Messi the spark for Reggae Boyz flame?

NEWLY APPOINTED JFF Ambassador Tanya Lee Perkins, the driving force behind the Reggae Boyz’s sponsorship efforts in 2025, believes Lionel Messi’s visit to Jamaica has sparked momentum for the country’s football beyond the dedicated fans.

“The aura and euphoria surrounding Messi’s presence in Jamaica are transformative,” Lee Perkins declared.

“Even those who aren’t diehard fans would have felt the excitement, and that heightened interest will only fuel Jamaica’s appetite for the sport. We had over 25,000 in attendance for the Boyz vs USA in November last year, and we want to see packed stands at Sabina Park for Jamaica vs St Vincent on March 25.”

While Messi took centre stage, Lee Perkins emphasised that the event was a victory beyond the scoreboard – one that benefited Jamaican football and the country’s global brand, which had the rare opportunity to host arguably football’s greatest player.

“We will carry this momentum into the Jamaica vs St Vincent Gold Cup preliminaries, with the first leg on March 21 in St Vincent and the return leg at Sabina Park on March 25 at 7 p.m.,” she said.

“Let’s continue backing our Boyz! We made two consecutive Gold Cup finals in 2015 and 2017 and were semifinalists in 2019 and again in the last edition in 2023. As always, we are confident our Boyz can take it all the way.”

As Jamaica sets its sights on the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualification campaign in June, Lee Perkins is rallying sponsors and fans to keep the momentum alive, ensuring the team has the sponsorship boost.

“Football isn’t just a sport – it’s a reflection of Jamaica’s culture, resilience and excellence on the world stage,” she said.

“Now is the time for all of us – fans and corporate Jamaica – to keep this momentum going and push our Boyz to even greater success.”

“Sabina Park awaits on March 25 – let’s make our Boyz feel the home advantage!”