HIGHER HEIGHTS

WITH Khadijah “Bunny” Shaw now recognised as a top three player in women’s football, former Reggae Girlz Head Coach Charlie Edwards believes the national senior women’s team should reach another level and move closer to being a serious contender at the FIFA World Cup. Manchester City striker Shaw is still celebrating her third-place finish in the Ballon d’Or Féminin rankings on Monday at the awards ceremony in London. The achievement adds to her Women’s Super League Player of the Season, Professional Footballers Association Player of the Year and Football Writers’ Association Footballer of the Year recognition, which she claimed over the past few months for her impressive 2025/2026 season. Shaw won her third-consecutive WSL golden boot after scoring 21 goals in 22 games, leading City to their second-ever league title.

Her 35 goal contributions across all competitions were also pivotal in City’s FA Cup title win. Along with her club objectives, Shaw is looking to lead Jamaica to a third-consecutive FIFA Women’s World Cup in November, as the Reggae Girlz takeonCostaRicaintheConcacaf W Championship quarterfinals in Texas, USA. Edwards, who led the national team from 2007 to 2008, told the Jamaica Observer that Shaw’s Ballon d’Or ranking must be used as a stepping stone for the Reggae Girlz to better their finishes at previousWorldCupappearances. After failing to advance from the group stage on their debut in France in 2019, Jamaica made history by reaching the round of 16 in 2023 in Australia and New Zealand, where they were narrowly beaten by Colombia. “Now that [teams] are realising that we have a top-class player, it is going to force coaches now to start sitting down, putting game plans together to play against Jamaica,” Edwards said. “But what I’d love to see it do,…