Dancehall legends Bounty Killer and Baby Cham join Cedella Marley in congratulating Jamaica’s Reggae Girlz for qualifying for the women’s World Cup.
In what was nothing short of a spectacular showing of grit and tenacity, the Reggae Girlz, led by caption Khadija Bunny Shaw defeated Haiti in a 4-0 game to advance to the 2023 Women’s FIFA World Cup in Australia and New Zealand.
Baby Cham, who is a former footballer, shared a video after the impressive game, writing, “OUR REGGAE GIRLS DID IT!! #worldcup Everyone Please Help Me to Send A BIG CONGRATULATIONS To Our Girls… Qualifying For Their Second Straight World Cup.”
Bounty Killer also shared his reaction, writing, “What’s your Stance I stand with country DEFENDING JAMAICA WATCH NITTY KUTCHIE FESTIVAL SONG A MASH UP THE PLACE…UP TOWN MONDAY’S MASH UP.”
Bounty Killer shared in another post, “Congrats to our Reggae Girls on qualifying for the World Cup.”
Cedella Marley, who is an ambassador for the Reggae Girlz team and who spearheaded a campaign to revive the program over a decade ago, also congratulated the girls on their accomplishments.
“THEY DID IT FIFA Women’s World Cup here we come To my Girlz – your resilience, strength, and teamwork blows me anyway every time… I am so proud the entire country is so proud some said neva but neva dun come,” Cedella wrote.
Cedella Marley, who is Bob Marley’s eldest child, almost single-handedly revived the Jamaica Women’s Football program after the team was axed by the Jamaica Football Federation in 2010. After approaching the JFF to help revive the team, she became an ambassador who helped raise funds and build brand awareness to attract corporate sponsorship.
Despite facing challenges in attracting funding, Cedella, with the help of her brothers Damian and Stephen Marley, were able to lead a crowdfunding campaign to kickstart the program. Damian and Stephen also recorded the theme song, “Strike Hard,” for the Reggae Girlz. The trio helped raise US$50,000 ahead of the 2015 FIFA World Cup. The Reggae Girlz went on to qualify for the 2019 World Cup and now the 2023 World Cup making it back-to-back qualification.
In a message posted on her Instagram Story, team captain Khadija Shaw lauded Cedella Marley for believing in the.
“When they were quick to scrap the senior woman’s program, again you said otherwise,” Shaw wrote. “Now look at us few years later going back to back World Cup. Despite the disrespect and the amount of backlash you have received, you always put us first and for that we are grateful. Thank you for giving us a chance and the opportunity.”
Jamaica’s Minister of Culture, Gender, Entertainment and Sport, Hon. Olivia “Babsy” Grange also shared a message for the team.
“As Minister of Sports it is with great pleasure that I on behalf of the people of Jamaica extend congratulations to our National senior women’s football team who tonight qualified for a second straight world cup finals,” Grange wrote. “Our #ReggaeGirlz did it the hard way, their backs were against the wall in a high stakes must win game but they did it. The best of Jamaica was on show in Monterrey Mexico in this fantastic 4-nil win over Haiti.”
“Congratulations are also in order for the coaching staff, ambassador of womens football Cedella Marley, the JFF and everyone who played a part in this history making achievement,” she added. “Once again the true grit, determination and never say die attitide which we have become known for, came to the fore once again. A proud country salutes you.”
