Trinidad and Tobago footballer Auvray joins Jamaica champs

French-born Trinidad and Tobago international footballer Kaile Auvray has sealed a move from the Sporting Kansas City Academy to Jamaica Premier League (JPL) champs Mount Pleasant Football Academy.

The 19-year-old Auvray was born in Caen, France, but is eligible to represent TT as his mother is Trinidadian. Auvray played for St Martin in a friendly match vs TT on January 29, 2023, at the Hasely Crawford Stadium, Mucurapo. He was swiftly drafted into coach Angus Eve's Soca Warriors setup after impressing with his dribbling ability and direct play in that friendly outing.

Auvray, who also represented the US at youth level, made his TT debut in March as the Warriors took on their Caribbean rivals Jamaica in a pair of friendlies at the Catherine Hall Sports Complex in Montego Bay and the National Stadium in Kingston, Jamaica.

The diminutive Auvray primarily operates on the left flank and has already played nine matches for TT. He was included in TT's 2023 Concacaf Gold Cup squad and featured in all three matches. He played 84 minutes in TT's lone win of the group stage – a 3-0 victory over St Kitts and Nevis. Auvray also started in TT's 1-0 win over Curacao in the opening match of their 2023/24 Concacaf Nations League A campaign on September 7.

He is looking forward to the Mount Pleasant challenge and is eager to work with coach Theodore "Tappa" Whitmore, Jamaica's 1998 Fifa World Cup hero and former national coach.

"(Whitmore) is very known throughout the Caribbean," Auvray told the Jamaica Observer. "I'm aware he's a former player for the national team. Obviously, he was the national team coach also."

The teenager is also excited about the Mount Pleasant project.

"I'm aware that Mount Pleasant are Premier League champions. That's something important, knowing that you're coming into a strong team. They also showed confidence in me through the communication and since I've been here, I really feel that there's a project that I want to be a part of."