Barbados national football team

This article is about the men's team. For the women's team, see Barbados women's national football team.

Barbados

Nickname(s)	Bajan Tridents
Association	Barbados Football Association
Confederation	CONCACAF (North America)
Sub-confederation	CFU (Caribbean)
Head coach	Emmerson Boyce
Captain	Jomo Harris
Most caps	Norman Forde (74)
Top scorer	Llewellyn Riley (23) [1]
Home stadium	Wildey Turf
FIFA code	BRB
First colours Second colours
FIFA ranking
Current	177 1 (4 April 2024) [2]
Highest	92 (October 2009)
Lowest	181 (July 2017)
First international
Barbados 3–0 Trinidad and Tobago   (Barbados; 20 April 1929)
Biggest win
Barbados 7–1 Anguilla   (St. John's, Antigua and Barbuda; 24 September 2006)
Biggest defeat
British Guiana 9–0 Barbados   (British Guiana; March 1931)   Trinidad and Tobago 9–0 Barbados   (Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago; 25 March 2022)
Medal record CFU Caribbean Cup 1985 Barbados Team

The Barbados national football team, nicknamed Bajan Tridents, is the national football team of Barbados, and is controlled by the Barbados Football Association. It has never qualified for a major international tournament. It came close to qualifying for the 2005 CONCACAF Gold Cup as it hosted the Caribbean Cup finals that acted as Gold Cup qualifiers, but finished fourth of the four teams. In 2001, it surprised many by making the semi-final round of the 2002 World Cup Qualifiers. In the first game of this round, they pulled off a shock 2–1 win over Costa Rica, but lost their five remaining games. In 2004, Barbados gained a shock 1–1 draw at home to Northern Ireland.

History

Beginnings (1929–1980)

Barbados played their first international match on April 20, 1929, against Trinidad and Tobago, ending in a 3–0 victory. In the 1930s, they participated in several editions of the Martínez Shield ^[3] where they suffered their most severe defeat against Guyana (at that time, British Guiana), in Georgetown, in 1931, 9–0.

Barbados had to wait for the qualifying tournament for the 1972 Munich Olympic Games to play its first official competition match against the amateur team of El Salvador, on July 25, 1971, in Bridgetown, a match that saw the Selecta win 0–3. Two years later, Barbados participated in the 1974 Central American and Caribbean Games, in Santo Domingo, although it did not qualify past the first round. On August 15, 1976, Barbados defeated Trinidad and Tobago 2–1 (a brace by Victor Clarke) in the 1978 World Cup qualifiers, which doubled as qualification for the 1977 CONCACAF Championship. In the second leg, the Soca Warriors claimed their revenge (1–0) in Port of Spain, taking the tie to a third tiebreaker game, played in Bridgetown, on September 14, 1976, where Trinidad and Tobago won 1–3, eliminating Barbados.

1980–2000

In the '80s, the Bajan Braves obtained 2nd place in the 1985 CFU Championship. The following year they played the 1986 Central American and Caribbean Games, where they reached the quarterfinals, before being eliminated by the hosts, Dominican Republic. At the end of the decade, Barbados hosted the first edition of the Caribbean Cup, without being able to progress beyond the group stage.

In the 90s, Barbados would return to the World Cup qualifiers, in the preliminary tournament for the 1994 World Cup, where it was again eliminated by Trinidad and Tobago (5–1). In the 1998 World Cup qualifiers, after beating Dominica with an aggregate score of 2–0, Barbados was beaten down by Jamaica (0–1 in Bridgetown and 2–0 in Kingston). In the Caribbean Cup, the Bajan Braves qualified for the 1994 competition (eliminated in the first round) but subsequently failed to qualify for the annual competition from 1995 to 1999.

2000s

The 21st century started well for Barbados, who eliminated Cuba on penalties (5–4), after two 1–1 draws in Havana and Bridgetown, during the qualifying rounds for the 2002 World Cup. In the second round, they achieved a historic victory at home against Costa Rica (2–1), on July 16, 2000, with goals from Llewellyn Riley and Michael Forde. However after winning that match, the Barbadians lost the remaining fixtures, wasting their chance to advance to the final hexagonal.

