Chapter 5: From a Trickle to a Throng: Transatlantic Soccer Migration from Trinidad and Tobago, 1933–2019

This Chapter is based on an explanatory case study of the changing size and destination of transatlantic soccer migration from the Caribbean Island of Trinidad and Tobago in the period 1933–2019. It is explanatory in nature since it draws on several major theoretical perspectives that have been employed to examine soccer migration and sport migration in general, which have included: world systems, dependency, figurational, network, and globalization theories. It was found that soccer migration from the island fluctuated significantly in the period examined and was dominated by migration flows notably, to the USA and Europe in the post-independence period (from 1962); increased substantially from the 1990s, by 2,100%, which was reflected in a notable increase in the number of destinations from 2 to 26, as well as the diversity of destinations from 3 to 20 consistent with a global pattern. However, there was also a marked shift in destinations away from the UK to within Europe, as well to Asia and Central America owing largely to stricter requirements to enter the UK soccer market. The study is seen as merely a tip of the transatlantic soccer migration iceberg from the island and the Caribbean as a whole, for there is a need to examine a much wider range of issues that include secondary migration, female migration, foreign League and team status, the mixed impact of migration on senders and receivers, the actual experiences of players, as well as the role of agents and friends as part of this migration process.