Prior to 2022, the thought of Mason Greenwood, one of the world’s best talents, playing for the Reggae Boyz would have come with thrill and excitement for many. However, the feelings surrounding a potential Jamaica call-up are no longer as straightforward.

English-born Greenwood, who is eligible to play for Jamaica because of his parents, returned to competitive football last month with top-flight Spanish club Getafe after being suspended for over a year by Premier League giants Manchester United. This, after he was arrested on suspicion of a number of offences including attempted rape and assault.

Despite charges being dropped in February this year by the United Kingdom’s Crown Prosecution Services which cited the withdrawal of key witnesses, Manchester United, after a lengthy investigation process, decided to move on from Greenwood in August. The club had held several discussions with various stakeholders including their women’s team.

Greenwood, who scored 35 goals for United, has yet to score for 11th-placed Getafe in his four La Liga appearances but has registered an assist while gaining some plaudits for his performances so far. Last month, reports surfaced that the 22-year-old forward could represent the Reggae Boyz with England unlikely to call him up given his history. He was even seen wearing Jamaica’s away kit in a private training session in the summer.

President of the Jamaica Football Federation (JFF) Michael Ricketts told the Jamaica Observer in August that Greenwood was a major target.

“He is an excellent player and he would certainly add a lot of quality to the Reggae Boyz team. He is available, but we have not made any contact … But there could very well be the possibility [of Greenwood joining],” said Ricketts.

It is believed that some of the current national players would welcome Greenwood into the team.

“I would have no issues with Mason playing as all the charges were dropped and he’s a free man. It would be good if Jamaica could get more quality players like him to help the team move forward in the near future,” a player, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said.

That sentiment, though, isn’t shared by everyone. Speaking to the Observer, one former JFF board director who chose not to be named said he would be very uncomfortable if Greenwood were to be called up. Another former member of the JFF executive, who also opted for anonymity, said Greenwood wouldn’t be worth the ‘baggage’, saying other players should be looked at.

Former JFF Director of Marketing and Business Development Sophia Harris, who also sits on the Private Sector Organisation of Jamaica (PSOJ) Gender and Disabilities Affairs Committee, has also expressed concern and said the local football governing body should take note of public sentiment which could be detrimental to its image.

“They should proceed with caution and handle it with kid gloves, with a high level of sensitivity to the public’s perception that they have not given him a clean slate, a green light or fully bought into his innocence, and he may have some work to do to clean his brand and his reputation up.

“Until that’s done, they may face some backlash for bringing him onboard. What they should do if they continue and proceed with bringing him onboard, they need to be sensitive to the very valid perceptions of their female football players who may have an issue, female fans and fans in general, not only in Jamaica but across the world, that may not be so easy to brush this under the rug,” she said.

Harris, who is also the chief executive officer of Lau Global Consulting, says the federation could lose current and future sponsorships.

“All sponsorship contracts come with code of ethics and behavioural clauses where, if they are breached, they breach the entire contract. Therefore, it shows the priority brands place on whom and what they align themselves with and this could indeed end up costing them not just fan support but sponsorship support and strategic partnership brand alliances if public sentiment remains the same or worsens for Greenwood,” she explained.

Executive director of Jamaicans for Justice Mikel Jackson refused to comment on the matter.

When contacted The University of the West Indies’ Institute for Gender and Development Studies department also declined comment.

But gender and development specialist Dr Nadeen Spence issued a warning to the Ricketts-led federation.

“The matter is a complicated one, but I think the JFF would perhaps stay away from this one,” she said. “Even after the court system dismissed the case, his football club continued to do its own investigation and took its own action. It’s a problematic situation and I would advise the JFF to tread carefully with this particular matter,” she said.

Harris also believes the JFF should strongly consider the views of their supporters.

“When you talk about revenue, growth, commercialisation and monetisation of sports, the key stakeholders are your fans because if they don’t pay the money, provide the eyeballs and the ratings for the networks, you won’t be able to sell broadcast rights, raise sponsorship money or generate revenue from your games. Because, ultimately, when the fans speak the sponsors speak.”

The feeling amongst the women’s team is unknown at this stage as a source within the team didn’t want to comment due to the sensitive nature of the matter.

The Observer also spoke to a fan of both the Reggae Boyz and Reggae Girlz teams of nearly three decades who claimed to have spent thousands of dollars on home matches: “I don’t have a problem with him as a player. However, things he has done in his personal life will be the highlight of anything he does. I can watch him as a professional but there will always be a shadow surrounding him because of his actions.”

The Reggae Boyz are looking to take part in the 2026 edition of the FIFA World Cup in the United States, Canada and Mexico. With qualification set for next year, Greenwood’s inclusion would certainly put the team under the microscope for a plethora of reasons.