Six years ago, 21-year-old Taha Ali was combining futsal with third-tier football. Many said he was “too weak” and only suited for futsal - not real football. Now? He’s officially in Sweden’s 2026 World Cup squad. 🇸🇪
شخصيا ؟ ، ما كنت أتوقع ظهوره بالشكل هذا والله توقعته لاعب فريستايل يظهر ب لقطة من كل 10 مباريات
ولكن بصراحة ؟ اكثر لاعب صدمني هالموسم هو رايان شرقي ممتع ممتع للعين هو ستايل مختلف عن دي بروين ولا قريب من دافيد سيلفا ولا نسخة من يايا
لكنه رايان شرقي . https://t.co/OWf9J1WpJS
Team Jamaica might be cooking up something special, and the pieces are starting to fall into place 🧩
Norman Powell , Ausar Thompson, and Amen Thompson are already part of the picture. But the real buzz is about who could join them.
Scottie Barnes, Isaiah Stewart, and Devin Vassell have all been mentioned as potential commitments, which would suddenly give Jamaica a lineup packed with length, scoring, and defensive versatility 👀
Still, the biggest domino is Jalen Brunson.
His maternal grandparents were born in Jamaica, which leaves the door slightly open. There are logistical hurdles to clear, but it’s not impossible as Jamaica can be recognized as a developing basketball nation.
And if that final piece ever falls into place, the JamRockerz would be showing up with a squad that nobody wants to see 🇯🇲
Richard Ríos is a Colombian midfielder who plays for Palmeiras. He spent most of his youth career playing futsal and only switched to football at the age of 18, when he was unexpectedly spotted by Flamengo, who fast-tracked him straight into professional football.
Ríos is also instantly recognisable for his unique look. He plays wearing a mouth guard and has a massive Tupac Shakur tattoo on his leg, a detail that quickly became part of his identity.