FOURTEEN-YEAR-OLD Rori Gittens believes the in-training Trinidad and Tobago women’s U17 squad is building up nicely ahead of the 2025 Concacaf U17 Women’s World Cup qualifying matches, which kick off from January 27 to February 1.
Gittens, who played an integral role in helping St Joseph’s Convent Port of Spain to the 2024 National Girls Intercol title, expressed pleasure to be part of the national setup and wants her teammates to go all out in search of a place at this year’s Women’s U17 World Cup in Morocco.
The local girls recently started a training camp under head coach and former national defender Ayanna Russell, and have been working well together so far.
In an interview with TTFA media on January 14, Gittens said the qualifiers will be a total team effort.
“I think our teamwork and binding is really good. I find that we can all communicate with each other, and if I go up to one of the older girls and talk to them, it’s like (speaking to) one of my good friends from long. I find that we bind well so it’s easy to play with this team,” she said.
Coach Russell was part of the TT 2014 senior women’s team which missed out on FIFA Women’s World Cup qualification by an agonising one point. She knows too well, what it would mean for her troops to gain U17 World Cup qualification.
Likewise, Gittens wants it as equally as bad.
She said, “The coaches have made us well aware of it (missed World Cup opportunity) and I feel it’s our job to accomplish what they couldn’t do because they’re here and helping us get to the level where they were at, and I feel like we can do it.”
When asked what she thinks would be required of the team to achieve such a hefty feat, Gittens replied, “You have to be mentally and physically prepared because the training sessions are difficult and strenuous. When you prepare mentally you can do anything, because, you’re prepared.”
She said she grew up in Maraval playing football with her brothers and cousins and grew to love the game.
As an attacking midfielder, Gittens said her strengths are scanning the field, playing the ball quickly and knocking it around with teammates.
She gave much credit to her parents for helping her get to and from school and national training, and matches. Her father also helps her with football training and helping build her mental fortitude.
Gittens also called for more support from the fans for women’s football.
“I feel like women’s football needs more appreciation because we try our hardest and I feel like if more people came to support we’ll try even harder for our country. We’re doing our best and the support will help us out a lot.”
“I do like women’s football and I find it’s more fierce and I might be biased but I find women are more passionate about the game. My favourite footballer is Lionel Messi and he inspired me actually to try out (for nationals).”
TT begin their campaign versus the US Virgin Islands on January 27, before tackling Belize and Honduras on January 29 and 31 respectively in Group B action.

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