Watching the Under-20 Men’s World Cup being played in Poland on television has been particularly painful for Damani Osei.

A member of the Jamaican team that just failed to qualify for the global tournament, the American-born Reggae Boy still rues the missed opportunity, but is slowly moving beyond that moment to focus on the future.

Osei’s football journey with the Jamaican team began in August 2015 and has grown from strength to strength.

“The journey actually started in the US under coach Andrew Edwards who was in New York scouting some Jamaican-Americans. We went to New York and it was really stressful because it was my first time with the international players, and so I was nervous, but once I got on the field it all just went away,” Osei revealed.

“At the very end he (Edwards) had a list of players that he would invite to Jamaica later on and that was the most nerve-wracking part because my name wasn’t called until the very end. Once it was called, I felt very good about myself,” he explained.

After claiming his place in the squad it was on to the task of trying to qualify for the Fifa Under-17 World Cup.

“I went to Jamaica and we had World Cup qualifiers and that was just a big deal to me because I had never been in that kind of environment where I am competing for a World Cup, so it was a different mindset,” noted Osei.

The 18-year-old had a dream debut for Jamaica and still fondly remembers that round of World Cup qualification.

“We went to the US Virgin Islands where I scored on my debut for Jamaica. We went to Trinidad after. I was the only Jamaican to start and play every minute in the Trinidad games — five games over a period of 10 days and I was named the best left back in the Caribbean at that tournament, the Caribbean Football Union (CFU) round two.

“I don’t even live in the Caribbean and I am the best there; it’s pretty crazy. The moment when they read out the names on the loud speaker after the finals and when they said Damani Osei, left back, that was one of the best moments of my life and I felt so accomplished and proud of myself… it was one of the biggest moments of my life,” recalled, Osei.

The Concacaf Under-17 Championship in Panama would prove to be a bridge too far for Osei and his teammates.

“With that, we qualified for the next round in Panama City to try to get to the World Cup.

“Panama didn’t go as smoothly as we would have liked, but it was still a great experience. We got to play the US, the Mexicans, and El Salvador and we won one of the three games.”

The Portland Timber recruit says the team that just missed out on qualification for the FIFA Under-20 World Cup is the best he has been a part of so far, wearing the national colours of Jamaica.

“Now I am a part of the Under-20s and we just had a Concacaf tournament in (bradenton) Florida and that was one of the best teams I have ever played on for Jamaica. We tied Mexico 2-2 and they are currently at the World Cup as we speak and we were that close. One goal against Mexico… if we had won that game 3-2 we would be at the World Cup right now.

“Nonetheless, it was still a great tournament for us, we went undefeated. Just to go undefeated in a tournament means you should be going on to the next round, but that’s not how it was set up. The Mexicans went through on goal difference,” Osei resoned.

The next mission for Osei is Japan 2020 and he is confident that Jamaica has what it takes to finally participate in football at the Olympic Games.

“I think we have a very good chance to qualify for the Olympics because [of] the success we have had in recent tournaments. Once you can play Mexico, I believe you can play any team in the world, and Jamaica played extremely well in that game and with the right coaching staff, which we have, I think Jamaica is capable of making the Olympics for sure,” he noted.

Like anyone else who dreams of success in sports, the Santa Clara — bound left back has already visualised what it will be like in Tokyo.

“I have watched the Olympics since I was a little kid, being a part of that, going to Japan, it would be mind-blowing for me and I know for my family and of course for Jamaica as well. But like I said, you dream about this when you are a kid, you see all the different flags and countries at the opening ceremonies and I am already picturing it. If I’m there it would just be amazing for me.”

After two failed attempts at World Cup qualification, Osei will be going all out to make sure it is third time lucky if he makes the cut for a very, very competitive Olympic squad.

— Dwayne Richards