The future of striker Mason Greenwood in the Jamaican national team has created a wave of controversy in recent days.
Greenwood has a chance to attend the 2026 World Cup with Jamaica. Photo: Reuters .
Greenwood has a Jamaican passport and is eligible to play for his parents' home country. Jamaica Football Federation (JFF) president Michael Ricketts has even expressed his hope that Greenwood will be involved in the intercontinental play-off campaign in March 2026.
However, Greenwood's refusal to report to the national team in September, despite being ready on paper, has sparked a wave of strong reactions. Many Jamaican players believe that this action shows a lack of commitment, especially when Jamaica is very close to qualifying for the 2026 World Cup.
Isaac Hayden, the QPR midfielder who has 12 caps for Jamaica, stressed that allowing Greenwood to be included at the last minute was “unacceptable”.
“Even though I’ve only been with Jamaica for a year, I’ve given everything. I’ve played 12 games and people can see I’m fighting for my country,” Hayden said. “If you allow a player to come in just for the World Cup, it’s a farce. That says a lot about the player and the organisation.”
Greenwood was criticized by many Jamaican players.
Amari'i Bell, a defender with 29 caps for Jamaica, also criticised the hasty recall of Greenwood, saying many players had been through difficult times in Jamaican football and deserved respect.
“We cannot let people who have fought for many years lose their only chance to play in the World Cup just because of a spur-of-the-moment decision. That is really controversial,” Bell said.
Meanwhile, the England team also showed little interest in the opportunity to call up Greenwood. Coach Thomas Tuchel once affirmed that he "did not think of Greenwood" in the "Three Lions" plan.