Montserrat national football team

The Montserrat national team is one of the newest in international football, having played its first senior match on 10 May 1991 during the 1991 Caribbean Cup tournament. The team suffered a 0–3 defeat to Saint Lucia at the Vieux Fort National Stadium in Saint Lucia. The team played their next match at the same venue, securing a 1–1 draw with Anguilla. Montserrat again entered the Caribbean Cup the following year but were once more knocked out in the group stage, with heavy defeats by Saint Kitts and Nevis and Antigua and Barbuda. They were drawn against the same two teams for the 1994 Caribbean Cup, but again left the tournament at the group stage, conceding 17 goals in just two matches. In 1994, the Montserrat Football Association (MFA) was formed. Like all other Caribbean football teams, the MFA became a member of CONCACAF.

On 26 March 1995, Montserrat played their first ever home international match. They defeated Anguilla 3–2 in Plymouth, achieving their first win. The team beat Anguilla again in the next fixture to ensure progress to the Second Qualifying Round of the 1995 Caribbean Cup. The 1–0 win in the second leg would be their only clean sheet in international football and their most recent victory for the next seventeen years. The side exited the competition in the next stage, losing 0–20 on aggregate over two legs against Saint Vincent and the Grenadines. Soon afterwards, the Soufrière Hills volcano became active and the eruptions destroyed Plymouth, the capital of Montserrat, severely disrupting all football on the island. Despite the lack of football action, the MFA became a full FIFA member in 1996. However, it was a further three years before the Montserrat team played another international fixture. This was mostly because many of the island's footballers had emigrated away from the area, many of them to England.

After a four-year hiatus, the team entered the 1999 Caribbean Nations Cup. They were knocked out in the preliminary round of the tournament, losing 1–6 over two legs to the British Virgin Islands. Due to the volcanic activity, Montserrat had been unable to enter the FIFA World Cup 1998 tournament, so their entry to the 2002 World Cup was their first; but it was not a success as they were defeated 0–3 away by the Dominican Republic. In the second leg, played in Trinidad and Tobago, the team lost 1–3 loss in front of only 50 spectators. In 2001, the MFA visited The Football Association to raise money for a new stadium. The Blakes Estate Stadium was opened near the village of Look Out. The team's next match was on 30 June 2002, the day of the World Cup Final, when Montserrat played Bhutan in a game known as "The Other Final". The friendly match between the two lowest-ranked teams in the world ended with a 4–0 win for Bhutan in front of 15,000 fans in Thimphu.

Montserrat entered the World Cup qualifiers once more for the 2006 competition, but again lost in the first qualifying round, this time losing 0–20 on aggregate to Bermuda. In the first leg at the Bermuda National Stadium they lost 0–13, their heaviest-ever defeat. The second leg, a 0–7 loss, was the first international match played at the team's new ground and was watched by 250 supporters. Montserrat then competed in the 2005 Caribbean Cup, but once more failed to progress past the preliminary round. In 2008, they were defeated 1–7 by Suriname in the first qualifying round of the 2010 World Cup. The match was played in Macoya because neither team's stadiums met FIFA standards.

A friendly against a Network Rail XI was played at Charlton Athletic's Valley stadium in London on May 19, 2012, ending in a 4–4 draw.

Montserrat achieved their first victory since 1995 and their first ever victory since joining FIFA, beating the British Virgin Islands 7–0 in a 2012 Caribbean Championship qualifying match, held in Martinique.[3]

Montserrat's fortunes changed dramatically in 2018 with the arrival of Willie Donachie and launch of the CONCACAF Nations League. The side won three of their four qualifying games, but missed out on qualification for the 2019 CONCACAF Gold Cup on goal difference after Nicaragua scored with 25 minutes to go against Barbados.[4] The team went on to take second place in their group in the inaugural season with two wins, draws, and losses each, thus keeping their place in the second tier.

The poor results of the team has seen them often frequenting the lower end of the FIFA World Rankings. The loss to Bhutan in "The Other Final" saw them fall to #203 in the rankings, becoming worst-ranked side in the world. After the addition of another two teams to FIFA, Montserrat achieved a new low of #205 between July and October 2004. In July 2006, they achieved a record high rank of #196 but they fell back down to #198 the following month. Success in the qualifying tournament for the CONCACAF Nations League and the first edition of the league proper saw them rise to #184.[5]

The team have also languished at the lower reaches of the unofficial World Football Elo Ratings, which ranks teams directly based on their match results.

