KINGSTON, Jamaica, CMC – Disgruntled winger Leon Bailey withdrew from the Jamaica 26-member squad for the Copa America, starting next Thursday in the United States.
The Jamaica Football Federation (JFF) announced the squad for the quadrennial international tournament organized by CONMEBOL, the sport’s South American governing body, on Wednesday, and the 26-year-old, who plays for English Premier League club, issued a cryptic post on the social network site, Instagram later to deny his involvement.
“Misleading information,” Bailey said in the post, who has taken a self-imposed exile from the Reggae Boyz, as the national team is known after coach Heimir Hallgrímsson suspended him for breaking team curfew after a Concacaf Nations League match against Canada last November in Kingston.
Bailey did not play in any of Jamaica’s matches earlier this month, including the Concacaf qualifiers for the 2026 Fifa World Cup against the Dominican Republic and Dominica, so it was surprising that he was included.
His father and manager, Craig Butler, also took to IG to reaffirm Bailey’s decision to avoid playing international matches. They were concentrating on spending time with his family and his personal development.
“Leon Bailey has stated that he is taking a break from the Jamaica national team for his mental health and to spend time with his family,” Butler wrote on IG. “His position has not changed.
“We kindly ask that you respect his wishes at this time. Posts made on social media that are surfacing now misrepresent his position.
“We wish the Reggae Boyz well in the Copa America competition, and he and his management team will continue to support the Jamaica National Team at all levels … Change must come… Respect and One Love for all.”
After his suspension from the team last year, Bailey launched scathing criticism against the JFF while speaking on a podcast, where he announced he would not be representing Jamaica for the foreseeable future.
His absence will be a major blow for the Reggae Boyz. He recently finished a notable campaign with Aston Villa, scoring 14 goals and dished out 14 assists in all competitions.
Jamaica have been drawn in Group B of the Copa America, where they will face Mexico on June 22 in the American city of Houston in Texas, Ecuador on June 26 in Las Vegas, Nevada, and Venezuela on June 30 in Austin, Texas.
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