MIAMI.- The Grenada men’s national team is back at the Concacaf Gold Cup for the first time since 2011 and while it's been 10 years since their last appearance, some things never change.
Gold Cup viewers may remember Ricky Charles, Grenada’s all-time goalscorer, from the country’s previous appearances in the tournament. The name on the back of the shirt will be the same, but it will be a different Charles leading the Caribbean nation’s hopes this time around.
One of the promising talents for the “Spice Boys” in this tournament is 25-year-old forward Jamal Charles. With 14 goals in 22 appearances, he has been one of the national team’s mainstays over the past six years.
Charles led Grenada in scoring during the 2019-20 Concacaf Nations League with six goals to his name and was vital in his nation winning Group A of League B to gain promotion to League A. In all four of Grenada’s CNL victories for Grenada, Charles scored the game winners, with two of those coming in the final 10 minutes of play.
“I've been working hard during the pandemic,” said Charles via the Grenada national team’s YouTube channel ahead of World Cup qualifiers and Gold Cup preparation. “I've been prepared for this moment. Right now in training, the players are hungry.”
Having also scored in FIFA World Cup qualifiers, Charles will hope to extend his goal scoring record into his first Gold Cup appearance. With Charles at the forefront of the attack, Grenada will aspire to win in a tough group that includes Honduras, Panama and Qatar.
“We want to win,” added Charles. “The mentality we have right now is to go and do our best and we can put on a good job. I would like the nation to believe in us and support us. Don't give up on us. We have been doing a good job in training. Just believe in us and have faith we’ll get there.”
