Odsonne Edouard's Potential Role in Haiti's World Cup Squad
Odsonne Edouard scored 87 goals in 162 appearances for Celtic across all competitions.
As opening World Cup matches go, Scotland will likely have been relieved to face a team considered a relative underdog in Haiti.
However, through strategic scouting and effective agent negotiations, the Caribbean nation, despite its ongoing struggles, is assembling a squad aiming to challenge Steve Clarke's Scotland when Group C kicks off on 14 June.
The Haitian squad includes Premier League players with Haitian heritage, such as Wolves midfielder Jean-Ricner Bellegarde and Sunderland striker Wilson Isidor, alongside the potential inclusion of former Celtic forward Odsonne Edouard.
Edouard, who netted 57 goals in 94 league appearances for Celtic between 2018 and 2021 and contributed to consecutive domestic trebles, currently plays for Lens in France's Ligue 1. Though he represented France at youth levels, he has not featured for their senior team. With Haitian parentage, Haiti is hopeful of securing his commitment for the World Cup.
Securing players to represent nations other than their birth countries, especially those they may not have visited, remains challenging.
"Edouard is a possibility, but the player is also French - he might be called up for France," said FIFA agent Jerome Salbert, who collaborates closely with the Haiti Football Association on talent identification and recruitment, in an interview with . "His father is Haitian but he was raised in France. It is difficult for him to decide if he accepts, as he would prefer to play for France."
Haiti: The World Cup Team Unable to Play at Home
Fans celebrated on the streets of Port-au-Prince after Haiti qualified for the 2026 World Cup.
Off-field challenges also affect Haiti’s football endeavors.
Since the devastating 2010 earthquake, Haiti has been plagued by armed gang conflicts with government forces, resulting in much of the capital, Port-au-Prince, being controlled by gangs. This turmoil has displaced over a million people and caused widespread food insecurity.
Despite these obstacles, Haiti qualified for the World Cup without hosting any of their qualifying matches on home soil.
Their manager, Frenchman Sebastian Migne, has never visited Haiti due to safety concerns for foreigners.
Nevertheless, Salbert and the Haiti FA have successfully persuaded several notable players to represent the nation, with the World Cup serving as a significant incentive.
"The problems in Haiti don't really have anything to do with it - players refusing to represent countries happens a lot when they are based overseas," Salbert explained. "It is tough at first glance.
"Take the case of Wilson Isidor - he has Haitian roots. We must convince them to play with the heart. That helps with players; the football gives them hope amid the trauma their country faces and helps the team move forwards."
Salbert’s agency operates out of Paris, but his origins trace back to Guadeloupe, a French overseas region in the Caribbean.
This regional connection, coupled with the challenge of assisting a country like Haiti, motivated his involvement.
"I think football belongs to everyone, and their players have a lot of talent, also a lot of resilience," he said. "They have a lot of skills, which I like. There are a lot of Haitian communities in Guadeloupe so I know a lot about the personalities."
Recruitment Challenges and World Cup Aspirations
Former Congo, Kenya and Equatorial Guinea manager Sebastian Migne will lead Haiti against Scotland in Foxborough.
Salbert began his collaboration with the Haitian FA in 2024 and recommended Migne, who brings World Cup experience as an assistant coach for Cameroon at Qatar 2022.
Migne’s responsibilities include recruiting players worldwide who are eligible for Haitian passports, a task complicated by his inability to travel to Haiti.
"I cannot travel in Haiti, so I use a scout who is in the Caribbean," Salbert said. "And also WyScout - a local scout spots a player in Haiti, I check the system then contact the player to sign with my agency and then suggest them to the coach.
"The inability to go there was the first question the coach asked, as he can't go there to scout. A lot of his job was online, but he is in touch with the people there.
"They hope to be back in Haiti after World Cup for a short event, I don't know if it is secure, but it may be possible for them to go home."
Despite assembling a squad from diverse locations and playing their home fixtures in nearby Curaçao, Haiti has qualified for the men's World Cup finals for the first time since 1974.
Reflecting on the significance of Haiti’s qualification, Salbert stated:
"There was a feeling of pride. It showed us how good football is in Haiti and shows that big sense of resilience.
"The players look at themselves and look at the World Cup as a chance to advance their careers. They know they will not have a second chance.
"No one expects anything from Haiti at the World Cup but I think Scotland, we can give them a surprise."
