It's officially history: Belize has been eliminated from the running for the 2006 World Cup.
Our national football team was convincingly defeated in the two games of their matches against Canada. In both games we were shelled 4-0 at Richardson Stadium in Kingston, Ontario. The team played their last match last night and a few hours later they were back on a plane to Belize. 7NEWS was at the PGIA for a melancholy homecoming.
Just one station was at the airport as Belize's national football team returned from Canada. And though they lost their bid for the World Cup, team members say they didn't lose their pride.
Charlie Slusher, National Football Team
"I am definitely not disappointed because I know our guys went out there and they played hard. You know we got 8 goals within the two games."
Shane Orio (Moody), Goalkeeper
"No kind of disappointment. We went out there and gave it our all especially in the second game. The second game we went out, gave it our all, and we did our best."
But two of Belize's more experienced football players captain Robert Muschamp and veteran Charlie Slusher both say we didn't do our best because there was a problem with the team. And that problem was that there was no team spirit.
Charlie Slusher,
"At one point it seemed like our players just lost sight of the whole game plan and stuff like that. I think that was the main reason why it was difficult for us to get a goal or even have a fighting chance of winning the game."
Robert Muschamp, National Team Captain
"We faced some problems out there that I really wouldn't want to mention at this point."
Q: Do you think you disappointed Belize?
Robert Muschamp, National Team Captain
"I should think so because while we were out there I think we were ambassadors for Belize. There was a point when I think people out there looked at us and really wondered if everyone in Belize act that particular kind of way. But I think that if everybody had gone there with one mindset, I think it could have probably been a different result."
But Coach Anthony "Garrincha" Addereley says our boys did their best and in some respects factors such as the weather and inexperienced players contributed to Belize's defeat.
Anthony "Garrincha" Addereley, National Team Coach
"Nothing went wrong. In the first game I thought we got there prepared and we were high spirited. What they did was put us in the change-off room and they asked us to go out in what we call our practice uniform. We changed and the sun was hot and we went inside to put on our game uniform. But by the time we came out it was rainy and it was windy and cold. I don't know if that affected the boys' minds."
"I think in the second game we gained our respect. We let them know that we are here and we are improving and we also want to win. They scored two goals while we were playing them with only 10 men. But at the same time they played a very good game. The Canadian boys are very organized and very professional about what they do."
And the coach's sentiment is both shared and echoed by Football Federation of Belize President Dr. Bertie Chimilio.
Dr. Bertie Chimilio, FFB
"The boys played like they know to play. They played very hard. There was an absence of concentration and definitely that is what cost the game. But we are not ashamed of what happened in Canada. It is a learning process and we will take it from there. They did their best and after you do your best only the good Lord..."
..Or their fans at home who these players now have to face and answer many more questions.
National team coach Garrincha Addereley says he will stay with the team at least until next February when Belize will play in the nation's cup in Guatemala. As for Canada well that teams now move on to the next round of World Cup elimination.