Soca Warriors captain Aubrey David urged his team to take valuable lessons from their recent loss to Saudi Arabia, as he stressed the need to become more formidable if they are serious about qualifying for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
The Soca Warriors were beaten 3-0 in the friendly contest, which served as a debut outing for Head coach Dwight Yorke, at the Al Shabab Club Stadium in Riyadh last week.
“This experience is one we need to learn from because there are games we're going to be playing away from home, and we're going to be getting that type of treatment. It's just for the players to learn from it and know that when we're playing away from home, we're not going to get any favours,” David said in a video shared by the Trinidad and Tobago Football Association (TTFA).
Despite the loss, David, a veteran with over 80 senior caps, viewed the friendly as a valuable exercise, particularly for the team’s younger and less experienced players.
“It was good to see the hunger and the passion the players showed. Obviously, it was basically a local squad, so it's good to see the players getting that experience and to showcase their talent on this level,” he added.
David praised debutants Jariel Arthur and Wayne Frederick II, as well as versatile defender Jesse Williams, for their performances. In the same breath, he emphasized the importance of these matches in helping untested players adapt to the demands of international football.
“It was good for them to see and experience these games so they could see what international football is all about and what it takes to stay at the international level. We always know they have talent, but they’ve shown it now on the international stage, and that can give them more confidence,” he explained.
That said, David pointed out that learning from matches like these is significant to their path forward as they prepare for the continuation of their World Cup qualifying campaign in June next year.
“It was good to see the fight. It’s just for the players to continue to learn from these experiences and apply them in future games,” he declared.
Meanwhile, Wayne Frederick II, the 20-year-old who was recently drafted second overall by the Colorado Rapids in the 2024 MLS SuperDraft, described his debut as "blessing” and vowed to use the experience to grow both domestically and internationally.
“It was a great experience coming out here to a place I’ve never been to. It’s amazing. Playing against players of that quality and getting minutes is an experience I’ll never forget. I’ll cherish it forever,” he beamed.
“I’m going to take what I’ve learned here into the season and hopefully establish myself more there so I can get more opportunities to come back here and play for the country and help us qualify for the 2026 World Cup,” Frederick II ended.