They would return in 2001 to the final phase of the Caribbean Cup, although without much luck after being eliminated again in the first round. In the 2006 World Cup qualifiers, the Saint Kitts and Nevis team eliminated Barbados in the first phase, with an aggregate score of 5–2. In 2005, Barbados hosted (for the second time) the XII edition of the Caribbean Cup, finishing in 4th place. They also qualified for the 2007 and 2008 tournaments, eliminated both times in the group stage. In the preliminary tournament for the 2010 World Cup, Barbados was eliminated by the United States, over two legs, with a crushing aggregate result of 9–0.

2010–present

The qualifiers heading to the 2014 World Cup were a real ordeal for the Bajan Braves who were placed into a group with Bermuda, Guyana and Trinidad and Tobago. They finished last in the group, with 2 goals scored and 14 conceded. After being eliminated in the preliminary phase of the Caribbean Cup in 2012 and after 17 months of inactivity, Barbados returned to play an international match, on March 2, 2014, against Jamaica, in Bridgetown, a match that concluded with victory for the Reggae Boyz, 2–0.

In the qualifying rounds for the 2018 World Cup, they would face the US Virgin Islands where they were surprised 0–1 at home, however, Barbados would overcome the deficit by a 0–4 victory on the road. Then they would face Aruba, winning 0–2 as a visitor, then beating them 1–0 at home however Barbados had fielded an ineligible player, Hadan Holligan, who was due to serve a suspension for collecting two yellow cards, therefore the second leg was awarded to Aruba 3–0, seeing them progress, eliminating Barbados. ^[4]

Results and fixtures

Main articles: Barbados national football team results (2000–2019) and Barbados national football team results (2020–present)

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

  Win  Draw  Loss  Fixture

2023

Grenada   v   Barbados

22 February Friendly	Grenada	1–1	Barbados	Sauteurs, Grenada
19:00  UTC−4	Charles 90+1' (pen)	Report	James 90+3'	Stadium: Fond Playing Field Referee: Moet Gaymes (Saint Vincent and the Grenadines)

Grenada   v   Barbados

24 February Friendly	Grenada	2–2	Barbados	St. George's, Grenada
19:00  UTC−4	Julien 40' (pen.) Isaac 83' (pen.)	Report	James 19', 71'	Stadium: Kirani James Athletic Stadium Referee: Reon Radix (Grenada)

Grenada   v   Barbados

26 February Friendly	Grenada	2–2	Barbados	St. George's, Grenada
16:00  UTC−4	Charles 28' Isaac 75' Marshall  84'	Report	Lashley 25' Butcher 88'	Stadium: Kirani James Athletic Stadium Referee: Moet Gaymes (Saint Vincent and the Grenadines)

Barbados   v   Cuba

23 March 2022–23 Nations League	Barbados	0–1	Cuba	Wildey, Barbados
19:00  UTC−4		Report	M. Reyes 3'	Stadium: Wildey Turf Referee: Walter López (Guatemala)

Antigua and Barbuda   v   Barbados

26 March 2022–23 Nations League	Antigua and Barbuda	1–2	Barbados	North Sound, Antigua and Barbuda
16:00  UTC−4	Weston 31'	Report	Gale 62' James 87'	Stadium: Sir Vivian Richards Stadium Referee: Ismael Cornejo (El Salvador)

Honduras   v   Barbados

18 June Friendly	Honduras	Cancelled	Barbados	Baton Rouge, United States
		Report		Stadium: BREC Memorial Stadium

Barbados   v   Montserrat

8 September 2023–24 Nations League	Barbados	2–3	Montserrat	Wildey, Barbados
19:00  UTC−4	Downey 8' Gale 26'	Report	Taylor 6', 90+8' Codrington 81' (o.g.)	Stadium: Wildey Turf Referee: Ken Pennyfeather (Antigua and Barbuda)

