Leon Bailey Responds to Being Bashed For Penalty Miss Against The USA

Kemar TomlinsonJune 25, 2023

Following the backlash from his missed penalty in the opening match of the 2023 Gold Cup, Reggae Boyz and Aston Villa winger shares a message of resilience. The talented winger had the chance to give Jamaica a 2-0 lead against the Americans but failed miserably as he also missed the rebound, which fell at his feet.

Many fans saw Leon Bailey’s miss penalty as the main reason Jamaica dropped two points against the USA, with even head coach Hemir Hallgrimsson hinting at that viewpoint. In his post-game interview, Hallgrimsson says the two-nill advantage would have given the Reggae Boyz greater control of the game.

However, Leon Bailey has seemingly hit back at critics and the backlash from many Jamaican football fans. In a partially lengthy post via Instagram, Leon Bailey wrote, “If every bad moment kept me down, then I wouldn’t be where I am today. It’s how you react to difficulties that make you strong. A good point against a good team, we keep going.”

Along with the words of resilience and strength from Bailey, he also shared a few pictures from the opening match against the Americans with the ball at his feet and the moment before he hit the missed penalty.

Many fans in the comment section below the post showed their support for the winger. jesseroyal1 wrote, “You are a king inna earth! Continue to raise the Standard!!!! Nuh watch dat! Gwaan Knock the Ledda! U inspiring a whole generation of yutes to dream bigger!.”

Another fan wrote, “The best of the best misses penalties too..nuh worry bout that balla Sometimes just remember that simple football is the most effective.”

Amidst the encouraging comments, a lot of critical comments filled Bailey’s comment section. One fan commented, “Poor game!! You should never taken the penalty period.. No excuse we need result and your performance is below par.”