MONTERREY, Mexico — It was joy unconfined for American-born Satara Murray as she tried hard to contain her emotions after world governing body Fifa finally cleared her to represent Jamaica in an official tournament.

The 29-year-old, who was born in New York and raised in Texas to a Jamaican father, played against Costa Rica last October in an international friendly but has been waiting anxiously since the start of the Concacaf Women’s Championship to get the go-ahead to lace up.

Murray told the Jamaica Observer that last night she went to bed with it on her mind and, although hopeful, was prepared for the worst.

“Honestly, it is funny that you ask that. I am rooming with Chinyelu [Asher] and I was telling her that ‘I am gonna wake up with no expectations’ because [of the experience with] getting ready for the Mexico game and thinking that I was starting and going to play the game, only to find out four or five hours before kick-off that I wasn’t eligible,” she pointed out.

Murray continued: “It sucks and it hurts so much so yesterday I was like, ‘I will go [to] training and if it happens, it happens’, and I will be there to support them.

“But then I woke up this morning and got that text that I was cleared. I was like ‘Let’s go, let’s go!’ ” Murray recalled with a broad smile. “I feel relieved, that’s what I feel — as if a weight has been lifted off my shoulder,” shared Murray as she pranced away to the elevator with her arms raised in triumph.

“But I think I was at peace with it from like Friday. I had a couple of notes to expect it and now that I am cleared, I am ready to go. I am ready to fly,” she said.

“My dad is Jamaican — born and raised in Kingston — and the reason why I decided to play for Jamaica is because I didn’t really grow up with my dad and I was never really close to him, and I was hoping playing for Jamaica would help with that link and help me get to connect to my roots and that side of the family,” she explained.

“But I know my dad is proud of me and I am proud that I can make him proud — and that’s the best thing that can happen to me,” she elaborated.

Now representing the two-year-old National Women’s Soccer League franchise Racing Louisville FC, Murray brings to the Reggae Girlz team a wealth of experience having played for Liverpool and Bristol City in England. She also played for Kolbotn in Norway and US clubs Houston Dash and FC Austin Elite.

When quizzed as to what she believes she brings to the Jamaican team, she said: “Leadership.

“I am hoping that me leading by example vocally will help us tonight [Monday night] and my physical presence because Haiti themselves is a physical team and that’s one of my attributes,” she explained.

“I am physical. I am strong. I am athletic and I am quick and I am very good one [on] one, so I am hoping that those qualities I can bring tonight and we get that win and qualify for the World Cup,” she added.

Murray claims that plying her trade in England has helped tremendously in the overall growth of her game.

“I think, especially, playing for Liverpool and being out there for four years and then going back and playing for Bristol for another year, spending most of my professional career in England, has helped me out tremendously in terms of the technical/tactical side of the game,” she opined.

“There are certain things I learned over there in England that perhaps [I] couldn’t learn immediately out of college — and that’s what I am hoping will transfer on the international stage,” Murray added.