Jamaica knocked Brazil out of the Women's World Cup on Wednesday, holding their rivals to a 0-0 draw in international soccer's biggest competition. The tie sees the Jamaican women advance to the knockout stages of the tournament for the first time ever, and it brought jubilant celebrations from Jamaicans at home and around the world.
It's already a remarkable success story for the Reggae Girlz — as the team is known — as the team has been disbanded by the Jamaican Football Federation (JFF) twice over the last 15 years and had to fight tooth and nail for funding to keep playing.
Bob Marley's daughter lauded as ‘fairy godmother' of Jamaican women's soccer team /
The daughter of reggae legend Bob Marley is something of a “fairy godmother” for the Jamaica team playing in its second Women's World Cup.
Cedella Marley has been a tireless advocate and fundraiser for the team, nicknamed the "Reggae Girlz," and helped rescue the team after it was disbanded in 2008.
Her work has paid of and Jamaica is in the Round of 16. The Reggae Girlz play Colombia on Tuesday night in Melbourne, Australia.
“Her support has been really important to us and she's just the heart of this team,” said Jamaica player Deneisha Blackwood. “She's just like our fairy godmother. We just appreciate her for everything she has done so far.”
Cedella Marley's Reaction To Jamaica Advancing /
Cedella Marley joins Attacking Third to chat Jamaica's performance in the Women's World Cup so far and her reaction to Jamaica advancing. She talks about her relationship with the team, the role she plays with the Jamaica National team, Bunny Shaw being an inspiration to younger players and more!
Bob Marley’s daughter, Cedella, is leading the Jamaican women’s soccer team /
Cedella Marley, daughter of Bob Marley, has demonstrated her passion for soccer, and even though she has music running through her veins, she is leading the Jamaican women’s soccer team in their second World Cup.
Cedella began her soccer journey in 2008 when her son Skip brought home a brochure in which female footballers sought help to cover the team’s expenses, as per our sister magazine, ¡Hola! Although the group felt neglected by the local soccer federation, the 55-year-old singer kicked off a tireless campaign to raise funds.
Football is Freedom featured in OCEAUNZ TV /
#AdidasFootballCollective has chosen Football Is Freedom to be a part of ‘OCEAUNZ TV’ - a brand-new YouTube content series, celebrating some of the most exciting grassroots football communities growing the women’s game around the world. Catch the entire first episode at the link in the #CedellaMarley IG bio and visit BobMarleyFoundation.org to make your donation to the Football Is Freedom initiative.
Bob Marley instilled a love of soccer in his daughter, Cedella. Now she’s changing the lives of women and girls in Jamaica /
Football has consumed much of Cedella Marley’s life. But perhaps that should not come as a surprise.
As the daughter of global reggae icon Bob Marley, who was a renowned lover of the beautiful game, Cedella was never far from a soccer ball growing up. Had he not been a musician, Cedella recalls her father telling her, he would have wanted to be a soccer player.
“Daddy played every day,” Marley told CNN Sport. “He would play anywhere he was: on the road, you’d find a field, you’d find a team.
“Sometimes, it would be the photographers who were out there, you know; sometimes, it would be the journalists and it would be the band against the journalists.
“I watched him growing up, I also watch my brothers, Ziggy and Steve. They played football growing up, too, and it was just always something that I loved. I love to kick a ball and was super competitive when my brothers would challenge me.”
Recalling advice given to her by Pelé, Cadella smiled broadly as she repeated the words the Brazilian all-time great told her: “The ball is round and always take the penalty.”
“So everything to me was a penalty,” Marley laughed. “I’d be like: ‘I’m just going for the goal,’ and that love is just something that is just in my DNA. I wouldn’t change it for the world.”
Read more: CNN