“I think they would like to see girls in bathing suits and tennis skirts versus cleats and soccer gear,” she added.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Just a handful of years ago, Jamaica didn’t even have a women’s national team. The Reggae Girlz, as they’re known, are also the first Caribbean team to qualify for the Women’s World Cup, which opens June 7 in France. (AP Photo/Richard W. Rodriguez, File)
According to ESPN, Cedella also put her own money into the pot, launching an Indie-gogo campaign and releasing the song “Strike Hard,” with her brothers, Stephen and Damian, while at the same time challenging stifling gender norms.
The journey to France this summer was not an easy one and it was a multi-stage process that seemed to have more downs than ups -- in 2016 the federation cut their funding again.
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{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}However, the Reggae Girlz did not give up and eventually kept winning elimination games and defying the odds, making shot after shot on goal (but there were no shots on the deputy).
Back in October, at the 2019 CONCACAF Women’s Championship, they beat Jamaica for third place against Panama in penalty kicks to secure its first-ever spot at the 2019 FIFA Women’s World Cup.
Cedella, who watched the game from her garage, called the win an “out-of-body experience.”
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}“It’s a choice that the girls have made to play,” she said. “And we should give them an even field to go out and kick the ball around.”
She added: “Football is freedom. That’s a quote from Bob Marley.”
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{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Jamaica’s opening game is against Brazil on June 9. Their group stage games include matches against Italy on June 14 and Australia on June 18.
All games can be watched live on FOX, FS1 and the Fox Sports app.