Nicaragua   v   Barbados

11 September 2023–24 Nations League	Nicaragua	5–1	Barbados	Managua, Nicaragua
20:00  UTC−6	Smith 11' Pérez 40' Moreno 45+1', 76' Montes 69'	Report	Gale 89'	Stadium: Estadio Nacional Referee: Bryan López (Guatemala)

Barbados   v   Dominican Republic

13 October 2023–24 Nations League	Barbados	0–5	Dominican Republic	Wildey, Barbados
20:00  UTC−4		Report	Romero 7' Reyes 21' Griffith 45' (o.g.) Mörschel 57' Alba 88'	Stadium: Wildey Turf Referee: Benjamin Whitty (Cayman Islands)

Dominican Republic   v   Barbados

16 October 2023–24 Nations League	Dominican Republic	5–2	Barbados	Santiago, Dominican Republic
22:00  UTC−4	Alba 17' Romero 30', 48', 79' Mörschel 59'	Report	Gale 10' (pen.), 66' (pen.)	Stadium: Estadio Cibao FC Referee: Nima Saghafi (United States)

Barbados   v   Nicaragua

17 November 2023–24 Nations League	Barbados	0–4	Nicaragua	Wildey, Barbados
17:00  UTC−4		Report	Arteaga 22' (pen.) N. Rodríguez 43' L. Coronel 55' Montes 59'	Stadium: Wildey Turf Referee: Kwinsi Williams (Trinidad and Tobago)

Montserrat   v   Barbados

20 November 2023–24 Nations League	Montserrat	4–2	Barbados	Look Out, Montserrat
15:00  UTC−4	Barzey 33' Dyer 35' Daniels 62' Richmond 88'	Report	Jules 47' James 90+4'	Stadium: Blakes Estate Stadium Referee: Moeth Gaymes (Saint Vincent and the Grenadines)

2024

Curaçao   v   Barbados

5 June 2026 FIFA World Cup qualification

Curaçao

v

Barbados

Barbados   v   Haiti

9 June 2026 FIFA World Cup qualification

Barbados

v

Haiti

2025

Barbados   v   Aruba

4 June 2026 FIFA World Cup qualification

Barbados

v

Aruba

Saint Lucia   v   Barbados

10 June 2026 FIFA World Cup qualification

Saint Lucia

v

Barbados

Coaching history

• Daniel Reid
• Tom Burke
• Jordan Emmett
• Ryan Kontoh
• Kevin Millard (1992)
• Keith Griffith (1994)
• Edward Smith (1996)
• Eyre Sealy (1998)
• Horace Beckles (2000)
• Sherlock Yarde (2001)
• Keith Griffith (2002)
• Allison John (2003)
• Kenville Layne (2003–04)
• Mark Doherty (2005)
• Eyre Sealy (2007–08)
• Keith Griffith (2008)
• Thomas Jordan (2008–10)
• Colin Forde (2011–14)
• Marcos Falopa (2014–15)
• Colin Harewood (2015–17)
• Ahmed Mohamed Ahmed (2017–2019)
• Russell Latapy (2019–2022)
• Orlando da Costa (2022–2023)
• Emmerson Boyce (2023-)

Players

Current squad

• The following players were called up for the 2022–23 CONCACAF Nations League matches. ^[5]
• Match dates: 23 and 26 March 2023
• Opposition:  Cuba and   Antigua and Barbuda
• Caps and goals correct as of: 26 March 2023, after the match against   Antigua and Barbuda

