Guyana national football team

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

Guyana

Nickname(s)	Golden Jaguars
Association	Guyana Football Federation
Confederation	CONCACAF (North America)
Sub-confederation	CFU (Caribbean)
Head coach	Jamaal Shabazz
Captain	Sam Cox
Most caps	Walter Moore (77)
Top scorer	Nigel Codrington (18)
Home stadium	Providence Stadium
FIFA code	GUY
First colours Second colours
FIFA ranking
Current	154 3 (4 April 2024)
Highest	86 (November 2010)
Lowest	185 (February 2004)
First international
British Guiana 1–4 Trinidad and Tobago (British Guiana; 21 July 1905)
Biggest win
Guyana 14–0 Anguilla (St. John's, Antigua and Barbuda; 16 April 1998)
Biggest defeat
Surinam 9–0 British Guiana (Netherlands Antilles; 17 February 1952) Surinam 9–0 British Guiana (Aruba; 9 February 1953) Guyana 0–9 Mexico (Santa Ana, United States; 2 December 1987)
Gold Cup
Appearances	1 (first in 2019)
Best result	Group stage (2019)

The Guyana national football team, nicknamed the Golden Jaguars, represents Guyana in international football and is controlled by the Guyana Football Federation. It is one of three South American nations to be a member of the Caribbean Football Union of CONCACAF alongside Suriname and French Guiana. Until the independence of Guyana (1966), it competed as British Guiana. They qualified for the Caribbean Nations Cup in 1991, coming fourth, and in 2007. Guyana has never qualified for the FIFA World Cup, but on 23 March 2019 they qualified for the first time for the CONCACAF Gold Cup.

History

British Guiana (1905–59)

Guyana (as British Guiana) played its first international football match on 21 July 1905, a 4–1 defeat against nearby and fellow British colony Trinidad and Tobago. Their next recorded game came almost 16 years later on 28 January 1921, an away 2–1 win against its neighbour Suriname. The two played again in Suriname on 27 August 1923, and on that occasion the hosts won 2–1. British Guiana did not play another match until 1937, when they lost two matches against Trinidad and Tobago in Suriname: 3–0 and 3–2. After seven years without a match, British Guiana entered a three-team tournament in Trinidad & Tobago against its national side and Barbados. They won twice against Barbados (1–0 and 3–0) before drawing 1–1 and losing 3–0 to Trinidad and Tobago. In the final of this Trinagular tournament they again lost 3–0 to Trinidad and Tobago.

In November 1947 British Guiana played in a Standard Life tournament in Trinidad and Tobago. They beat the hosts 2–1 in their opening game on 5 November before beating Jamaica 2–0 the very next day. On 10 November they drew 0–0 with Jamaica before losing 2–0 to Trinidad and Tobago in the last game on 14 November.

British Guiana played its first home games in 1950 against Trinidad and Tobago: these were British Guiana's first matches since the Standard Life tournament. British Guiana lost 1–0 and 4–1 before winning 1–0. The last match played under the name British Guiana was the next match on 2 March 1959 – a 2–2 draw against Trinidad and Tobago.

Guyana

After independence in 1966, Guyana did not play a match for five years. Their first fixtures under their new name were qualifiers for the 1971 CONCACAF Championship against Suriname. The first match, away, was lost 4–1 and the home match on 21 September 1971 was lost 3–2 as Suriname advanced 7–3 on aggregate. In 1976 Guyana entered its first ever World Cup qualification campaign with the aim of reaching the 1978 FIFA World Cup in Argentina. Guyana and Suriname were drawn in a two-legged preliminary in the Caribbean section of CONCACAF qualification and Guyana won the first leg 2–0 at home on 4 July 1976. The second leg in Paramaribo was lost 3–0 which allowed Suriname to advance.

2006

Guyana had a remarkable calendar year in 2006, with eleven successive wins, including five CONCACAF Gold Cup qualifiers These results boosted Guyana's spot in the FIFA World Rankings by 87 spots in little over a year. As a consequence, the team rose to the top 12 in CONCACAF and were in the third rank of seeds in the World Cup qualifying draw.

Caribbean Nations Cup 2007

At the 2006–07 Caribbean Nations Cup, Guyana finished top of Group A in Stage One, then top of Group H in Stage Two (which they hosted), and finished 3rd in the Bobby Sookram Group, missing out on a semi-final berth on goal difference alone. Had Guyana reached the semi-finals, they would have qualified for the 2007 CONCACAF Gold Cup.

