McClaren Resigns as Jamaica Coach After Curacao Draw

In Kingston, Jamaica, former England manager Steve McClaren resigned as head coach of the national team on Tuesday night after a 0-0 draw with Curacao that denied the Reggae Boyz automatic qualification for the 2026 World Cup. The result, played before a capacity crowd of 35,000 at the National Stadium, left Jamaica in second place in CONCACAF Group B and headed to the interconfederation playoffs in March, while Curacao advanced directly as the smallest nation by population, with just 156,115 residents, to reach the tournament for the first time.

McClaren, who took charge in July 2024 following Heimir Hallgrimsson's departure, announced his decision in the postmatch press conference, emphasizing accountability in a results-driven sport. "Over the last 18 months, I have given everything I have to this job," he said. "Leading this team has been one of the greatest honors of my career. But football is a results business, and tonight we have fallen short of our goal, which was to qualify from this group. It is the responsibility of the leader to step forward, take accountability and make decisions in the best interests of the team." He added that after deep reflection, he believed...