After experiencing heartbreak brought on by deadly Hurricane Melissa, Jamaica’s Reggae Boyz defender Richard King is eyeing a successful end to 2025 for both club and country. He aims to win his first title in Scottish football and to help Jamaica qualify for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

King and his top-flight club St Mirren recorded a 4-1 win over Motherwell in the Scottish League Cup semi-final on Saturday to set up a clash with giants Celtic in next month’s final.

St Mirren led 2-0 after 40 minutes but Motherwell planned a comeback after pulling one back in the 83rd minute. However, substitute King made the win safe as he restored his club’s two-goal lead, scoring in the 86th minute to register his second goal of the tournament.

Clarendon-born King says scoring meant the world after witnessing the devastation caused by Hurricane Melissa.

“I dedicate that goal to the people back home,” he said. “A lot of people lost their lives [because of] the hurricane. It was a special feeling for me to score and win.”

“My family are okay because they are away from where most of the damage is. It’s heartbreaking for the people back home. I just couldn’t watch the images, I couldn’t watch it — heartbreaking. Everyone is getting together trying to fix it and hopefully we can make the country better.”

King says he, along with his Reggae Boyz teammates, intend to play their part in the recovery efforts.

“We will definitely try and raise funds and do whatever we have to do. Anything at all that we can do, we will.”

The 23-year-old also intends to bring joy to the island with World Cup qualification. The national senior men’s team, who lead Group B in the final round of Concacaf World Cup Qualifying, can seal their spot to football’s premier showpiece for the first time since 1998 when they face Trinidad and Tobago away on November 13 and host Curacao at the National Stadium on November 18.

King, who has 36 senior caps for the Jamaica, believes qualification would be a special achievement for the country, particularly considering its recent challenges.

“We still have a good chance of getting to the World Cup and that would mean a lot to me and the nation as well. It would be our second World Cup; our last one was in 1998 in France, so it would be special. What a great story it would mean for me if we could get there,” he said.

“It would mean so much for the country, too, if we got there after everything that we are going through right now. That’s the thing that is going to drive us too — we want to do it for them and get a little redemption for them.”

The Reggae Boyz sit top of the group with nine points, one ahead of second-placed Curacao while Trinidad trail by four points. Bermuda are out of contention as they remain bottom on four points.

Only the group winner automatically qualifies for the World Cup while second place could potentially battle for a spot in the inter-confederation play-offs.

KING… we will definitely try and raise funds and do whatever we have to do (Photo: JFF)

Richard King parades the Jamaican flag following St Mirren’s 4-1 win over Motherwell in the Scottish League Cup semi-final match on Saturday.

Jamaica’s Reggae Boyz defender Richard King (left) celebrates with St Mirren teammate Mikael Mandron after scoring the club’s third goal in the 4-1 win over Motherwell in the Scottish League Cup semi-final match on Saturday.

Richard King parades the Jamaican flag after St Mirren’s 4-1 win over Motherwell in the Scottish League Cup semi-final match on Saturday.

Jamaica’s Reggae Boyz defender Richard King (left) celebrates with St Mirren teammate Mikael Mandron after scoring the club’s third goal in the 4-1 win over Motherwell in the Scottish League Cup semi-final match on Saturday.