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Trinidad and Tobago Men’s National Senior Team head coach Angus Eve named the uncapped overseas-based trio of Tyrese Spicer, Dantaye Gilbert and Steffen Yeates in a 39-man provisional squad for the country’s first 2026 World Cup qualifier against Grenada on Wednesday 5 June.
The Soca Warriors are grouped with Costa Rica, Saint Kitts and Nevis, The Bahamas and Grenada with the top two finishers advancing to the next qualifying round.
Photo: Daniel Prentice/ Wired868
Eve’s troops start their campaign on home soil at the Hasely Crawford Stadium in Port of Spain.
If Spicer, Gilbert and Yeates are in the final squad, it will be their first experience in red, black and white at senior international level.
Spicer, a former St Mary’s College and St Augustine Secondary standout, has never represented the twin island republic before. The pacey 23-year-old attacker was the first draft pick for MLS outfit Toronto FC last year and already has 10 caps with two goals this season.
Eve is now considering putting Spicer’s skills to the service of Trinidad and Tobago.
(via MLS)
Gilbert, a former Presentation College (San Fernando) starlet, is still just 19-years-old although it was a question of when not if he would get to this stage. A SSFL National Intercol MVP at just 14, Gilbert earned a move to famous Dutch team PSV Eindhoven last year and already has more than a dozen caps with their reserve team, Jong PSV.
The lanky midfielder joins a competent cast of midfield options available to Eve—which includes 24-year-old Pacific FC midfielder, Yeates.
Yeates, a former Toronto FC signing, is capped for Canada at Under-17 and Under-20 level but is now open to swapping nationalities at senior level.
AEK Athens star forward Levi Garcia heads Eve’s roster, which includes captain and defender Aubrey David, midfielder Andre Rampersad and flanker Reon Moore.
(via PSV)
Newcomers Kevon Woodley, Ezekiel Kesar and Aaron Enill are also named in Trinidad and Tobago’s provisional squad, after decent international debuts against a second-string Guyana team earlier this month.
Notable absences are combative midfielder Neveal Hackshaw, playmaker Judah Garcia and goalkeeper Nicklas Frenderup.
Eve is expected to whittle his squad down to roughly 23 players by next week as they prepare to face Grenada at home and then to travel to the Bahamas on 8 June.
Photo: Daniel Prentice/ Wired868
(Provisional squad)
Goalkeepers: Denzil Smith (Club Sando), Aaron Enill (Prison FC), Christopher Biggette (Defence Force), Adrian Foncette (Miscellaneous Police FC);
Defenders: Aubrey David (CS Cartagines—Costa Rica), Alvin Jones, Robert Primus (both Miscellaneous Police FC), Isaiah Garcia, Justin Garcia (both Defence Force), Josiah Trimmingham (Montego Bay Utd—Jamaica), Shannon Gomez (San Antonio FC—USA), Andre Raymond (unattached), Jesse Williams (Chattanooga FC—USA), Sheldon Bateau (SK Beveren—Belgium), Leland Archer (Charleston Battery—USA), Triston Hodge (Hartford Athletic—USA), Ross Russell (Terminix La Horquetta Rangers);
Midfielders: Duane Muckette, Michel Poon-Angeron (both AC Port of Spain), Kevon Goddard (Defence Force), Andre Rampersad (HFX Wanderers—Canada), Kristian Lee Him (Eskilstuna—Sweden), Matthew Woo Ling (Defence Force), Noah Powder (Northern Colorado Hailstorm—USA), Dantaye Gilbert (Jong PSV—Netherlands), Steffen Yeates (Pacific FC—Canada), Molik Khan (Minnesota Utd II—USA), Daniel Phillips (St Johnstone FC—Scotland), Ajani Fortune (Atlanta United—USA);
Attackers: Kaile Auvray, Nathaniel James (both Mount Pleasant FC—Jamaica), Real Gill (Northern Colorado Hailstorm—USA), Reon Moore (Pacific FC—Canada), Malcolm Shaw (Cavalry FC—Canada), Levi Garcia (AEK Athens—Greece), Tyrese Spicer (Toronto FC—Canada), Ezekiel Kesar (Point Fortin Civic), Kevon Woodley (Morvant Caledonia Utd), Ryan Telfer (HFX Wanderers—Canada).
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Spicer is the real deal.
Let’s make the HC Stadium our FORTRESS with full fan support for every game
that sounds very good. This Spicer guy’s name is on almost everyone’s lips, I hope he is as good as what people say he is. Good to see Showtime is getting a proper opportunity at this level. Our local league is also providing players for the national team, great news.