Since the team's first match in 1991, Montserrat have usually worn a first-choice kit of green, either plain green[6] or green and white hoops.[7] Currently, the away kit is red jersey, shorts and socks.

The following is a list of match results in the last 12 months, as well as any future matches that have been scheduled.

2021

Montserrat  v  U.S. Virgin Islands

2 June 2022 FIFA World Cup qualification	Montserrat	4–0	U.S. Virgin Islands	San Cristóbal, Dominican Republic
17:00 UTC−4	Pond 39' Ince 60' Clifton 66', 83'	Report		Stadium: Estadio Panamericano Referee: Selvin Brown Chavarria (Honduras)

Grenada  v  Montserrat

8 June 2022 FIFA World Cup qualification	Grenada	1–2	Montserrat	St. George's, Grenada
19:00 UTC−4	Lewis 51'	Report	L. Taylor 85', 87' (pen.)	Stadium: Kirani James Athletic Stadium Referee: Adonai Escobedo (Mexico)

Trinidad and Tobago  v  Montserrat

2 July 2021 CONCACAF Gold Cup qualification	Trinidad and Tobago	6–1	Montserrat	Fort Lauderdale, United States
21:30	Molino 21' (pen.) Joseph 35' Telfer 45+2' García 57' Moore 68', 82'	Report	Taylor 55'	Stadium: DRV PNK Stadium Referee: Bryan López (Guatemala)

2022

Montserrat  v  Guyana

4 June Nations League	Montserrat	v	Guyana	Montserrat
				Stadium: TBD

Haiti  v  Montserrat

7 June Nations League	Haiti	v	Montserrat	Haiti
				Stadium: TBD

Montserrat  v  Bermuda

11 June Nations League	Montserrat	v	Bermuda	Montserrat
				Stadium: TBD

Bermuda  v  Montserrat

14 June Nations League	Bermuda	v	Montserrat	Bermuda
				Stadium: TBD

2023

Montserrat  v  Haiti

25 March Nations League	Montserrat	v	Haiti	Montserrat
				Stadium: TBD

Guyana  v  Montserrat

28 March Nations League	Guyana	v	Montserrat	Guyana
				Stadium: TBD

The following players were called up to the preliminary squad for 2021 CONCACAF Gold Cup qualification against Trinidad and Tobago on 2 July 2021.[10]

Caps and goals correct as of 2 July 2021, after the game against Trinidad and Tobago.

No.	Pos.	Player	Date of birth (age)	Caps	Goals	Club
1	1GK	Corrin Brooks-Meade	(1988-03-19) 19 March 1988	16	0	Oroklini-Troulloi
13	1GK	Kymani Nelson	(2004-03-04) 4 March 2004	0	0	Enfield Town
23	2DF	Dean Mason	(1989-02-28) 28 February 1989	18	0	Free agent
5	2DF	Joey Taylor	(1997-08-18) 18 August 1997	15	1	Cray Wanderers
22	2DF	Craig Braham-Barrett	(1988-09-01) 1 September 1988	15	0	Tonbridge Angels
19	2DF	Nathan Pond	(1985-01-05) 5 January 1985	8	2	Bamber Bridge
15	2DF	Marshall Willock	(2000-04-07) 7 April 2000	3	0	Racing Club Warwick
16	2DF	Jernade Meade	(1992-10-15) 15 October 1992	2	0	Dartford
12	3MF	Alex Dyer	(1990-06-11) 11 June 1990	18	0	Wealdstone
11	3MF	James Comley	(1991-01-24) 24 January 1991	15	1	Walton Casuals
10	3MF	Brandon Comley	(1995-11-18) 18 November 1995	13	0	Free agent
6	3MF	Rohan Ince	(1992-11-08) 8 November 1992	5	1	Woking
4	3MF	Kaleem Simon	(1996-07-08) 8 July 1996	5	0	Drogheda United
18	3MF	Matthew Whichelow	(1991-09-28) 28 September 1991	5	0	Free agent
3	3MF	Lewis Duberry	(2003-03-07) 7 March 2003	0	0	Shrewsbury Town
7	4FW	Spencer Weir-Daley	(1985-09-05) 5 September 1985	14	3	Spalding United
9	4FW	Lyle Taylor (captain)	(1990-03-29) 29 March 1990	11	7	Birmingham City
20	4FW	Massiah McDonald	(1990-08-20) 20 August 1990	10	0	Nuneaton Borough
14	4FW	Jamie Allen	(1995-05-25) 25 May 1995	7	0	F.C. Halifax Town

Recent call-ups

The following players have been called up to the Montserrat squad in the last 12 months.

