Burke hopes MLS return will take him back to the Reggae Boyz

While national striker Cory Burke is waiting to receive his United States visa to return to his Major League Soccer (MLS) club, Philadelphia Union, he hopes that a prompt return will allow him to do the necessary work to feature in the Reggae Boyz World Cup final-round qualifying campaign which begins next June.

The 28-year-old has been away from the club since last May after losing his P1 visa status, which led him to miss the rest of the 2019 season and a majority of this season. During his forced exile, he has completed two loan stints with Red Stripe Premier League Champions Portmore United in August 2019 and, most recently, in Austria with SKN St Polten.

Burke told STAR Sports that with the final round not far away, it is important that he is able to return to competitive football to have a chance to be in the coaching staff's plans.

"Everybody is with their club playing, and most of the guys are in good form at this moment," Burke said. "And it's very important for me to get back on the field of play, where I could do my thing and show the coaching staff that I should be in the line-up."

Burke managed to score 10 goals during his loan spell with Portmore United and scored four times in 11 appearances in the Austrian Bundesliga, which included his first career hat-trick against WSG Tirol on June 2.

Pending approval of his visa, Burke could return to the Union to play some part in the regular season and the play-offs, should they qualify.

Burke is confident that the current group of players will be able to end the two-decade wait for another World Cup finals appearance.

"For the past few years, everyone sees the work that we put in, and I think that this is a perfect group that can take us back to another World Cup," he said. "We just want everyone to stay healthy and injury-free, and, for sure, this is the time that we will be back."