Jamaica is planning on calling up Everton winger Demarai Gray before the 2022 World Cup. Demarai Remelle Gray was born in Birmingham, England on 28th June 1996. The 5 ft 11 footballer has played for England in the lower age groups but he is eligible to play for the Reggae Boyz because his parents are of Jamaican descent. Gray’s professional career began as an under-11 player for Birmingham City’s Academy. He built a reputation for being one of the best young players in England while playing for Birmingham. Some of the individual accolades that he won during this time include: 2013–14 Player of the Season, 2014–15 Young Player of the Season, December 2014 Young Player of the Month and 2014–15 Goal of the Season.

Gray prospered through Birmingham City’s youth system, making his Football League debut in October 2013 as a 17-year-old. He played 78 times in all competitions in two-and-a-half seasons including 51 starts in the Championship, the second division of English football. His good performances made big teams covet him and it wasn’t long before Leicester City bought him in January 2016. He continued putting in good performances for Leicester and he even contributed in his team’s fairytale win of the Premier League in 2015–16.

He struggled to keep a starting position in Leicester City and he joined Bundesliga club Bayer Leverkusen in January 2021. However, he recently returned to England and has signed a three-year deal with Everton. He has represented England from under-18 to under-21 level with a total of 11 goals in 26 appearances.

JFF chief Michael Ricketts revealed that Jamaica is also eyeing the services of Liam Moore, Ivan Toney, Mason Holgate, Kemar Roofe and Isaac Hayden. In fact, reports claims that some of these players are currently working on securing Jamaican passports.

Demarai Gray can be a good addition to the Jamaican national team because he has showcased his immense talent on many occasions. He is currently on fire for Everton and has been putting in Man-of-the-match performances in in all his games this season. He has scored an impressive 3 goals and secured 1 assist in only 7 games. Gray is known for his dribbling, pace and technical ability, making him one of the most dynamic players in the premier league.

He was brought up in a middle-class family that blends the cultures of Britain and Jamaica. This background is similar to other England-based players like Raheem Sterling, Michail Antonio, Kyle Walker, Ravel Morrison, Theo Walcott, Daniel Sturridge, Chris Smalling and Danny Rose.