No.	Pos.	Player	Date of birth (age)	Caps	Goals	Club
	1 GK	Liam Brathwaite	(2000-11-06) 6 November 2000 (age 23)	9	0	UWI Blackbirds
	1 GK	Raheem Agard	(2000-11-06) 6 November 2000 (age 23)	1	0	Whitehall Titans
	1 GK	Kevon Allsopp	(2001-03-30) 30 March 2001 (age 23)	1	0	Deacons
	2 DF	Shane Codrington	(1995-12-10) 10 December 1995 (age 28)	23	0	Ellerton
	2 DF	Ramon Manning	(1993-01-11) 11 January 1993 (age 31)	13	0	Paradise
	2 DF	Andre Applewhaite	(2002-06-03) 3 June 2002 (age 21)	10	0	Coastal Bend College
	2 DF	Zachary Ellis-Hayden	(1992-03-01) 1 March 1992 (age 32)	2	0	Guelph United
	3 MF	Mario Williams	(1992-08-19) 19 August 1992 (age 31)	47	0	Weymouth Wales
	3 MF	Jomo Harris	(1995-02-15) 15 February 1995 (age 29)	42	2	Paradise
	3 MF	Rashad Jules	(1992-06-24) 24 June 1992 (age 31)	37	7	Ellerton
	3 MF	Tajio James	(2003-12-17) 17 December 2003 (age 20)	9	4	Central Arkansas Bears
	3 MF	Elijah Downey	(1999-03-17) 17 March 1999 (age 25)	7	0	Paradise
	3 MF	Akeem Chandler	(2004-07-27) 27 July 2004 (age 19)	3	0	Paradise
	3 MF	Rámon Griffith	(1993-10-17) 17 October 1993 (age 30)	2	0	UWI Blackbirds
	4 FW	Armando Lashley	(1991-11-08) 8 November 1991 (age 32)	42	4	Paradise
	4 FW	Omani Leacock	(1998-05-01) 1 May 1998 (age 25)	26	2	Free agent
	4 FW	Nadre Butcher	(2004-03-06) 6 March 2004 (age 20)	11	1	Bray Wanderers
	4 FW	Thierry Gale	(2002-05-01) 1 May 2002 (age 21)	9	2	Rapid Wien
	4 FW	Shaquan Clarke	(2000-02-25) 25 February 2000 (age 24)	5	0	Ellerton
	4 FW	Ryan Trotman	(1999-06-27) 27 June 1999 (age 24)	5	0	Glacis United
	4 FW	Kemar Holligan	(2000-04-16) 16 April 2000 (age 23)	3	0	Empire Club
	4 FW	Shaquan Collymore	(1999-09-07) 7 September 1999 (age 24)	2	0	Ellerton
	4 FW	Curtis Hutson	(1994-08-14) 14 August 1994 (age 29)	2	0	Merthyr Town

Recent call-ups

The following players have been called up within the past 12 months.

Pos.	Player	Date of birth (age)	Caps	Goals	Club	Latest call-up
DF	Krystian Pearce	(1990-01-05) 5 January 1990 (age 34)	11	0	Kidderminster Harriers	v.   Montserrat , 8 September 2023
DF	Rashad Smith	(1996-07-31) 31 July 1996 (age 27)	18	0	Weymouth Wales	v.   Grenada , 26 February 2023
MF	Ackeel Applewhaite	(1999-07-17) 17 July 1999 (age 24)	39	1	Weymouth Wales	v.   Grenada , 26 February 2023
MF	Kevon Lucas	(2004-03-11) 11 March 2004 (age 20)	4	0	Notre Dame	v.   Grenada , 26 February 2023
MF	Devonte Richards	(2002-09-27) 27 September 2002 (age 21)	3	0	Free agent	v.   Grenada , 26 February 2023
FW	Antoine Greaves	(1999-12-04) 4 December 1999 (age 24)	7	0	Wotton	v.   Grenada , 26 February 2023

Player records

As of 20 November 2023 ^[6]

Players in bold are still active with Barbados.

