Heroes of the FIFA World Cup - Haiti 1974

">team to have eliminated Mexico. As a result, Haiti
A Tribute to Haiti - The Magic Island!qualified for the 1974 World Cup. It had never won an
Despite several problems in the Island, in 1974, theinternational event of such standing before. Haitians
Haitian squad ranked among Latin America's finestwere thrilled with the team's success. Four years ago,
teams, along with Brazil and Argentina, as well asEl Salvador had defeated Haiti 1-0 in the final of the
Uruguay and Chile. In that time, the world's first blackCONCACAF Championship in Kingston, Jamaica.
republic qualified for the X World Cup in Munich (WestCompeting in its first World Cup in 1974, the Island
Germany). The country's qualification for the 1974became one of the 15 best teams on the Planet. Its
World Cup was one of the surprises in the Westernpoor performance at the FIFA World Cup
Hemisphere. Certainly, Haiti did not win the tournament,notwithstanding, Haiti won the admiration and respect
but it won many hearts in Germany. During the globalof its rivals. Also during that event, Haiti's athlete
event, its men's soccer team finished 15th, ahead ofEmmanuel Sanon -a Caribbean soccer icon-- was one
Zaire (today the Democratic Republic of the Congo).of the most popular soccer players from Latin
Haiti's first FIFA World Cup Squad is still very popularAmerica. His soccer wonders were well-known by
with local fans. Soccer is wildly popular in the Island.experts in the 1970s.
Country Profile: HaitiAccording to Almanaque Deportivo 1976 (Sports
Haiti shares the Island of Hispaniola with the DominicanAlmanac 1976), the under-16 national football team won
Republic (Caribbean). The capital city is Port-au-Prince.the World Championship in the United Mexican States
By the early 1800s Haiti became the first black republicin September 1975, at the expense of Sweden and
on Earth-a black government took over in the Island.Australia.
Over the next 200 years, the nation had a host ofBy 1977 the men's soccer team was runner-up in the
dictatorships and anti-democratic governments. But it isCONCACAF Tournament in North America, behind
democratic nation since the mid-2000s. An earthquakeMexico (host country). In the years that followed, in
struck Port-au-Prince in January 2010; killed more than1981, Haiti finished sixth in Honduras, Central America.
200,000 people and the Haitian capital was left inTwenty-six years later, the under-17 national football
ruins.Because of this, Haiti became the world's poorestsquad qualified for the global tournament in South
nation.Korea. At the 2007 Under-17 World Cup, the team of
The Gold AgeHaiti tied with France 1-1.
After Haiti failed to qualify for the 1970 FIFA WorldSome outstanding footballers have come from the
Cup, the men's team persisted and continued to trainIsland: Emmanuel Sanon, Wilner Nazaire, Roger
for the next FIFA World Cup. Before the end of 1973Saint-Vil, and Joseph Gaetjens,for example. By 1950
the CONCACAF Tournament -the region's mostMr Gaetjens competed in the IV World Cup under the
important soccer event-- was held in Haiti's capital ofAmerican flag. He is best known as the player who
Port-au-Prince. During that pre-World Cup tournament,scored the famous goal that defeated England 1-0 in
the host country's team placed first, outpacing Mexico,1950. He left Haiti for the States in the late 1940s, and
one of the five best squads at the Games of the XXthen became a U.S. citizen. Meanwhile, Josmer "Jozy"
Olympiad in West Germany in 1972, and TrinidadAltidore, whose parents are from Haiti,is one of the
Tobago. The Haitian squad was the only Caribbeanmost popular players in the United States of America.