Jamaican Football Legend: Ian Goodison
Written by: Damalio Powell
Born in Montego Bay, Jamaica, on November 21, 1972, Ian De Souza Goodison is one of Jamaica’s all-time greatest players. The defender began his career in the KSAFA Major League in Jamaica, before being found by Reggae Boyz coach Rene Simoes who immediately bought him into the national setup. Goodison made his national senior debut against Guatemala at the age of 23 in a March 3, 1996, friendly game in which he also scored his first international goal.
The defender played a vital role in Jamaica’s qualification for the 1998 FIFA World Cup. He played 19 World Cup Qualification matches from March 31, 1996, to November 16, 1997, including scoring a vital goal in a 1-0 victory over Mexico on November 17, 1996. In the 1998 World Cup in France, Goodison played all 3 of Jamaica’s matches including captaining the team to their 1st win in their final game of the tournament, in which they won 2-1 over Japan in the group stage.
Later that year he would play all 5 matches for Jamaica in the Caribbean Cup scoring goals against 3 of the 5 teams he faced, which included Cayman Islands, Netherlands Antilles, and Haiti. A 2-1 victory over Trinidad & Tobago in the final, secured Jamaica’s second title up to that point, and Ian Goodison’s 1st and only major trophy for the country.
Goodison joined the English team Hull City FC in the 3rd division (currently recognised as League 2) on October 23, 1999. Goodison would go on to have relative success at the club before leaving on April 23, 2002, for Jamaican football club Seba United. He would spend 1 year and nine months with the club before receiving a free transfer to Tranmere Rovers on February 20, 2004.
On May 23, 2009, Ian Goodison would play his final match for the Jamaican Reggae Boyz, surpassing defender Linval Dixon to become Jamaica’s most capped player with 128 matches. Goodison ended his international career with a total of 10 goals for Jamaica having scored against teams such as Nigeria, The United States of America, and Mexico.
Goodison would accomplish 400 appearances for Tranmere Rovers on October 13, 2013, at the age of 31. He would then retire from football in June of 2014, before eventually coming out of retirement to play for Jamaican team Harbour View on January 1, 2015. The Jamaican legend would then go on to retire for the final time in July of 2016.