“We won the World Cup today, anything else is a bonus,” says former Reggae Boyz World Cup hero and Coach Theodore Whitmore as he joined in Wednesday’s celebration of the national senior women’s team’s advancing to the Round of 16 in the ongoing FIFA Women’s World Cup in Australia and New Zealand.

Whitmore said the Reggae Girlz’s historic achievement came despite “the many challenges” they had to overcome on their way to the World Cup.

Jamaica held former finalists Brazil to a 0-0 draw in their final first-round game on Wednesday and finished second in Group F on five points and joined winners France in advancing to the second round as the South Americans failed to get past the first round for the first time.

Jamaica had drawn 0-0 with France in their first game before edging fellow Concacaf team Panama 1-0 in their second game to become the first Caribbean team to get past the first round.

“Amazing performance through the group stage,” Whitmore told the Jamaica Observer. “A proud moment in Jamaica’s football history with the achievement of what the girls have done so far, for me they have just won the World Cup, despite the many challenges they face going into the tournament,” he said.

Whitmore, who scored both goals in the Reggae Boyz 2-1 win over Japan in their lone trip to the FIFA men’s showcase in France in 1998, said: “They were not daunted and showed that we little but tallawah. Congrats in order to the players, the technical team, the supporting staff, and Cedella Marley, who contributed significantly in believing in the woman’s programme, and what better day to do it than the day after Emancipation.”

Gregory Daley, president of the St James FA and chairman of the Jamaica Football Federation’s Competitions Committee, said the team’s qualification was “a great feeling”.

“It’s definitely a history-making moment, one that will be in the forefront of our minds and talked about for a long time. All Jamaicans should be proud of the Girlz. They have again proved to us as Jamaicans that if we unite and work together, the sky is the limit,” he said.

Daley appealed for unity behind the team. “Let us work together for a common goal, and football will always win. Let us do the same in our daily lives, and we will see a major reduction in crime and violence. Amidst all the negatives, whether truth or perceived. Let us rally behind these girls, they have constantly made us proud.”

Everton Tomlinson of the Westmoreland FA said he was “overwhelmed and overjoyed” at the Girlz’s success and said he had seen first-hand “the sacrifices that had to be made for them to get this far”.

Tomlinson, who has been part of several women’s team delegations, said: “They have made us very proud and we hope they can continue past this next round.”

He added that he hoped this run in the World Cup will attract young ladies to start playing the game and to ensure the continued success of the team.