Posted: Saturday, March 22, 2025. 1:30 pm CST.
Belize’s Angello Cappello, left, against Costa Rica’s Brandon Aguilera, right, Friday night at the FFB Stadium in Belmopan where our national team suffered the worst defeat on home soil ever – Photo Credit: Departamento de Prensa – Federación Costarricense de Fútbol
By Rubén Morales Iglesias: Belize’s football community is reeling after the national team suffered its worst loss in history, falling 7-0 to Costa Rica at the FFB Stadium on Friday night. This devastating defeat comes after Federation President Sergio Chuc declared to Costa Rican media that Belize was playing “at almost the best level in its history,” raising questions about the state of the sport in the country. The result also ties the 7-0 losses Belize suffered to Costa Rica in the 1999 Central American Cup and to Mexico in the 2008 World Cup qualifiers in Monterrey, marking yet another grim chapter in the country’s football history.
Veteran footballer Deon McCauley, Belize’s all-time leading scorer and a standout from the 2014 World Cup qualifiers, took to social media to express his frustration. His comments highlighted deeper issues within the Football Federation of Belize (FFB), coming after several players—Jordy Polanco, goalkeeper Charle Tillett, Nahjib Guerra, and Moises Hernandez—opted out of the squad. The withdrawals were reportedly due to the FFB reneging on agreements, slashing the per diem from $100 to $50 and reducing the $350 game fee.
“Why do we always wait until the last minute to talk about money?” McCauley asked. He continued, “Commitment of players should have been done months ago so the coach can bring in new players if needed and get them ready, especially for a game of this magnitude! We have to learn from the past in order to move forward!”
Elroy Smith, former captain of Belize’s national team and a professional player in Honduras for several years, shared his disillusionment with the state of football governance.
“The only people that can change what’s happening are the ones who vote at the federation, and they are all paid off, so change won’t happen anytime soon,” Smith lamented. Reflecting on the match, he added, “Where was the leadership? Where was the experience on the field of play? At the end of the day, the heads are happy because the more we lose, the more money we get to develop. And that’s the sad part.”
Costa Rican Kenneth Vargas celebrates his goal against Belize Friday night at the FFB Stadium in Belmopan – Photo Credit: Departamento de Prensa – Federación Costarricense de Fútbol
The disappointment was echoed by former Belize Women’s National Team player Delmi Cornelio, who has also studied the dynamics of professional football abroad.
“Yes, FFB could do more for the development of football in Belize, but it takes so much more than a federation. I’ve lived and witnessed how pro football works in other countries, and it starts with good programs in schools. I still don’t know how no one has come up with a good plan that will involve both the Ministry of Education and FFB, along with support from the private sector,” Cornelio explained.
The sad part is that the Ministry of Education and the FFB actually have an agreement in place, but so far, it has not started to bear fruit. Why this is the case remains an open question.
Adding to the chorus of disapproval, Cesar Mendez, a seasoned player for Belize’s Men’s National Team in the 1980s and 1990s, called for immediate leadership changes. “Ya basta, ya basta,” he wrote passionately in Spanish, demanding FFB President Sergio Chuc’s resignation. “I love football, and I love Belize. Enough is enough.”
The defeat, compounded by the FFB’s silence on its social media platforms, has left fans and former players frustrated and disheartened.
As Belize prepares for the return match in Costa Rica, the pressure is on for the national team to restore some pride. However, the larger question remains: will this painful chapter serve as a catalyst for meaningful reform in Belizean football? The demand for accountability and change has never been louder.
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The post Belize’s catastrophic 7-0 loss to Costa Rica sparks outrage: Calls for accountability emerge following Friday night’s debacle appeared first on Belize News and Opinion on www.breakingbelizenews.com.
Posted: Saturday, March 22, 2025. 1:30 pm CST. Belize’s Angello Cappello, left, against Costa Rica’s Brandon Aguilera, right, Friday night at the FFB Stadium in Belmopan
The post Belize’s catastrophic 7-0 loss to Costa Rica sparks outrage: Calls for accountability emerge following Friday night’s debacle appeared first on Belize News and Opinion on www.breakingbelizenews.com.
