While Trinidad and Tobago head coach Dwight Yorke has omitted some familiar names, including former captain Aubrey David, from his 26-man squad for the upcoming World Cup qualifiers, he made it clear that this is not the end of the road for them.
Along with David, Kaïlé Auvray, who won back-to-back Jamaica Premier League titles and Caribbean Championship with Cavalier, Ryan Telfer, Duane Muckette, and promising youngster Dantaye Gilbert were also left out. However, Yorke insists the selections were driven by form, fit, and tactical planning.
"These players may not be in the squad at this point in time, but it’s not the end. The door is still open. I make football decisions, not personal ones. It’s never easy leaving out players, but I have to make tough decisions," Yorke told reporters.
Yorke’s focus is locked on the immediate task—two critical qualifying encounters — a home clash against St Kitts & Nevis on Friday at the Hasely Crawford Stadium, followed by a difficult away trip to Costa Rica next Tuesday. As such, he believes the current 26-man unit, which still has to be trimmed by three, offers the best chance of securing early momentum on the road to 2026.
US-born Dante Sealy included in the Soca Warriors squad.
Among the new faces turning heads are United States-based players Dante Sealy and Wayne Alix Frederick II. The 22-year-old Sealy, son of former Soca Warriors striker Scott Sealy, plies his trade at CF Montréal and previously represented the United States at youth levels. Frederick, 20, features for MLS outfit Colorado Rapids.
"These are my 26 players for this window. We’ve evaluated 54 players and brought it down to this core. I am sure the public will be surprised by a few new names and faces that they are not familiar with. It will take a nucleus of players to get us to the World Cup, but this is the bunch in pole position," Yorke noted.
Adding to the youthful injection are Ajani Fortune of Atlanta United and Tyrese Spicer, a winger for Toronto FC. With their inclusion, the Soca Warriors boast four MLS-based players, joining the likes of Levi Garcia of Spartak Moscow and Crystal Palace’s Under-21 representative Rio Cardines, who recently featured at the Unity Cup.
Though his Soca Warriors are heavily favoured to win, Yorke is adamant they will by no means underestimate the opposition. Trinidad and Tobago currently sit second on four points, two behind Costa Rica (six points), while St Kitts and Nevis sit third on three points.
Aubrey David among those left out.
"On paper, it looks like a game we should win, but we know how the game is played. So we’ll be preparing for a very tough match. Over the next couple of days we can see these players, see their strengths, and see how they can fit into the system. I am excited about the squad," Yorke declared.
With the deadline for the Concacaf Gold Cup also upon him, the possibility exists that the former Manchester United striker might very well field this same squad for that June 15 to July 7 tournament. Still, Yorke pointed to the movement, which is aimed at reshaping the national football narrative.
"This is the starting point. This is a new era of TT football. It's time for us to move on and give the youngsters an opportunity to then embrace what is ahead in taking TT football forward. We need everybody on board to make sure we pull in the right direction to qualify for the World Cup," he ended.
Soca Warriors squad—Marvin Phillip, Jabari St. Hillaire, Denzil Smith, Kaihim Thomas, Isaiah Leacock, Sheldon Bateau, Noah Powder, Kevin Molino, Levi Garcia, Isaiah Lee, Tyrese Spicer, Isaiah Garcia, Andre Raymond, Steffen Yeates, Josiah Trimmingham, Wayne Frederick, Real Gill, Nathaniel James, Dante Sealy, Alvin Jones, Rio Cardines, Andre Rampersad, Daniel Phillips, Ajani Fortune, Darnell Hospedales, Joevin Jones