2014 World Cup qualifying

With the return of international coach Jamaal Shabazz, Guyana finished top of a group containing Trinidad and Tobago, Barbados and Bermuda to reach the third round of qualifying for the 2014 World Cup in Brazil. They qualified with one game to go with a 2–1 home win against Trinidad and Tobago on 11 November 2011.

Guyana organised friendly matches against Colombia, Bolivia, Jamaica and Panama for the first team. In the third round group, they finished last, behind Mexico, Costa Rica and El Salvador, with one point from their six matches.

Lack of football 2013/14

From November 2012 to October 2014 Guyana did not play a single international fixture. This amongst other factors led to FIFA stepping in and removing the GFF executive at the end of 2014.

2015 and 2016 return of the Golden Jaguars

With FIFA stepping into Guyana once again, a FIFA Normalisation Committee was installed to regularise football in Guyana. With this came the search for a National Team Head Coach with Jamaal Shabazz reinstalled initially for one game versus Barbados in Jan 2015. As Guyana had lost many first team players to retirement since 2012, the squad was a new younger group with major gaps in the goalkeeper and defensive areas.

However a 2–2 draw with Barbados was enough for Shabazz and his staff, consisting of assistant coach Wayne Wiggy Dover, Operations Manager Mark Xavier, Team Manager Faizal Khan, Kit Man Trevor Burnett, GoalKeeper Coach Andrew Hazell, Physical Trainer Anson Ambrose, Medical Officer Denzil Hernandez.

Results and fixtures

Main article: Guyana national football team results

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

Guyana v Montserrat

28 March 2022–23 Nations League	Guyana	0–0	Montserrat	Wildey, Barbados
19:00 UTC−4		Report		Stadium: Wildey Turf Referee: Keylor Herrera (Costa Rica)

Guyana v Grenada

17 June 2023 Gold Cup qualification	Guyana	1–1 (5–3 p)	Grenada	Fort Lauderdale, United States
21:00 UTC−4	Glasgow 22'	Report	Mitchell 60'	Stadium: DRV PNK Stadium Referee: Keylor Herrera (Costa Rica)
	Penalties
	Bonds Glasgow Duke-McKenna Benjamin Wilson		Re. Charles-Cook Hippolyte Mitchell Berkeley-Agyepong
Note: Guyana advance on penalties 5–3

Guadeloupe v Guyana

20 June 2023 Gold Cup qualification	Guadeloupe	2–0	Guyana	Fort Lauderdale, United States
16:30 UTC−4	Gordon 18' (o.g.) Gravillon 57'	Report		Stadium: DRV PNK Stadium Referee: Oshane Nation (Jamaica)
Note: Guadeloupe advance to 2023 CONCACAF Gold Cup

Ethiopia v Guyana

2 August Friendly	Ethiopia	2–0	Guyana	Leesburg, United States
19:00 UTC−4	Bekele 11' 76'	Report		Stadium: Segra Field

Antigua and Barbuda v Guyana

9 September 2023–24 Nations League	Antigua and Barbuda	1–5	Guyana	Piggotts, Antigua and Barbuda
15:30 UTC−4	Deterville 45'	Report	Glasgow 14', 29' (pen.), 87' Benjamin 33' Cordice 62' (o.g.)	Stadium: ABFA Technical Center Referee: Mario Escobar (Guatemala)

Guyana v Bahamas

12 September 2023–24 Nations League	Guyana	3–2	Bahamas	Leonora, Guyana
18:00 UTC−4	Glasgow 44' Duke-McKenna 54' Benjamin 58'	Report	Julmis 39' (pen.), 86' (pen.)	Stadium: Synthetic Track and Field Facility Referee: Shekiel Jokil (Suriname)

Puerto Rico v Guyana

14 October 2023–24 Nations League	Puerto Rico	1–3	Guyana	Añasco, Puerto Rico
15:00 UTC−4	Antonetti 11'	Report	Glasgow 60' (pen.) Benjamin 63' Moore 85'	Stadium: Centro de Desarrollo de Fútbol del Oeste Referee: Ismael Cornejo (El Salvador)

