By Mythsouka Jean-Philippe

50 years ago, the Haitian national team made history by participating for the first and only time in the Football World Cup. The occasion was marked by a talented team comprising players from various clubs, both local and foreign.

Those selected for the trip to Munich were:
Guardians
Henri Françillon (1), Wilner Piquant (2), Gérard Joseph (22).

Defenders:
Arsène Auguste (3), Fritz André (4), Serge Ducoste (5), Pierre Bayonne (6), Serge Racine (13), Wilner Nazaire (14), Jean-Hubert Austin (19), Wilfried Louis (21).

Environments :
Philippe Vorbe (7), Jean-Claude Désir (8), Eddy Antoine (9), Guy François (10), Ernest Jean-Joseph (12), Joseph-Marion Léandre (17).

Attackers:
Guy Saint-Vil (11), Roger Saint-Vil (15), Fritz Léandre (16), Claude Barthélémy (18), Emmanuel Sanon (20).

The team had 20 players playing in Haitian clubs. 7 played at the Violette Athlétique Club and 7 at the Haitian Racing Club, thus demonstrating the domination of these two clubs. The other 6 came from Aigle Noir Athletic Club (3) Don Bosco FC (2) and Victory SC (1). In addition, 2 players played outside of Haiti. Wilner Nazaire played for US Valenciennes in France and Roger Saint-Vil for Archibald FC in Trinidad and Tobago, providing diversity of origin within the team.

Among these players, Serge Racine, born October 9, 1951, was the youngest selected, while Guy Saint-Vil, born October 21, 1942, was the oldest player to represent his country during this historic competition. The latter was also the oldest international in this group.

Arsène Auguste, little brother of former internationals André and Nathaly Auguste, measuring 1.91 m was the tallest of the group. Frito Leandre, a native of Cité Christophienne, was the shortest at 1.6 m.

3 players unfortunately did not have the opportunity to take to the pitch during the competition, namely Gérard Joseph, Wilner Piquant and Jean-Herbert Austin. However, 7 players at least set foot on the pitch during the three matches: Henri Francillon, Emmanuel Sanon, Pierre Bayonne, Eddy Antoine, Jean-Claude Desir, Wilner Nazaire and Emmanuel Sanon.

The team also did not lack family ties, with the presence of two siblings within the group: the Saint-Vil brothers, Roger and Guy, and the Leandre brothers, Mario and Frito, thus bringing a family dimension to this adventure. memorable sportswoman.

Finally, the captain’s question caused a stir within the team. Philippe Vorbe since the departure of former VictorySC defender Claudel Legros, was the captain of the national team. However, with the election of his father Jean as head of the Haitian Football Federation, Philippe decided to leave the armband for another member of the group, thus making way for Wilner Nazaire to lead the team on the field.

This historic participation of the Haitian team in the 1974 World Cup will forever be engraved in the annals of Haitian football, testifying to the diversity, talent and passion that drive this national team.