Most appearances

Rank	Player	Caps	Goals	Career
1	Norman Forde	74	18	1998–2011
2	John Parris	64	4	2000–2011
3	Gregory Goodridge	61	16	1995–2008
4	Mario Harte	55	15	2008–2019
5	Hadan Holligan	54	5	2015–present
6	Mario Williams	49	0	2015–present
7	Raheim Sargeant	47	3	2010–2019
8	Jomo Harris	45	2	2015–present
	Jonathan Straker	45	2	1998–2011
10	Ricardio Morris	44	1	2012–present

Top goalscorers

Rank	Player	Goals	Caps	Ratio	Career
1	Llewellyn Riley	23	43	0.53	1995–2005
2	Norman Forde	18	74	0.24	1998–2011
3	Gregory Goodridge	16	61	0.26	1995–2008
4	Mario Harte	15	55	0.27	2008–2019
5	Jeff Williams	11	37	0.3	2005–2014
6	Jerry Alexander	9	11	0.82	1995–2000
7	Riviere Williams	8	27	0.3	2003–2011
	Rashad Jules	8	39	0.21	2015–present
9	Paul Ifill	6	10	0.6	2004–2008
	Thierry Gale	6	13	0.46	2018–present

Competitive record

FIFA World Cup

FIFA World Cup										Qualification
Year	Round	Position	Pld	W	D*	L	F	A		Pld	W	D*	L	F	A
1930 to 1966	Not a FIFA member									Not a FIFA member
1970 and 1974	Did not enter									Did not enter
1978	Did not qualify									3	1	0	2	3	5
1982	Did not enter									Did not enter
1986	Withdrew									Withdrew
1990	Did not enter									Did not enter
1994	Did not qualify									2	0	0	2	1	5
1998										4	2	0	2	2	3
2002										12	4	3	5	17	27
2006										2	0	0	2	2	5
2010										4	1	1	2	2	10
2014										6	0	0	6	2	14
2018	Disqualified after qualifying for third round [7] [8]									4	2	0	2	6	4
2022	Did not qualify									4	1	2	1	3	3
2026	To be determined									To be determined
2030
2034
Total	-	0/14	-	-	-	-	-	-		41	11	6	24	38	76

CONCACAF Gold Cup

CONCACAF Championship & Gold Cup record
Year	Round	Position	Pld	W	D*	L	GF	GA
1963	Did not enter
1965
1967
1969
1971
1973
1977	Did not qualify
1981	Withdrew
1985	Did not enter
1989
1991
1993	Did not qualify
1996
1998
2000
2002
2003
2005
2007
2009
2011
2013
2015
2017
2019
2021
2023
Total	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-

CONCACAF Nations League

CONCACAF Nations League record
Season	Division	Group	Pld	W	D*	L	GF	GA	P/R	Rank
2019−20	C	A	6	4	0	2	14	4		31st
2022–23	B	A	6	1	0	5	3	9		26th
Total			12	5	0	7	17	13	26th

CFU Caribbean Cup

CFU Championship & Caribbean Cup record										Qualification record
Year	Round	Position	Pld	W	D*	L	GF	GA		Pld	W	D*	L	GF	GA
1978	First round	-	2	0	1	1	0	1		-
1979	Did not enter									Did not enter
1981	Did not qualify									2	0	2	0	2	2
1983										4	1	2	1	2	3
1985	Runners-up	2nd	3	0	3	0	2	2		Qualified as host
1988	Did not qualify									2	0	0	2	1	9
1989	Group stage	5th	2	1	0	1	1	3		Qualified as host
1990	Abandoned [9]	-	2	1	1	0	5	4		3	2	1	0	3	1
1991	Did not enter									Did not enter
1992	Did not qualify									3	1	1	1	4	4
1993										3	2	0	1	9	2
1994	Group stage	6th	3	0	2	1	3	5		2	1	0	1	4	3
1995	Did not qualify									4	2	1	1	9	3
1996										2	1	0	1	2	2
1997										2	1	1	0	3	1
1998										3	1	0	2	6	9
1999										5	3	1	1	9	4
2001	Group stage	8th	3	0	0	3	2	10		3	2	1	0	9	5
2005	Fourth place	4th	3	0	0	3	2	7		Qualified as host
2007	Group stage	8th	3	0	1	2	3	6		6	4	2	0	17	5
2008	Group stage	8th	3	0	0	3	4	8		5	4	1	0	11	6
2010	Did not qualify									3	1	2	0	6	1
2012										3	2	0	1	3	2
2014										6	2	1	3	12	13
2017										2	1	0	1	1	2
Total	Runners-up	9/25	24	2	8	14	22	46		63	31	16	16	113	77

