Michail Antonio Nominated for CONCACAF Player of the Year

Reggae Boyz striker Michail Antonio is one of six football players shortlisted for the newly-created CONCACAF 2021 Men’s Player of the Year Award.

The nominees for the Men’s and Women’s Player of the Year awards were selected based on their performances in sanctioned regional and FIFA matches and competitions.

The other nominees are Canadians Jonathan David and Alphonso Davies, Americans Christian Pulisic and Weston McKennie, and Mexican international Hirving Lozano.

Antonio, who also played for West Ham in England, joined the Reggae Boyz last year for their World Cup qualifying campaign. Despite the Boyz crashing out of the campaign last week, Antonio had one of the most impressive performances of the qualifiers, with three goals from six games played.

A baller from youth 

The 31-year-old striker was born in Wandsworth, Greater London, to Jamaican parents, making him eligible to join the Jamaican national team.

- Advertisement -

He began playing football at Tooting & Mitcham United Juniors at 12 years old and remained there for six seasons. He was scouted and invited for a trial by Tottenham Hotspur at 14. But his mother rejected the opportunity on his behalf. The Juniors’ team was independent from Tooting & Mitcham United, whom he later signed for at 17. He made his debut for the club in an away match against Wealdstone at 18, scoring once in a 3–0 victory.

After just a handful of first-team appearances for Tooting & Mitcham United, Antonio signed for England Championship club Reading in 2008 for an undisclosed fee, signing a deal until 2010. Over the two years, Michail Antonio also played for Cheltenham Town, Southampton, and Colchester United – signing on a month’s loan for each team.

In early 2012, Sheffield Wednesday signed Antonio on an emergency loan deal until the end of the season. He scored several goals for the club, which led to a permanent signing. Antonio signed a four-year deal after accepting a third and final bid by Reading. In his first season with the club, he led the scoring charts with nine goals, but an injury later ruled him out for the rest of the season.

Antonio is no stranger to nominations.

In 2014, Antonio signed a three-year contract with Nottingham Forest for an estimated £1.5 million transfer fee. His strong form in Forest’s first five league matches of the season, in which he contributed three goals and three assists, led to him becoming a candidate for the Championship’s Player of the Month award for August of that year.

The following year, Antonio signed for Premier League club West Ham United for around £7 million on a four-year contract with an option for an additional two years. He extended his contract with West Ham several times since his first signing.

In 2020, Antonio scored all four goals in a 4–0 win for West Ham over Norwich City, becoming the first player in West Ham’s history to score four goals in a single Premier League game. He was also the first West Ham player to score four goals in a game since David Cross against Tottenham in September 1981. He finished as West Ham’s joint top-scorer, alongside Tomáš Souček, with ten goals for that season.

In 2016, Antonio was presented with the opportunity to play for Jamaica in the World Cup qualifiers but rejected the offer, saying he harbored an ambition to play for England. At the start of the next World Cup campaign in 2021, he took the opportunity to play for the Jamaica national team, making his debut in September 2021.

Michail Antonio is married and has four children. Just last month, he also signed a new two-and-a-half-year deal with West Ham United, with the option to extend a further year.

More Stories

West Indies Masters

West Indies Masters edge past Sri Lanka in thrilling semi-final clash

RAIPUR, India – The West Indies Masters delivered a spirited performance to secure a dramatic six-run victory over the Sri Lanka Masters in the...
Grand Slam Track

Grand Slam Track unveils star-studded line-up for historic Kingston Slam

NEW YORK – Grand Slam Track has officially revealed its full roster of 96 elite Racers and Challengers set to ignite the track at...
West-Indies-celebrate

West Indies breakout league set to ignite cricket’s next generation in 2025

Cricket West Indies (CWI) and the Republic Bank Caribbean Premier League (CPL) are set to revolutionize the regional cricketing landscape with the launch of...
Trinidad Prime Minister Dr. Keith Rowley

Dr. Rowley a towering champion of West Indies cricket, says CWI boss

As Trinidad and Tobago's Prime Minister Dr. Keith Rowley prepares to step down from office on March 16, 2025, and concludes his tenure as...
Leon Bailey

New Bellevue Hospital Family Room named in honor of Leon Bailey

Bellevue Hospital, Jamaica’s largest mental health facility, officially unveiled its new Family Room on Friday, dedicating the space as the Leon Bailey Wellness Lounge...
US travel ban

Caribbean nations included on draft US travel ban proposal

According to a report by The New York Times, the Trump administration is considering a new travel ban that would affect several Caribbean nations. The...
NMIA Jamaica Norman Manley International Airport

Fire at Norman Manley International Airport in Kingston disrupts flights

Emergency responders worked overnight to contain a fire that broke out in the Club Kingston VIP Departure Lounge at Norman Manley International Airport (NMIA)...
Guyana Government to assist sugar workers

Guyana in diplomatic talks with US over Cuban medical missions sanctions

The Government of Guyana is engaged in diplomatic discussions with the United States to address concerns over the expansion of US restrictions on Cuba’s...
Nearly six thousand people killed Haiti in 2024

IACHR expresses concern over worsening security crisis in Haiti

The Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR) has voiced grave concerns over the escalating security crisis in Haiti, citing a surge in extreme violence...
Owen James

Jamaican media mourns the passing of veteran journalist Owen James

The Press Association of Jamaica (PAJ) has expressed deep sorrow over the passing of veteran journalist Owen James, hailing him as a trailblazer in...

Latest Articles

Skip to content