Experienced Hector honoured to make history

Set to make his third appearance at the Copa America when the Reggae Boyz open their campaign on Saturday, defender Michael Hector said it's a big honour to make history wearing the Jamaican colours.

Hector will be the first Jamaican player to compete in three Copa America campaigns following his previous appearances in 2015 and 2016.

He also made his international debut for Jamaica during the 2015 campaign against Uruguay, which he recalled as a moment of pride for him and his family.

"Obviously the first Copa America I was a part of was my debut and that was a proud moment for me and my family and I'll never forget that," he said. "There were some massive games and a great atmosphere in a tournament so big. Granted you might not get to appreciate it as much but when you're in the tournament, you can see how big it is and how big the countries are and the history of it is special to be a part of."

With close to a decade of experience under his belt as a Reggae Boy, Hector enters the tournament as one of the senior players in the squad.

The role, he said, is quite the reversal of his previous experiences in the Copa America where he was one of the younger players in the team.

For Hector, his inclusion to the team was helped with the presence of several senior players who made him feel welcome.

"That group of players was very experienced. They had a lot of games internationally and at the club level. Players like Jobi [McAnuff], Garath [McCleary], [Adrian Marriappa] and Wes [Morgan], the captain at the time, they helped me a lot to settle into the group.

He added, "The group was like a big family and it was easy to settle in and I enjoyed my time."

Jamaica will open their campaign against Mexico, before facing Ecuador and Venezuela to round out Group B action.

The team will be hoping to get the nation's first ever victory at the tournament, with Hector describing his international career as a special journey.

"For me, every cap I've got and every time I get a chance to represent the country is an honour and I always do my best," he said. "The journey has been special. It's not ended so hopefully there will be a lot more special moments to come, special nights, special days. It's been a fantastic journey, one that I'll always treasure and one that I'll always want to be a part of."