When Taylor Hinds abandoned the Reggae Girlz for the English Lioness team, her move confirmed what many locals think about the diaspora players only representing Jamaica because they have no choice.

The English-born Hinds qualifies to represent Jamaica through her grandparents, who originated from the parish of Manchester, and she made her Jamaican debut in October 2024 against France in an International Friendly.

Both the Reggae Girlz and Reggae Boyz teams are filled with players born outside Jamaica. If you are in the dressing room, listening to the conversations, one would believe it’s an American or English team.

A plethora of players are brought in to “strengthen” the Jamaican teams with a fair level of success.

But when things are not going well, the imported players are given hell, and one of the most popular comments is that it is because they cannot make the England or American teams, they run to Jamaica.

The 26-year-old Hinds, who represented England at the Under-17 and Under-19 levels, was not called up for the England senior team and opted to represent Jamaica last year, playing only once.

But this week, the Arsenal defender has been invited to the England team, and she accepted, and the sentiments got louder that Hinds and others only choose Jamaica because they had no choice.

Hinds, who should make her English senior debut later this month against Brazil or Australia, was quoted as saying on Instagram: “It’s a privilege to have two nationalities and I’m incredibly proud to represent both. I have nothing but the utmost respect and appreciation for Jamaica—they’ve been so understanding and genuinely want the best for me, which means a lot.

“Being called up to represent England is an amazing feeling and opportunity. I know what it means to wear the shirt, to be a Lioness, and it truly means everything to me and my family.”

In recent times, Jamaica’s Reggae Boyz are anxiously awaiting Mason Greenwood to switch allegiance to Jamaica from England.

But even when it was reported that he got his Jamaican passport, it was reported that he was still playing a wait-and-see game to see if he would get a call-up to the England team.

Hinds had a choice, and she understandably chose the European champion England. But it proves what the naysayers have been saying all along.