Caribbean dreaming.
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When Carlos Oliveira scored the winning goal for Cuba against Romania way back at the 1938 FIFA World Cup™ in France, he could scarcely have imagined that this would be the high point for Caribbean football for more than half a century.
In fact, it would be another 60 years before a team from the region tasted success again at the finals, courtesy of Jamaica's historic win over Japan, once more on French soil. However, to sum up the history of Caribbean football through just those two results would be to do the game there a great injustice. Throughout the tournament's history, football there has undergone a radical transformation, providing plenty of memorable stories and anecdotes along the way.
A heavyweight blocking the way.
During the 1930s, when football was enjoying something of a boom in Cuba, the island famous worldwide for its rum and cigars frequently went head-to-head with Mexico and USA, even occasionally eking out results against their illustrious rivals. In 1938, Cuba took advantage of Mexico's decision not to participate in the qualifiers for France, thereby claiming a berth at the finals.
With a squad full of amateur players, the islanders set sail for Europe, where they shocked the world by drawing 3-3 with Romania and then beating them 2-1 in a replay. Such was their delight with the victory that the Cubans failed to anticipate the threat posed by their next opponents, Sweden, who sent them packing with a crushing 8-0 defeat.
Despite this promising beginning, teams from the region found it increasingly difficult to try and emulate that feat. This was mainly due to the growing supremacy of Mexico, who began to dominate their regional rivals in FIFA World Cup qualifying tournaments. Cuba were effortlessly brushed aside in the qualifiers for Brazil 1950, and four years later a similar fate befell Haiti, who suffered four heavy defeats in their attempt to reach the finals in Switzerland.
In 1958 there were no Caribbean sides in the final qualifying round, but four years, in the race for Chile 1962, the region provided its strongest candidate for 25 years in the Netherlands Antilles. The combative side from Curacao caused more than a few scares for eventual qualifiers Mexico, not to mention Costa Rica, whom they famously beat 2-0 in Willemstad.
During their home tie against El Tricolor, the islanders employed a mixture of physical play and unconventional tactics, as the following report in the Mexican daily La Afición attests. "The men from Curacao sought to intimidate the Mexican players with their physical strength. Moreover, in the early exchanges, they tried to gain advantage from the state of the pitch, which was no more than dry earth.
"Whenever they began an attack, the Caribbean players collectively dragged their feet on the surface, kicking up immense dust clouds which, aided by the strong wind, almost blinded our players." In the end, Mexico were relieved to escape with a goalless draw, and their players' eyesight intact.
The trend continued in the subsequent qualifiers, with Jamaica missing out in 1966, then Haiti four years later after losing a three-game decider with El Salvador. However, the Haitians would make amends in 1974, when they finally ended the Caribbean's long absence from the FIFA World Cup finals. They qualified after a campaign full of surprises in which their nearest rivals turned out to be their neighbours, Trinidad and Tobago.
The final phase of qualifying took place in the Haitian capital Port-au-Prince, where the locals rallied behind their team like never before. The favourites, as ever, were Mexico, though they soon found themselves weakened by a series of strange occurrences. During the final phase the Tricolor struck the woodwork an amazing 14 times, saw many of their players suffer injuries and ailments, and lost their first-choice goalkeeper just before a before a key game after a glass broke on his hand.
The Mexican press claimed that voodoo was to blame for their misfortune, and such was the level of paranoia that the newspaper Excélsior published the prediction of a clairvoyant who claimed the Mexico players would be "massacred by a Caribbean mob during one of the Hexagonal games".
Some would argue that the prediction came true, with the "mob" in question being the Trinidad and Tobago side that "massacred" the Aztec team with fast-flowing football and precision finishing. Their historic 4-0 win put them on the brink of qualification, with only Haiti standing in their way. In the end though, it turned out to be one obstacle too many for T&T, who had four goals disallowed in a 2-1 defeat to the hosts. For Haiti and their delirious supporters, victory was all that mattered. They were on their way to Germany.
It was a different story in Europe, however, where Haiti would pay dearly for their inexperience. In their first game, against Italy, the Caribbean side got off to a promising start and even took the lead with a goal from star man Emmanuel Sanon. Unfortunately, they could not prevent the Azzurri from storming back for a 3-1 win, but still took plenty of credit from the game.
From then on, however, it was all downhill for the CONCACAF side. First, one of their players, Ernst Jean-Joseph, tested positive for doping and was expelled from the tournament. Then the team suffered two heavy defeats, 7-0 against Poland and 4-1 against Argentina, to ensure a first-round exit.
The heroic Reggae Boyz
Twenty-four years would pass before another team from the region graced the final stages of a FIFA World Cup. The nearest any team came was in 1989 when Trinidad and Tobago needed just a point from their final game against USA to reach Italia 90. Agonisingly for T&T, it all ended in tears, with the Stars and Stripes making their experience count in a surprise 1-0 win in Port of Spain.
Finally, eight years later at France 98, Caribbean football again left its mark on the world stage. In the same county where Cuba had worked wonders 60 years before, it fell to Jamaica to show the rest of the globe that there was more to the Caribbean than just idyllic beaches and enchanting music.
With the North, Central American and Caribbean Zone allocated three berths for the finals, the so-called Reggae Boyz quickly made third spot their own, sealing qualification from the 'Hexagonal' final group with a historic draw against Mexico in Kingston that had the whole region celebrating.
Few people revere the Jamaican singing legend Bob Marley quite like the French, so when the Reggae Boyz arrived in Gallic territory, they found ready support from the locals. Whenever the team played, the stadiums were a sea of tropical colours, and the music of their fans complemented a spirited style of play that reflected the rhythms of the island.
Jamaica gave Croatia a run for their money in their opening game before finally going down 3-1. They followed that with an emphatic 5-0 defeat at the hands of Argentina, but saved the best till last. Their final group game, against fellow first-time finalists Japan offered the ideal chance to relive the region's past glories, and the Boyz proved equal to the challenge.
Two goals from Theodore Whitmore earned the Caribbean side a 2-1 win, sparking jubilant celebrations among the Jamaican public. The music of Marley, himself a football fanatic, rang out not only across the Caribbean, but also in French discos as the hosts paid tribute to their new heroes.
Eight years on and reggae has now given way to Soca, the traditional music of Trinidad and Tobago, whose national team booked their ticket for Germany 2006 via a dramatic play-off win over Bahrain. The team known as the Soca Warriors will be hoping to emulate their Jamaican brothers, and perhaps even those of Cuba, who remain the only team from the Caribbean to have got past the first round at a FIFA World Cup.
With Dutch coach Leo Beenhakker able to call on legendary captain Dwight Yorke, fellow golden oldie Russell Latapy and the powerful Stern John, Trinidad and Tobago will be aiming to spring a few surprises with their play. But T&T will bring more than just football to the finals, as FIFA vice-president and CONCACAF President Jack Warner, himself a native of Trinidad, told FIFAworldcup.com: "We'll charm everyone with our music and joy. Germany is going to be a party, and Trinidad and Tobago are honoured to be there."
