Strange World Cup qualification for ex-PSL coach

This will be an unbelievable read, but it has happened, with a coach who was discarded in the PSL just three months into the job now guiding his latest employer to World Cup qualification.

For all the chaos dominated by heavily armed gangs that has defined the most populous country in the Caribbean Islands – Haiti – they have spent the past 24 hours in celebratory mood.

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Earlier on Tuesday, they were celebrating the anniversary of the historic battle that shaped them towards becoming the world’s first black republic in 1803.

Then, later, the Haiti national team sealed qualification for the 2026 World Cup as Group C winners of the third round of CONCACAF qualifiers.

Their only previous qualification was in 1974.

This latest qualification has been achieved under former Marumo Gallants coach Sebastien Migne, who has actually never even been to Haiti since taking over in March last year.

This has been due to the political instability in that country.

For the national soccer team, they have played all their qualifiers in Curaçao, who will also be a surprise name at the World Cup.

Migne – who was at the 2022 World Cup as Cameroon’s assistant coach – has done his work remotely with the help of the Fédération Haïtienne De Football. 

None of the national players are based locally and include Jean-Ricner Bellegarde from English Premier League club Wolverhampton Wanderers, while captain and veteran goalkeeper Johny Placide plays in France.

Migne spoke to KickOff.com straight after taking the job last year.

"I'm happy that I will discover a new continent with a possibility of qualifying for the next World Cup.

"I have already started to work.

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"But at the moment, I'm not in the country because of the difficult situation," he told this website from France.

Les Grenadiers – as the Haiti national team is known – have twice been Caribbean Cup winners.

The 53-year-old was at the helm of Gallants at the start of the 2021/22 season but was sacked after three months in controversial circumstances.

Photo: Fédération Haïtienne De Football 

Related tags

2026 World Cup Qualifiers Haiti Marumo Gallants Sebastien Migne