Chaz Williams, the 16-year-old Inter Miami academy left-back, expressed his gratitude and excitement at the prospect of representing Trinidad and Tobago in the upcoming Concacaf Under-17 World Cup qualifiers next month.
“It’s an awesome opportunity to be here. I’m here to represent T&T Under-17 because of the passion and love I have to represent this country,” Williams declared in a recent interview with Trinidad and Tobago Football Association (TTFA) media.
Williams was among 40 players vying for a spot in Shawn Cooper’s final squad for the February 7-16 Concacaf tournament, which serves as qualifiers for the FIFA U17 World Cup in Qatar this November.
While confident about their chances of securing the coveted top spot from their group, Williams is under no illusions about the challenges ahead, especially against group favourites and hosts Costa Rica.
The group also includes the British Virgin Islands, Guyana, and Sint Maarten, with only the top team set to progress.
“Costa Rica, I feel sure, will be our strongest game. We have to put our minds together to have our focus for that game. I think our group is pretty strong, and I think we should be taking it game-to-game from Guyana all the way up to Costa Rica,” he said.
Williams, who trains in the elite facilities of Inter Miami, believes his experience in high-pressure situations can add value to the young Soca Warriors campaign.
“The facilities (at Inter Miami) are a blessing. The opportunity to be around those big players like [Lionel] Messi and [Sergio] Busquets—it’s really big, and I’m grateful for it,” Williams said as he reflected on his two seasons at the academy so far.
“It’s a lot of pressure to be playing because all the scouts are out there watching. I try to keep my head down, dig deep, and do what I can with what I have,” he added.
Williams noted the passion and drive of his teammates in their training camp, which he believes could be a key factor in their success.
“The desire the other players have to represent the badge and the drive these other players have—it’s not something you really see a lot in the US. If all of the players here work together, I think we can build a really big team to push to the World Cup,” the towering player reasoned.
Having shared moments with Lionel Messi, including congratulating the Argentine star on his eighth Ballon d’Or in 2023, Williams is inspired to forge his own path to success, starting with a strong performance in the qualifiers.
“I live for this, and I love to play on fields like this. When I go back [to Inter Miami], I realize how grateful I am to be playing there,” Williams ended.
