With Jamaicans still reeling from the Reggae Boyz’s failure to automatically qualify for next year’s FIFA World Cup, sprint legend Usain Bolt has questioned the commitment of some players and isn’t overly hopeful of their chances going forward.

The nation was left disappointed following Jamaica’s goalless result against Curacao at the National Stadium last Tuesday which saw them miss out on booking an automatic spot at the 2026 tournament.

Jamaica, who led Group B for most of the way during the final phase of Concacaf World Cup Qualifiers, finished second on 11 points. Curacao, who ended on 12 points, qualified to the World Cup for the first time in their history.

Prior to the match, eight-time Olympic champion Bolt, along with former Reggae Boyz defender Ian “Pepe” Goodison, delivered a pre-match speech to players at the team hotel, imploring them to take the fixture seriously.

It wasn’t enough to get them the win required and Bolt said he was left shocked by the result.

“It was a stressful day, I must say,” he told content creator Russhaine “Dutty Berry” Berry. “As a sportsman, it’s hard to swallow that pill because I don’t feel like they really gave it their all. They didn’t leave everything out there on the field, all the players. So it really resonates in a bad way with me.”

Supporters were enraged last Wednesday as images of Dujuan “Whisper” Richards and Renaldo Cephas went viral after they were reportedly captured at a popular entertainment event in Kingston hours after the match.

The 100m, 200m and 4x100m world record holder believes their actions are proof of their lack of dedication to Jamaica which is in the midst of recovery from Hurricane Melissa’s devastation last month.

“Why would you [go to party]? There’s no way!” Bolt said. “That means they didn’t care; it didn’t affect you in any way that you missed a moment as the World Cup.”

“For a nation that’s actually going through it now, you know what it would have meant for the people, to have something to cheer about and to be happy about. And then after that [go partying], it’s like you don’t care. You could see it on the field, they didn’t play it with their heart. It’s just one of those things; as a sportsman, it’s really rough to watch.”

The Reggae Boyz still have a shot of qualifying at March’s inter-confederation play-offs in Mexico where they are set to face Oceania’s New Caledonia in the semi-finals. The winner will battle Africa’s DR Congo for a place in next summer’s tournament.

Bolt says he’s not optimistic of the team’s final chance at glory.

“If this was the easiest one and we make it slip away, me can’t deal with a next heartbreak. I’ll watch, but we can’t get deeply invested again,” he opined.

— Daniel Blake

Jamaica winger Dujuan Richards (left) takes on Curacao defender Sherel Floranus during the Concacaf World Cup Qualifier at the National Stadium on November 18, 2025. Photo: Garfield Robinson

Curacao defender Shurandy Sambo (left) challenges Jamaica’s Reggae Boyz winger Renaldo Cephas during the final- round Concacaf World Cup Qualifer at the National Stadium on November 18, 2025. Photo: Garfield Robinson