Members of Haiti team return as heroes despite loss

Members of Haiti’s national team on Tuesday toured Port-au-Prince under heavy security to celebrate their valiant play in the FIFA World Cup following their historic qualification to the tournament in November last year.

Although the Grenadiers lost every match in their group, they scored two goals against Morocco in their last game, ultimately losing it 4-2.

However, the celebration over those two goals is still ongoing, providing a brief respite from deepening poverty and surging gang violence in the country.

“We continue to fight for all Haitians,” said Duckens Nazon, who plays for Iran’s Esteghlal soccer club. “We have a rich culture with a great history.”

After Nazon, along with teammates Martin Experience and Josue Duverger, landed at Haiti’s main international airport in Port-au-Prince, they were escorted to a museum near the National Palace in a black car with tinted windows.

Once inside the National Pantheon Museum of Haiti, the players met behind closed doors with government officials, including the ministers of tourism and culture. Several dozen fans gathered outside, straining to see the players and hoping for a picture with them.

The museum is in an area that until recently was controlled by gangs, with armed men still controlling an estimated 70 percent of the capital.

The players were then whisked to a hotel in Petion-Ville and were expected to have a private dinner with government officials.

Their schedule was more relaxed over the weekend, when they landed in the northern city of Cap-Haitien, where the presence of violent gangs is limited compared with Port-au-Prince.

Hundreds of fans gathered around the players outside the airport on Sunday as they headed to historic sites, including the Sans-Souci Palace and Citadelle Laferriere, and were greeted by Haitian Minister of Tourism Stephanie Smith and other government officials.

“An entire nation welcomes you with open arms,” Smith said. “Thank you for flying the Haitian flag so proudly. You have stirred the hearts of millions of Haitians and reminded the whole world that our country is a land of resilience, talent and hope.”

In November last year, Haiti qualified for the World Cup for the first time since 1974, thrilling the country of nearly 12 million people, many of whom have long been fans of Brazil.

Haiti lost 1-0 to Scotland and then 3-0 against five-time World Cup champions Brazil. In the last group game, against 2022 semi-finalist Morocco, Haiti took the lead twice before losing 4-2. Fans were thrilled with that game regardless, especially with the goal scored by forward Wilson Isidor, which analysts described as “an absolute screamer.”