Haiti Ends 52-Year Wait, Qualifies for FIFA World Cup with ‘Foreign’ Squad

After a long, anxious wait of 52 years, the small North American country of Haiti has qualified to play in the main stage of the FIFA World Cup for the second time. They last played in the World Cup back in 1974. After that, it was only disappointment. This time, as USA, Mexico, and Canada qualified directly as hosts, the doors of fortune opened up for Haiti. In the 1974 World Cup, the country exited after suffering defeats in all three group league matches. This time, despite being placed in a group with Brazil, Morocco, and Scotland, the country of 11 million population is ready to pull off a surprise. Time will tell what happens on the field, but before that, Haiti has sprung a surprise in their final squad announcement. 16 players in the squad announced on Sunday by coach Sébastien Migné are foreigners. 12 were born in France, ten in the USA, and one each in Switzerland and Canada respectively. They obtained Haitian citizenship through ancestry. In hopes of playing in the World Cup, they left their birthplace. There are 10 players in the team who were born in Haiti. 25 out of the 26 players play in leagues across Europe and various countries of the world. The number of players playing in their own country’s league is just one. Notable stars include striker Wilson Isidor, who plays for English Premier League club Sunderland, and Wolverhampton midfielder Jean-Ricner Bellegarde. The rest are completely unknown and inexperienced. Although the challenge ahead is tough, Haiti is ready to fight hard with its ‘foreign’ soldiers. Though the country is small, the aspiration is huge.