Joshua Grant Called Up to Jamaica’s Unity Cup Squad

Joshua Grant, the teenage goalkeeper learning his trade in USL League One, is about to step onto a much bigger stage.

The 18-year-old FC Naples shot-stopper has been called into Jamaica’s squad for the Unity Cup in London, England, putting him on the brink of a first senior cap as the Reggae Boyz open the four-team tournament against India. Nigeria and Zimbabwe complete a field that will offer the youngster a sharp introduction to international football.

For Grant, it comes at a time when his club form is beginning to gather real weight. On Saturday he delivered his first professional shutout, making two saves in Naples’ 1-0 win over Westchester SC at the Paradise Coast Sports Complex. He has only two league appearances this season as understudy to Lalo Delgado, but he has made them count, posting a -0.32 Goals Prevented mark that underlines his impact in limited minutes.

His growing reputation has not been built on league play alone. On May 17, in the Prinx Tires USL Cup, Grant helped Naples edge Sporting Club Jacksonville in a penalty shootout, producing the decisive save in the fourth round to send his side through. For a teenager from Lauderhill, Fla., those are the kind of moments that accelerate a career.

Now comes the jump from promising prospect to full international. Grant already captains Jamaica’s Under-20 side; now he steps into a senior dressing room filled with players “way older” than him, as he put it, and a level where one mistake can define a night.

“It’s a huge deal,” Grant said of the call-up. “My senior national team, playing with guys who are way older than me and captaining my under-20 team. The momentum is great. I love it here in Naples, and I love my country. Both of them, it’s an amazing feeling.”

He will not be the only fresh face. Jamaica’s experimental group for the Unity Cup also includes another young name with American ties: Nicholas Simmonds, a former Richmond Kickers Academy player now on the books at FC Dallas, who earns his first senior Jamaica call-up.

For both Grant and Simmonds, London offers more than a friendly tournament. It is a test of composure, a window into the senior international game, and a chance to convince Jamaica’s staff that these early auditions should turn into long-term roles.