In 2014, the Jamaican women’s national team was on the verge of disbanding. Then Bob Marley’s daughter Cedella Marley helped save the Reggae Girlz. This summer, they’ll be playing in the Women’s World Cup.
Four years before the Reggae Girlz became the first Caribbean nation to qualify for a Women’s World Cup with a shootout win over Panama, women’s football in Jamaica was in shambles. Fortunately, Cedella Marley stepped in to help save the team, putting it on the path to never-before-seen heights.
Marley helped the Reggae Girlz obtain corporate sponsors to keep the team afloat. She aided an Indigogo campaign to raise $50,000 for “coaching, housing, proper nutrition and proper training.” Marley matched each dollar with $100 of her own money and eventually helped Jamaica become relevant on the world stage.
Bob Marley was a well-known soccer fan (and player) and has many links to the game to this day, particularly in Amsterdam.
“Football was like second nature in our house; if he wasn’t singing, he was probably playing football,” Cedella said of her father.
The above video from ESPN FC details Cedella Marley’s involvement in helping the Reggae Girlz, while also giving a look into who some of the Jamaican women’s national team are. A couple players you should familiarize yourself with include Khadija Shaw and Jody Brown, the latter of whom is 17.
Jamaica will prepare for the Women’s World Cup with friendlies against Panama and Scotland. The team was drawn into Group C with Brazil, Italy and Australia, starting with the South American champions on June 9. Check out our full Women’s World Cup schedule here, plus our complete guide on the entire 2019 tournament.
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