Guyana v Puerto Rico

17 October 2023–24 Nations League	Guyana	3–1	Puerto Rico	Leonora, Guyana
16:00 UTC−4	Moriah-Welsh 48' Moore 76' Glasgow 85'	Report	Díaz 41'	Stadium: Synthetic Track and Field Facility Referee: Sergio Rozenhout (Suriname)

Guyana v Antigua and Barbuda

21 November 2023–24 Nations League	Guyana	6–0	Antigua and Barbuda	Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic
20:00 UTC−4	Benjamin 7' Glasgow 36' Moriah-Welsh 45' De Rosario 67' Lovell 90' Moore 90+3'	Report		Stadium: Estadio Olímpico Félix Sánchez Referee: Sergio Rozenhout (Suriname)

2024

Cape Verde v Guyana

21 March 2024 FIFA Series	Cape Verde	1–0	Guyana	Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
22:00 UTC+3	Mendes 2'	Report		Stadium: Prince Abdullah Al-Faisal Sports City Referee: Shukri Al-Hunfush (Saudi Arabia)

Guyana v Cambodia

26 March 2024 FIFA Series	Guyana	4–1	Cambodia	Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
22:00 UTC+3		Report		Stadium: Prince Abdullah Al-Faisal Sports City

Coaching staff

As of 21 November 2023

Head coach	Jamaal Shabazz
Assistant coach	Jeffrey Cofferey
Strength & Conditioning Coach	Raheem Windsor
Team Manager	Moses Stanbury
Goalkeeping coach	Khalid Rutherford
Kitman	Adrian Courtney
Head scout	Christian Sherwood
GFF President	Wayne Forde
Technical director	Lorenzus Taylor

Coaching history

• Feroze Usman (1975–82)
• Mervyn Wilson (1983)
• Lennox Arthur (1984–1987)
• Mervyn Wilson (1988)
• Gordon Braithwaite (1991–1992)
• Mervyn Wilson (1993–1994)
• Earl O'Neal (1996)
• Deryck White (1998)
• Joseph Wilson (2000–2002)
• Neider dos Santos (2002–2004)
• Jamaal Shabazz (2005–2009)
• Wayne Dover (2009–2010)
• Jamaal Shabazz (2011–2012)
• Denzil Thompson (2014)
• Jamaal Shabazz (2015–2016)
• Wayne Dover (2017)
• Michael Johnson (2018–2019)
• Márcio Máximo (2019–2021)
• Jamaal Shabazz (2021–present)

Players

Current squad

The following players were called up for the 2024 FIFA Series friendly matches against Cape Verde and Cambodia on 21 and 25 March 2024.

Caps and goals updated as of 21 November 2023, after the match against Antigua and Barbuda.

No.	Pos.	Player	Date of birth (age)	Caps	Goals	Club
1	1GK	Jamain Cumberbatch	(1999-04-21) 21 April 1999	0	0	Guyana Defence Force
18	1GK	Quillan Roberts	(1994-09-13) 13 September 1994	11	0	Western Suburbs
22	1GK	Akel Clarke	(1988-10-25) 25 October 1988	18	0	Slingerz
2	2DF	Leo Lovell	(1996-12-06) 6 December 1996	14	1	Slingerz
4	2DF	Jeremy Garrett	(2000-01-01) 1 January 2000	9	1	Slingerz
5	2DF	Jalen Jones	(1998-11-13) 13 November 1998	9	0	Aveley
6	2DF	Kevin Layne	(1998-01-01) 1 January 1998	7	0	Police
7	2DF	Marcus Simmons	(2000-07-16) 16 July 2000	1	0	Sigma FC
13	2DF	Liam Gordon	(1999-05-15) 15 May 1999	15	1	Walsall
14	2DF	Curtez Kellman	(1998-03-06) 6 March 1998	9	0	Slingerz
16	2DF	Raushan Ritch	(2000-04-05) 5 April 2000	3	0	Western Tigers
19	2DF	Quincy Adams	(1989-01-07) 7 January 1989	19	1	Slingerz
20	2DF	Amos Ramsey	(1991-12-20) 20 December 1991	0	0	Guyana Defence Force
21	2DF	Colin Nelson	(1991-08-09) 9 August 1991	31	1	Guyana Defence Force
3	3MF	Nathan Ferguson	(1995-10-12) 12 October 1995	0	0	Wealdstone
12	3MF	Kadell Daniel	(1994-06-03) 3 June 1994	16	3	Margate
15	3MF	Ryan Hackett	(1999-09-11) 11 September 1999	4	0	Guyana Defence Force
17	3MF	Daniel Wilson	(1993-11-01) 1 November 1993	48	1	Western Tigers
23	3MF	Elliot Bonds	(2000-03-23) 23 March 2000	13	0	Cheltenham Town
	3MF	Darron Niles	(2003-05-03) 3 May 2003	3	0	Slingerz
8	4FW	Stephen Duke-McKenna	(2000-08-17) 17 August 2000	16	1	Sutton United
9	4FW	Deon Moore	(1999-05-14) 14 May 1999	7	3	Sutton United
10	4FW	Omari Glasgow	(2003-11-22) 22 November 2003	20	14	Chicago Fire FC II
11	4FW	Ryan Khedoo	(1999-10-27) 27 October 1999	0	0	Sigma FC

