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Ricketts hopeful Boyz will qualify for World Cup
November 17, 2025
JAMAICA FOOTBALL Federation (JFF) President Michael Ricketts says the Reggae Boyz are fully prepared to knock off Curacao on Tuesday night and deliver the country's long-awaited return to the FIFA World Cup.
The crucial Concacaf final-round Group B showdown kicks off at 8 p.m. at the National Stadium, with the Jamaicans second on 10 points, needing to defeat group leaders Curacao (11 points) to secure automatic qualification for what would be just their second senior men's World Cup qualification, having done so in 1997 for the 1998 edition in France.
When the teams last met on October 10, the Reggae Boyz went down 2-0 Curacao, but Ricketts insists that setback is now firmly in the past.
"We are really very hopeful because we really want to do this for Jamaica, especially giving western Jamaica something to smile about," Ricketts said, referencing the devastation caused by Category 5 Hurricane Melissa, which hit the island three weeks ago.
"We have to win this game and everybody would understand that by now, all the players, the staff members and coaches."
RIGHT CHEMISTRY
Ricketts pointed out that the squad is mentally ready and focused because everyone is well aware of the task at hand.
"We are prepared mentally and so we just need to get the chemistry right," he said. "And of course, we really want to ask Jamaicans, those who can, to really come out and give us the support. We need the 12th man in the stands."
Ricketts highlighted that the players were inspired by the passionate crowd they saw in Trinidad last Friday where the Reggae Boyz played out a 1-1 draw with the host team and he wants to feel that same energy at home on Tuesday.
"In Trinidad, the stands were full and red," he said. "We need to give some support to the team because we want to do this for Jamaica and especially the displaced Jamaicans out west."
HUMBLE AND RESERVED
While cautious not to sound overconfident, Ricketts noted that the Reggae Boyz have what it takes to secure all three points in this encounter.
"I am not going to say that we are very confident, but we want to do well and we intend to do well," he said. "We don't want to be cocky, we still want to be humble and reserved, but we really want to do very well for our country."
Ricketts also underscored that the national side has the superior squad on paper, but execution will determine the outcome.
"They are a good team, but man to man, I think we are superior," he said. "We just need to execute on the day and once we do this, I am pretty sure that we would come out on top."
The JFF boss pointed to statistics from last month's loss as evidence that the team is capable of turning things around.
"If you look at the game that we lost 2-0 to them in Curacao and compare the stats, we took 17 shots compared to their seven," Ricketts said.
"We got four corners and they got zero, so that gives an indication of how we played. We never managed the finishing very well and I think we were a little unfortunate in that area.
"We are trying to get to our second senior men's World Cup," he said. "We want to go out there and give it our best shot because of the social impact a victory and a World Cup will have on the psyche of every single Jamaican."
