Reggae Girl Gone Global

Jamaica international Vyan Sampson explains the thinking behind her move from English football to Japan, first at JEF United Chiba and now with INAC Kobe Leonessa, a switch prompted by a desire for fresh challenges after helping the Reggae Girlz reach the knockout stages of the 2023 World Cup from a group containing France and Brazil. The south-east Londoner, who represented England at youth level before choosing Jamaica, describes daily life on Rokkō Island, adapting to a more indirect Japanese team culture, and the technical demands of playing under a Spanish coaching influence at her club. She tips young INAC goalkeeper Akane Okuma as one to watch, discusses the WE League’s efforts to raise its global standing, and reflects on the emotional pull of representing her parents’ homeland compared with the England pathway she left behind. A rich, wide-ranging account of a genuinely well-travelled career.