Recent call-ups

The following players have been called up within the past year.

Pos.	Player	Date of birth (age)	Caps	Goals	Club	Latest call-up
GK	Kai McKenzie-Lyle	(1997-11-30) 30 November 1997	12	1	Welling United	2023 CONCACAF Gold Cup qualification
GK	Renell McKenzie-Lyle	(2000-04-19) 19 April 2000	0	0	Free agent	2023 CONCACAF Gold Cup qualification
GK	Joshua Narine	(2003-01-22) 22 January 2003	0	0	Unknown	v. Montserrat, 28 March 2023
DF	Jonathan Grant	(1993-10-16) 16 October 1993	3	0	York United	2023 CONCACAF Gold Cup qualification
DF	Marcus Wilson	(2002-04-19) 19 April 2002	3	0	Caledonia United	v. Montserrat, 28 March 2023
DF	Bayli Spencer-Adams	(2001-06-26) 26 June 2001	2	0	Leicester City	v. Montserrat, 28 March 2023
MF	Sam Cox	(1990-10-10) 10 October 1990	32	0	Welling United	2023 CONCACAF Gold Cup qualification
MF	Kelsey Benjamin	(1999-05-08) 8 May 1999	19	2	Guyana Defence Force	2023 CONCACAF Gold Cup qualification
MF	Neil Danns	(1982-11-23) 23 November 1982	22	11	Macclesfield	2023 CONCACAF Gold Cup qualification
MF	Trayon Bobb	(1993-01-05) 5 January 1993	51	12	Western Tigers	2023 CONCACAF Gold Cup qualification
MF	Nathan Moriah-Welsh	(2002-03-18) 18 March 2002	10	1	Newport County	v. Montserrat, 28 March 2023
FW	Tré Mitford	(1994-12-27) 27 December 1994	5	0	Telford United	2023 CONCACAF Gold Cup qualification
FW	Emery Welshman	(1991-11-09) 9 November 1991	25	11	Sigma FC	2023 CONCACAF Gold Cup qualification
FW	Callum Harriott	(1994-03-04) 4 March 1994	9	1	York City	2023 CONCACAF Gold Cup qualification
FW	Pernell Schultz	(1994-04-07) 7 April 1994	22	5	Police	v. Montserrat, 28 March 2023
FW	Morgan Ferrier	(1994-11-15) 15 November 1994	0	0	Hapoel Acre	vs. Bermuda, 25 March 2023
INJ Withdrew due to injury. PRE Preliminary squad. RET Retired from the national team. WD Withdrew for personal reasons.

Player records

As of 26 March 2024

Players in bold are still active with Guyana.

Most appearances

Walter Moore is Guyana's most capped player with 77 appearances.

Rank	Player	Caps	Goals	Career
1	Walter Moore	77	5	2004–2019
2	Charles Pollard	60	3	1996–2012
3	Anthony Abrams	58	15	2004–2017
	Daniel Wilson	58	1	2011–present
5	Trayon Bobb	51	12	2011–present
6	Howard Lowe	46	1	2002–2010
	Gregory Richardson	46	17	2002–2019
8	Dwain Jacobs	42	1	2008–2017
9	Kayode McKinnon	41	4	2002–2012
10	Shawn Beveney	37	7	2004–2012

