Shaka Hislop believes Bermuda’s qualification for the Concacaf Gold Cup is a success story that can inspire other countries in the region to “punch well above” their weight.

Bermuda qualified for the Gold Cup for the first time after finishing fifth in the Nations League qualifiers with a record of three wins and one defeat.

“It was exceptional and is exactly the kind of story that needs to be told and resonates, not just in Bermuda, but Caribbean football more widely,” said Hislop, the former West Ham United and Trinidad & Tobago goalkeeper.

“Because of [the Caribbean’s] size, there’s a feeling that we can’t achieve to a certain level or maybe there’s a certain ceiling in terms of regional dominance or accomplishment. This shows that when we get things right administratively, when you’re able to structure squads accordingly, that we can punch well above our weight.

“Statistically, there’s absolutely no reason a country as small as Bermuda should qualify for a major international tournament like the Gold Cup. But, when we do things right, there’s very little that’s beyond us and that’s a story that needs to be told.”

The Gold Cup, which will be held from June 15 to July 7 in the United States and Caribbean, is a biennial competition for teams in North America, Central America and the Caribbean.

Kyle Lightbourne’s team will face Haiti at the Estadio Nacional in San José, Costa Rica, in their opening game on June 16.

They will then play Costa Rica at the Toyota Stadium in Frisco, Texas, on June 20 before facing Nicaragua at the Red Bull Arena in Harrison, New Jersey, on June 24.

Hislop, who kept a clean sheet in Trinidad’s goalless draw in their first World Cup match against Sweden in Germany in 2006, said playing in major events such has its benefits for players and administrators, alike.

“When you qualify for these tournaments, you’re provided with a stage that opens up a whole lot more opportunities, for players who may want to ply their trade outside of Bermuda, be it in North America or Europe,” he added.

“I’m a big advocate for administrative excellence and it also provides an opportunity for our administrators to go to places like the US or wherever the team may be and see how things are done, gain that experience, and take that experience and knowledge back to Bermuda.”

Hislop will be the special guest during the Bermuda Football Association end-of-season symposium at CedarBridge Academy and prize-giving ceremony at City Hall on Saturday.

The ESPN analyst will give a keynote address and will also participate in a second panel discussion entitled

“My Football Journey” during the symposium.

“I know David Sabir [the BFA general secretary] from back in my Howard University days and he has been asking me to come along for the last couple of years,” Hislop said.

“I went to school with quite a few guys from Bermuda and played with them in the team at Howard University.

“Shannon Burgess [the BFA first vice-president] was a great friend of mine back in our college days and he went on to captain Bermuda.

“I know the island quite well. My coach and assistant coach at Howard University were Bermudians Keith Tucker and Curtis Landy.”