For all the experience that Rebecca Spencer possesses in what has been a fairly successful career, she has never been to a global tournament before, so this summer's FIFA Women's World Cup in Australia and New Zealand, would be her crowning moment.

The England-born goalkeeper, who started her career in the youth system at Watford before moving to Arsenal, also spent time at Nottingham Forest and Gillingham on loan, after which she travelled to France where she had a stint with ASJ Soyaux.

Spencer later returned to England and had spells at Birmingham City, Chelsea and West Ham United, but later found the right fit with her current employers Tottenham Hotspurs. 

Along the way, she was capped by England at Under-19 and Under-20 levels and also received a call-up to the senior England squad in 2016.

However, in June 2021, Spencer, who qualifies to represent Jamaica through her grandparents, made her senior international debut with the senior Reggae Girlz and was instrumental in the team’s second-consecutive World Cup qualification, as she paraded her goalkeeping skills with much gusto, particularly, at the Concacaf Women’s Championship in Mexico.

At 32 years old, the vastly experienced Spencer has no qualms in admitting that she is at a ripe age in her career, especially in an era when bright young prospects are unearthed at an increasingly earlier age, which is why she is intent on making the most of this opportunity.

In fact, she is currently facing stiff competition from 23-year-old Sydney Schneider to decide who will be the Reggae Girlz number one shot-stopper at the showpiece, with 18-year-old Liya Brooks as their understudy.

The Lorne Donaldson-coached Girlz are currently engaged in a local camp after which the tactician and his assistant Xavier Gilbert will decide on the final 23-player squad for the July 20 to August 20 World Cup.

"Personally, I want to have the best competition of my life, obviously I'm 32, so I'm not getting any younger. But you know, nothing really phases me in any situation, I kind of have a lot of experience obviously playing in England so long, so I hope I can bring that experience to the World Cup and help the team," Spencer said.

"So, I am look forward to it and hopefully I can just do my Job and be there for the team and the rest of the team will put their best foot forward as well. Like coach said our team is probably the best we have ever had so I am really confident in what we can do when we get to the World Cup. We could surprise everyone that's there," she added.

Having joked about her age declaring that some days she is reflective, it is left to be seen if Spencer will push her career to possibly make another World Cup appearance in 2027, but until then she is living in the moment and, as such, is firmly focused on steadily building towards the upcoming tournament.

"Obviously it would be a very proud moment, but I haven't thought that far ahead as yet, we still have a lot more preparation time to go that I've not let that part of it sink in as yet," Spencer said.

"I'm just focusing on camp-to-camp and at the moment my mind is fully here not the World Cup as yet. I want to get this training week out of the way and obviously, if selected, when we get to Amsterdam, it's going to give a feel of how things are going to be when we get to Melbourne. Once we get to Amsterdam, then its go time for us," she reasoned.

Many may not be aware, but Spencer, like many before her, initially started out as a striker, before finding comfort in goalkeeping, a complex position that requires physicality, strong mentality, and a highly unique set of skills. 

While every good goalkeeper must be able to produce a range of different saves, there’s a lot more to it than just technical ability. Spencer would tell you that a top goalkeeper needs to be brave, an excellent communicator, focused, determined, and, more importantly, willing to endure the criticisms and disappointments that come with the job.

"Playing football at the highest level is challenging in every moment, there are plenty of ups and downs but it's also very rewarding because I measure success through personal growth. So yes, there are disappointments but if I set certain goals for each season or a tournament and I achieve them, that's certainly a success for me," she shared.

Finally, Spencer, who pointed out that if it wasn't football, she would have enjoyed working in health care, because she enjoys taking care of people in need, welcomed the initiative by FIFA which guarantees all players at the World Cup at least US$30,000 in prize money.

"Obviously it's excellent, it's a big incentive for players and we are going to be geared up to get out of the group stages which means it could be more, but for us as players, we don't normally think about that, we normally focus on the football, but FIFA has done a great thing by doing that," she ended.

Despite another decent display, Jamaica’s Reggae Girlz suffered their third straight defeat in the FFA Nations Cup going down 3-0 to hosts Australia on Wednesday at the Newcastle International Sports Centre.

The victory for Australia meant that Australia would win the trophy in the four-team tournament that also involved Spain and the Czech Republic.

Goals from Katrina Gorry, Alex Chidiac and Caitlin Foord settled the matter for Australia against the Caribbean team that played well enough but for the second of three matches, failed to find the net.

The Reggae Girlz started well with Jody Brown, Spence and Kayla McCoy-McKenna posing threats that Australia managed to thwart. In defence, especially in the first quarter of the match, Jamaica were organized, repelling Australia’s attacks with aplomb.

Australia, however, broke the deadlock in the 28^th minute with a 25m rocket from Gorry that flew past Rebecca Spencer in the Jamaica goal.

Growing in confidence, the hosts took a 1-0 lead into the half-time break.

Australia would double their lead in the 56^th minute after a brilliant build up that saw Gorry take the ball to the byline before pulling it back to Chidiac who beats two defenders and power the ball into the roof of the net from five metres.

Australia sealed the issue in the 69^th when Foord and Sam Kerr execute a 1-2 pass at the edge of the box around Jamaica’s defence after which Foord curled one from 20m past Spencer.

Jody Brown was denied a consolation three minutes from time when goalkeeper Arnold parried her shot from just inside the box around the upright.

Jamaica Reggae Girlz goalkeeper Rebecca Spencer expressed satisfaction with the strength of the team’s overall performance in an opening day win over hosts Mexico in the Concacaf Women's Championship.

Mainstay forward Khadijah Shaw got the all-important goal in the 8^th minute, but Spencer made an equally telling impact between the sticks for the team.  The goalkeeper proved to be an assured presence in controlling the area and also proved highly effective with her distribution ability.

In addition, the custodian’s acrobatic save from Mexico’s Carolina Jaramillo not only kept the Jamaicans in front but might be one of the best of the tournament so far.

“It was all about the team yesterday.  I think from front to back and obviously, the subs also came on and made a big impact in the game. So, yesterday was a real team performance,” Spencer said.

“I thought the game was good it was a really good team performance.  Scoring early on and to have the lead so long was certainly a big one for us,” she added.

The appearance was Spencer’s fifth for the national team.  The Jamaicans will next be in action against the United States on Thursday.

Jamaica Reggae Girl Rebecca Spencer has expressed delight at signing a new contract with Women's National League club Tottenham Hotspurs.

The 31-year-old shot-stopper has been at the club since 2019 when she joined from West Ham.  The much-travelled Spencer who has also had stints at Arsenal, Birmingham, and Chelsea, believes she has settled in nicely at Tottenham where she has made 38 appearances, the most in her career at one club.

“Obviously, I am delighted to have signed a new contract. It was something that was on my mind coming back from the last international break and having that conversation nice and early made it really easy for me to make my decision,” Spencer told the club website.

The player explained that a major part of her decision to re-sign involved her work with head coach Rehanne Skinner.

“When Rehanne spoke to me it was a no-brainer for me. Just the direction the club is going in and the staff and the players and the fans equally have been amazing. They have made it really easy for me and I feel really comfortable and it really feels like a home now being here for three years now,” Spencer said. “Being here for that long it just feels like the right place for me to be.”