Head-to-head record

These all-time records are exclusively class 'A' internationals matches. ^[10]

Key

  Winning record  Equal record  Losing record

Opponent	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA
Anguilla	2	2	0	0	8	1
Antigua and Barbuda	7	5	1	1	14	8
Aruba	6	5	0	1	16	7
Bahamas	1	1	0	0	2	1
Belize	2	0	1	1	0	1
Bermuda	13	4	4	5	16	19
Canada	3	0	0	3	2	9
Cayman Islands	3	2	0	1	11	4
Costa Rica	2	1	0	1	2	4
Cuba	8	0	4	4	3	11
Curaçao	1	1	0	0	1	0
Dominica	12	7	2	3	18	11
Dominican Republic	2	0	0	2	0	3
El Salvador	1	0	0	1	0	3
Finland	1	0	1	0	0	0
Grenada	18	9	7	2	32	18
Guadeloupe	4	1	1	2	3	4
Guatemala	3	0	1	2	1	5
Guyana	17	5	5	7	26	24
Haiti	2	0	0	2	2	6
Jamaica	12	2	2	10	9	24
Martinique	8	1	2	5	12	19
Montserrat	1	1	0	0	5	0
Netherlands Antilles	3	2	1	0	3	1
Nicaragua	3	1	0	2	1	5
Northern Ireland	1	0	1	0	1	1
Panama	1	0	0	1	0	1
Puerto Rico	3	1	0	2	2	2
Saint Kitts and Nevis	10	3	2	5	13	18
Saint Lucia	8	3	2	3	16	11
Saint Martin	2	1	0	1	4	1
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines	16	6	5	5	25	21
Suriname	4	1	3	0	6	5
Sweden	1	0	0	1	0	4
Turks and Caicos Islands	1	1	0	0	2	0
U.S. Virgin Islands	5	4	0	1	12	1
United States	4	0	0	4	0	20
Total	192	70	45	78	259	272

See also

• Barbados men's national under-17 football team
• Football in Barbados
• Barbados 4–2 Grenada (1994 Caribbean Cup qualification)
• Sport in Barbados

References

1. "Llewellyn Riley". www.soccer-db.info. Archived from the original on 20 August 2018. Retrieved 20 August 2018.
2. "The FIFA/Coca-Cola World Ranking". FIFA. 4 April 2024. Retrieved 4 April 2024.
3. "Martinez Shield". RSSSF. Archived from the original on 14 April 2023. Retrieved 11 November 2021.
4. "FIFA ousts Barbados from World Cup for ineligible player". AP News. Archived from the original on 24 January 2022. Retrieved 11 November 2021.
5. "Squad Announcement | Our 23-man squad has been named to face Cuba and Antigua & Barbuda". Barbados Football Association - Facebook. 20 March 2023. Archived from the original on 21 March 2023. Retrieved 23 March 2023.
6. "Barbados". National Football Teams. Archived from the original on 2 July 2023. Retrieved 28 June 2023.
7. FIFA awarded Aruba a 3–0 win as a result of Barbados fielding the ineligible player Hadan Holligan. Holligan failed to serve an automatic one match suspension for receiving two yellow cards earlier in the competition. The match originally ended 1–0 to Barbados
8. "Barbados sanctioned for fielding ineligible player". FIFA. 29 June 2015. Archived from the original on 3 July 2015.
9. Play was suspended when Jamaat al Muslimeen attempted a coup d'état of the government of Trinidad and Tobago. The tournament was abandoned altogether after Tropical storm Arthur forced the cancellation of the final round of games. Trinidad and Tobago were to meet Martinique in the final.
10. "Barbados national football team statistics and records: All-time record". 11v11.com. Archived from the original on 29 September 2021. Retrieved 25 May 2020.

External links

• Official website
• Barbados FIFA profile