Top goalscorers

Rank	Player	Goals	Caps	Ratio	Career
1	Nigel Codrington	18	26	0.69	2001–2010
2	Gregory Richardson	17	46	0.37	2002–2019
3	Omari Glasgow	16	22	0.73	2021–present
4	Anthony Abrams	15	58	0.26	2004–2017
5	Trayon Bobb	12	51	0.24	2011–present
6	Neil Danns	11	25	0.44	2015–2023
	Emery Welshman	11	28	0.39	2015–present
8	Randolph Jerome	9	21	0.43	1998–2008
	Sheldon Holder	9	34	0.26	2011–present
10	Vurlon Mills	8	32	0.25	2011–2019

Competitive record

FIFA World Cup

FIFA World Cup										FIFA World Cup qualification
Year	Round	Position	Pld	W	D*	L	F	A		Pld	W	D*	L	F	A
1930 to 1970	Not a FIFA member									Not a FIFA member
1974	Did not enter									Declined participation
1978	Did not qualify									2	1	0	1	2	3
1982										6	2	0	4	8	13
1986										2	0	1	1	1	2
1990										2	0	0	2	0	5
1994										2	0	1	1	2	3
1998										2	0	0	2	1	8
2002	Suspended by FIFA									Suspended by FIFA
2006	Did not qualify									2	0	0	2	1	8
2010										2	0	0	2	1	3
2014										12	4	2	6	14	30
2018										2	0	2	0	6	6
2022										4	1	0	3	4	8
2026	To be determined									To be determined
2030
2034
Total		0/13								38	8	6	24	40	89

CONCACAF Gold Cup

Main article: Guyana at the CONCACAF Gold Cup

CONCACAF Championship & Gold Cup record											Qualification record
Year	Round	Position	Pld	W	D*	L	GF	GA	Squad		Pld	W	D*	L	GF	GA
1963	Did not enter										Did not enter
1965
1967
1969
1971
1973
1977	Did not qualify										2	1	0	1	2	3
1981											6	2	0	4	8	13
1985											2	0	1	1	1	2
1989											2	0	0	2	0	5
1991											6	2	1	3	9	15
1993											3	1	0	2	3	7
1996											2	0	0	2	0	7
1998	Did not enter										Did not enter
2000	Did not qualify										5	1	2	2	19	12
2002											3	2	0	1	4	3
2003											2	1	0	1	2	2
2005	Withdrew										Withdrew
2007	Did not qualify										9	7	1	1	28	7
2009											5	1	3	1	7	5
2011											3	0	1	2	1	6
2013											8	4	0	4	15	11
2015											3	0	1	2	0	4
2017											6	3	0	3	21	12
2019	Group stage	13th	3	0	1	2	3	9	Squad		4	3	0	1	14	3
2021	Did not qualify										7	3	1	3	12	14
2023											8	3	2	3	9	17
Total	Group stage	1/27	3	0	1	2	3	9	—		86	34	13	39	155	148

CONCACAF Nations League

CONCACAF Nations League record
Season	Division	Group	Pld	W	D*	L	GF	GA	P/R	RK
2019−20	B	C	6	3	1	2	12	10		18th
2022–23	B	B	6	3	1	2	8	14		19th
Total			12	6	2	4	20	24	18th

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	Did not qualify									2	0	0	2	1	4
1979	Did not enter									Did not enter
1981
1983	Did not qualify									4	1	2	1	3	5
1985										2	1	1	0	1	1
1988										2	0	0	2	0	5
1989	Did not enter									Did not enter
1990	Did not qualify									3	0	2	1	1	6
1991	Fourth place	4th	4	1	0	3	4	14		2	1	1	0	5	1
1992	Did not qualify									3	1	1	1	4	5
1993										3	1	0	2	3	7
1994										2	0	0	2	1	4
1995										2	0	0	2	0	7
1996										2	1	0	1	3	3
1997										4	1	1	2	5	9
1998										3	1	1	1	17	4
1999										2	0	1	1	2	4
2001										3	2	0	1	4	3
2005	Withdrew									Withdrew
2007	Group stage	5th	3	1	1	1	4	5		6	6	0	0	24	2
2008	Did not qualify									5	1	3	1	7	5
2010	Group stage	8th	3	0	1	2	1	6		6	4	1	1	9	4
2012	Did not qualify									6	3	0	3	11	9
2014										3	0	1	2	0	4
2017										6	3	0	3	21	12
Total	Fourth place	3/25	10	2	2	6	9	25		71	27	15	29	122	104

See also

• Guyana national under-20 football team
• Guyana national under-17 football team
• Football in Guyana

External links

• Official website
• Guyana FIFA profile