LeiLanni Nesbeth On Her Senior Team Debut
[Written by Stephen Wright]
LeiLanni Nesbeth has been one of the most talked-about prospects in Bermudian sport for almost a decade.
And yet she is still only 20 years old.
Nesbeth fits the sporting “wonderkid” description. She has played football for Brighton & Hove Albion women, cricket for Sussex Under-15 girls, and last year helped No-1 ranked Florida State University win the NCAA National Championship title.
It seems almost surprising that it has taken until now for Nesbeth to receive her first senior Bermuda call-up; the attacking midfielder could make her debut in the Concacaf W Qualifying opener against Jamaica in Kingston on Thursday.
She looked set to be included in Bermuda’s squad for the Concacaf Caribbean Championship qualifiers in 2018 but opted to keep her international options open given her eligibility for England.
Having committed her international future to Bermuda, Nesbeth feels no extra pressure despite the excitement surrounding her selection in coach Naquita Robinson’s 23-woman squad.
“This is my first big tournament with the senior team. It will be a proud moment for me,” Nesbeth told Bernews.
“In Bermuda, I’ve been in the limelight since I was 10 or 11.
“I went to England at a young age, about 13, and I was out there by myself trying to make my mark.
“This [international football] won’t phase me; it’s just playing football at the end of the day, which is something I love, whether that’s with the national team or Florida State.”
Nesbeth, who represented Bermuda Under-20 at the Concacaf Championship in the Dominican Republic in 2020, admits Bermuda will have to be at their very best to make a winning start to the qualifiers against Jamaica at the IMG Academy in Bradenton, Florida.
Bermuda must finish top of Group C, including Cayman Islands, Dominican Republic and Grenada, to advance to the Concacaf W Championship as one of the six group winners.
“It’s going to be challenging,” she said. “Jamaica have so much experience; they’ve reached the Women’s World Cup [in 2019] and have had that exposure.
“We’re going to have to make sure we match their level of intensity. That’s going to be vital.
“We need to make sure we’re disciplined; we mustn’t allow it to become a transition game because then it’s a lot harder.”
Unsurprisingly, Nesbeth is among several Bermuda players hoping to join the boom of professional players in the women’s game; however, she first intends to study for a master’s degree in sports management at FSU.
“The plan is to play professionally for as long as possible,” added Nesbeth, who was ruled out for almost a year after sustaining a knee injury while playing for Brighton in 2018.
“I’m planning to go back to England, maybe even Spain. Hopefully, I’ll also play in the States one day.
“It’s great to see how much exposure women’s football receives, as well as how much advertising and investment is going into the game.
“There’s a big debate about the women’s salary [compared to the men’s game], and it’s great to read all the articles about the progression of the women’s game. It’s all going in a positive direction.”