Pos.	Player	Date of birth (age)	Caps	Goals	Club	Latest call-up
GK	Nic Taylor	(1991-04-06) 6 April 1991	3	0	Croydon	v.  Trinidad and Tobago, 3 July 2021 PRE
DF	Michael Williams	(1988-02-05) 5 February 1988	14	0	Stafford Rangers	v.  Trinidad and Tobago, 3 July 2021 PRE
DF	Calvin Petrie	(1984-02-09) 9 February 1984	8	0	Epping Town	v.  Trinidad and Tobago, 3 July 2021 PRE
DF	Donervon Daniels	(1993-11-24) 24 November 1993	1	0	Crewe Alexandra	v.  Trinidad and Tobago, 3 July 2021 PRE
DF	Doron Cassell	(2001-03-06) 6 March 2001	0	0	Free agent	v.  Trinidad and Tobago, 3 July 2021 PRE
MF	Adrian Clifton	(1988-12-12) 12 December 1988	12	4	Boreham Wood	v.  Trinidad and Tobago, 3 July 2021 PRE
MF	Solomon Henry	(1983-10-21) 21 October 1983	7	0	Free agent	v.  Trinidad and Tobago, 3 July 2021 PRE
MF	Matty Willock	(1996-08-20) 20 August 1996	2	0	Salford City	v.  Trinidad and Tobago, 3 July 2021 PRE
MF	Ahijah Daley	(2001-05-04) 4 May 2001	0	0	Free agent	v.  Trinidad and Tobago, 3 July 2021 PRE
MF	Mark Rogers	(2002-05-06) 6 May 2002	0	0	Free agent	v.  Trinidad and Tobago, 3 July 2021 PRE
FW	Bradley Woods-Garness	(1986-06-26) 26 June 1986	15	4	Free agent	v.  Trinidad and Tobago, 3 July 2021 PRE
FW	Steadman Callender	1994 (age 27–28)	0	0	Erith Town	v.  Trinidad and Tobago, 3 July 2021 PRE
FW	Seigel Rodney	(2003-10-02) 2 October 2003	0	0	Hartpury University	v.  Trinidad and Tobago, 3 July 2021 PRE

As of 2 July 2021

Players in bold are still active with Montserrat.

As of 24 March 2021[11]

Against	Played	Won	Drawn	Lost	GF	GA	GD	% Won
Anguilla	4	2	1	1	6	7	−1	50%
Antigua and Barbuda	4	0	1	3	6	20	−14	0%
Aruba	1	1	0	0	2	0	+2	100%
Barbados	1	0	0	1	0	5	−5	0%
Belize	3	1	0	2	4	8	−4	33%
Bermuda	2	0	0	2	0	20	−20	0%
Bhutan	1	0	0	1	0	4	−4	0%
Bonaire	1	0	1	0	0	0	0	0%
British Virgin Islands	3	1	0	2	8	6	+2	33%
Cayman Islands	1	1	0	0	2	1	1	100%
Curaçao	2	0	1	1	3	4	−1	0%
Dominican Republic	4	1	1	2	3	7	−4	25%
El Salvador	4	0	1	3	2	6	−4	0%
Martinique	1	0	0	1	0	5	−5	0%
Saint Kitts and Nevis	4	0	0	4	2	29	−27	0%
Saint Lucia	3	1	1	1	2	4	−2	33%
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines	3	0	0	3	0	27	−27	0%
Suriname	2	0	0	2	2	14	−12	0%
U.S. Virgin Islands	1	1	0	0	1	0	+1	100%
Total	45	9	7	29	45	167	−122	20%

Note: teams in italic indicates that teams are not FIFA members.

• RSSSF archive of Montserrat national team results
• National Football Teams
• Guardian article which refers to Montserrat's 2012 match against a Network Rail XI