Blake wants World Cup berth more than anything
Published:Tuesday | October 14, 2025 | 12:09 AMGregory Bryce/Staff Reporter
REGGAE BOYZ Captain Andre Blake said he is ready to do “whatever it takes” to lead Jamaica to their second-ever World Cup appearance.
Blake was first called up to the national team in 2010 and made his international debut in 2014, becoming a mainstay in the national programme.
The goalkeeper has since made 89 appearances for the Reggae Boyz and was named team captain in 2017.
Blake won the Caribbean Cup in 2014; finished runner-up in 2017; was back-to-back to Concacaf Gold Cup runner-up in 2015 and 2017; and claimed the bronze medal in the 2023-24 Concacaf Nations League.
Now with the tag as the longest-serving active player, Blake said he is ready to lead the team to the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
Jamaica’s only appearance at the global competition came in 1998 in France.
“All I want right now is to do whatever I can to make my teammates proud, to make my nation proud, to make the fans proud, because I think Jamaica deserves this,” he said.
“I’m not just doing this for myself, I’m doing it for my teammates and doing [it] for my country. The goal at hand is to qualify and I’ll do everything that I can, and I’m pretty sure all my teammates will do the same.”
He added, “We’re going to go for it because we think the country deserves it.”
However, there is still a lot of work to be done if Blake’s ambitions are to be realised, following a shock 0-2 defeat to Curacao last week.
Jamaica sit second in Group B on six points behind Curacao, who lead the way with seven.
With only the group winners set to achieve automatic qualification to the World Cup, Blake said the team knows what needs to be done to advance.
Jamaica will face Bermuda today at the National Stadium at 7 p.m., with hopes of returning to winning ways.
In the last meeting between the two, Jamaica thumped Bermuda 4-0.
Also in Group B action, leaders Curacao will play hosts to Trinidad at the Ergilio Hato Stadium, with match time set for 6 p.m.
In their earlier meeting, the two teams played out a scoreless draw.