"We've been hugely underestimated," beamed goalie Rebecca Spencer. Not anymore: Jamaica stands unbeaten at the World Cup after holding France and Brazil to goalless draws. "We're resilient, and we had a point to prove."

They sent the Selecao¹ home early, the first time in 28 years Brazil has failed to clear the group stage. And tomorrow, the Reggae Girlz face Colombia to make history again: as the first-ever Caribbean team in the last 16.

It's an extraordinary rags-to-riches story. In 2008, the Jamaican Football Federation (JFF) disbanded the women's team. Singer Cedella Marley appointed herself "fairy godmother" and put out the single "Strike Hard" to raise cash to get them to the 2019 tournament.²

Four years later, the Reggae Girlz still struggle to fund their World Cup ambitions. In June, they wrote an open letter to the JFF to voice their "utmost disappointment" in the federation's "subpar" support. But thanks to a GoFundMe set up by midfielder Havana Solaun's mum, they raised over $50,000 (£39,000) from more than 1,000 donations.

It's a "Cinderella story," writes "proud Jamaican" and "even prouder mother" Sandra Phillips-Brower. Her daughter is four games away from raising the trophy - but the Caribbean island is already celebrating the surprise triumph of the underdog.

"History is written by the victors." It's a saying falsely attributed to Winston Churchill, but repeated in different forms since the Ancient Greeks.³ Most underdogs do not win, "might makes right," and the stronger opponent usually records what happens.

For example: Christopher Columbus. In 1504, the Italian explorer was stranded in Jamaica and used his astronomical charts to predict a lunar eclipseWhen the Sun, Moon and Earth align so that the Moon's light is blocked. . According to Columbus, he convinced the indigenousEthnic groups who are the original or earliest-known inhabitants of an area or country: for example, Native Americans in the USA. Arawak chiefs he was an all-seeing god. The Jamaicans provisioned the shipwrecked sailors for six months until they were rescued.

We will never know what the Arawaks really thought. The indigenous Jamaican population was almost entirely wiped out by war, disease and exploitation during European colonisation.

But sometimes, the underdog wins. In 1415, an exhausted and heavily outnumbered English army defeated the French at the Battle of Agincourt. In English football, the greatest upset in history saw Leicester City defy 5,000-1 odds to win the Premier LeagueEngland's highest level of men's football. in 2016.

The small team from the East Midlands has a fox as its emblem. "The ultimate hero," writes fairy tale expert Victoria Anderson. "The little guy who outsmarts the giants on horseback" and a pack of baying hounds. We love to cheer on the underdog.

Or most of us do. In one study, 88.1% rooted for the weaker of two fictitious basketball teams.⁴ There are many theories why. It could be schadenfreudeLiterally means "harm-joy". Schadenfreude is a German word that describes someone deriving pleasure from another's misfortune.. It might be a belief in a fair world where money isn't everything and effort is rewarded.⁵

From Jack and the Beanstalk to David and Goliath, the underdog is a favourite of great stories and enduring myths. Tomorrow Jamaica writes the next chapter of a legend in the making.

Yes: History is about change. And these usually begin when the powerful are surprised by revolts, rebellions and revolutions from below. So without underdogs doing the unexpected, there would be no history.

No: This is the difference between fantasy and reality, a good story and actual history. We love hearing of underdogs winning because, most of the time, they do not. And history is written by the victors.

Or... If Jamaica goes on to win the World Cup and win again in four years, will they still be underdogs? The interesting thing about both sport and history is that no one remains a top dog forever.