What did Jamaica’s run in the FIFA Women’s World Cup mean to Jamaicans in Philly? We asked a few.

There’s an upside to the United States bowing out of the women’s World Cup as early as it did.

It cast a spotlight on underdog teams that made it out of grueling group-stage play.

Jamaica and Morocco stunned the world, emerging from group play after taking out a pair of world powers. Morocco, ranked No. 72 in the FIFA women’s world rankings pushed through to the round of 16 before a loss to France.

For 43rd-ranked Jamaica, its road as a tiny island nation was just as testy, starting with a 90-minute scoreless dogfight in the final game of the group stage against Brazil that pushed it into the knockout round against Colombia.

Ultimately, Jamaica lost to Colombia, 1-0, but it felt like a win when one considers what it took for the Reggae Girlz to get there. Music legend Bob Marley’s daughter, Cedella, helped fund the team via GoFundMe just to get the Jamaicans to Australia and New Zealand for the tournament.

“It shows that if you work hard and believe, anything is possible, said Jamaican striker Khadija “Bunny” Shaw after the round of 16 loss to Colombia. “We came out here tonight, we held our own, and, at the end of the day, we know it’s just football; you win some and you lose some, but we just have to be proud of our performance and what we were able to accomplish.”

But what did the win feel like for a few of the roughly 30,000 people of Caribbean descent who live across the Greater Philadelphia region? We couldn’t get to all, but for those we spoke with, it was an emotional experience.

“It’s the biggest sporting event in the world, and for a small country like Jamaica to make it as far as they did is pretty amazing,” said Chuck Kim, the owner of Chuck’s Caribbean Market. Kim, who is South Korean, has relatives in Jamaica and sells island-centric foods and wares at his market. He said his expectations were high going into the tournament, but he never expected the success the Reggae Girlz had against some of the best women’s national teams in the world.

“I don’t think anyone thought they’d make it this far, so it really is a great sense of pride for me and members of my family,” he said. “We have relatives in Jamaica who were very excited. We had high expectations, and they exceeded them.”

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Christopher Chaplin, the honorary consul for Jamaica in Philadelphia, said he was “not surprised” watching the drama unfold, especially by his nation’s scoreless draws against world powers France and Brazil.

“I am very proud of the accomplishment of our women’s World Cup soccer team during the tournament,” Chaplin told The Inquirer via email Friday. “They played the mighty French and Brazilian teams and did not concede a goal during the group stage of the tournament. They succeeded in knocking out the Brazilian team. I have always had confidence in the team, and I was not surprised. The team has always demonstrated great unity and resilience both on and off the field of play. The success of the team has been phenomenal and bodes well for the future.”

With a continued investment, one the women’s team has found difficult through its own federation, the future looks bright for this young team comprised of players who also appear on rosters for top European women’s clubs in addition to the National Women’s Soccer League and NCAA Division I college programs. The run was the second in back-to-back World Cup appearances for the Reggae Girlz.

“I believe continued investment in this team and other women’s teams is a given,” Chaplin said. “I am excited for the future, and I hope to one day meet them or see them on the field in person.”

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