Haiti football gets gov’t support for World Cup push

PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti (CMC):

THE HAITIAN Football Federation (FHF) has received a boost of 100 million gourdes [US$764, 000] from the government to support the preparation and participation of its national teams.

The FHF received the timely donation on Monday during a ceremony at the Prime Minister’s Office.

Present at the ceremony were Prime Minister Alix Didier Fils-Aimé, Minister of Youth and Sports Niola Lynn Sarah Octavius, Minister of Economy and Finance Alfred Fils Métellus, along with under-17 men’s coach Eddy César and other senior government officials.

The prime minister said he was heartened to see the under-17 team qualify for the Qatar 2025 World Cup.

“Every step on the field will be a step for the dignity, unity, and greatness of our nation,” Fils-Aimé said.

The prime minister maintained that supporting youth and sports remains a sacred duty of the Haitian state and that the entire population would stand behind their Grenadiers as they seek to promote Haiti beyond its borders.

In her speech, Octavius reaffirmed the government’s determination to continuously support Haitian sport, describing it as “a true lever of unity, discipline, and national pride”.

Gally Amazan, a member of the FHF, welcomed the historic gesture by the Haitian government, calling it tangible proof of its commitment to the development of football and youth as part of the recently signed three-year partnership.

The financial support will enable the FHF to partially finance the budgets necessary for the organization and support of the year’s major international events, including the under-17 national team, which qualified for the final phase of the FIFA Under-17 World Cup; the senior men’s national team, which is scheduled to compete in the final phase of the 2026 World Cup qualifiers; and the senior women’s national team, which is competing in the preliminary round of the Concacaf W Championship.

Haiti - League of Nations : D-Day Haiti will face Sint Maarten (Video)

As part of the Confederation of North, Central American and Caribbean Nations League (CONCACAF), after their 4-1 victory against the "Coqui Warriors" of Puerto Rico, our Grenadiers prepared their second Group match scheduled for this Monday, September 9, 2024 against Sint Maarten at 5:00 p.m. at the "Estadio Centroamericano" in Mayagüez (Puerto Rico), with the firm desire to take the maximum number of points before the next two matches against Aruba (first and second leg CONCACAF dates to be confirmed).

The players most in demand during the match against Puerto Rico participated in recovery activities in the gym and received specific care, while those who played less trained with physical and technical exercises with a ball.

French coach Sébastien Migné spoke about the team's state of mind after the convincing 4-1 victory against Puerto Rico. He also discusses the preparation for the match against Sint Maarten and shares his vision for the team, with an ambitious project that extends to the World Cup qualifiers.

Summer Olympics 2024: 10 Of The Most Stylish Uniforms From The Paris Games

Paris has always been the fashion capital of the world, the birthplace of classic trends and designer powerhouses. This year, however, the City of Light is captivating fashion critics for a different reason—the 2024 Summer Olympic Games, taking place from July 26, 2024 to August 11, 2024. This Friday, the Opening Ceremony will once again become a global runway of cultures. From the intricate details that pay homage to cultural heritage and artisanship to the innovative materials that promise both comfort and sustainability, each country's Olympic uniform is an opportunity to put itself on the global fashion map.

Here are 10 countries with the opening ceremony Olympic uniforms that have best managed to balance style, traditional national symbols and colors, sportswear trends and high fashion.

Chinese Taipei

Following the success of his designs for the Tokyo 2020 Olympics, Justin Chou, founder of avant-garde streetwear brand JUST IN XX, is back in 2024 as the official outfitter for team Chinese Taipei, an official Olympic name for Taiwan. The tailored two-piece suits to be worn by the athletes during the Olympic opening ceremony blends sustainability with the crafts of local artisans.

Chinese Taipei Olympic Opening Ceremony UniformsCOURTESY OF JUSTIN CHOU,

Chou turned the artwork “Mountain Range of Taiwan” by Taiwanese artist Paul Chiang into a beautiful printed fabric for the suits, the blue waves representing the natural beauty of Taiwan’s landscape. Adorning the Olympic opening ceremony looks are lapel pins crafted by flower-weaving artisan Lin Pei-Ying, made up of the Taiwan’s national flowers, the plum and the canola blossoms, serving as a traditional token of good luck for the athletes. Meanwhile, the belt and shoe uppers were made by Artisan Yan Yu-Ying with banana fiber woven fabric, an ancient textile tradition used in Taiwan. Chou also worked with a typography designer Kokia Lin to create a print that through an optical illusion transforms the words “Chinese Taipei” into the words “Cheer On.”

Mongolia

According to the “world’s most ruthless fashion critic” —the social media—this year’s best dressed Olympic team is Mongolia. Label Michel & Amazonka, led by designers Michel Choigaalaa and Amazonka Choigaalaa, caused a stir online when they unveiled the opening ceremony looks on Instagram earlier this month, with fans flooding the comment section with words of praise. “Absolutely stunning. Team Mongolia gets the gold for most incredible uniforms,” wrote one user.

The viral uniforms pay homage to Mongolian culture, with silhouettes inspired by the traditional Mongolian deel, a calf-length tunic. The ivory ensemble features cuffed, billowing sleeves, a pleated skirt, and an embroidered vest, offset by pops of collar in the collar, cuffs and vest. Further nods to Mongolian national symbols can be found in the intricate gold stitching of the vest, showcasing the moon, the sun, and the Gua-Maral, a mythical deer from traditional folklore. According to Michel & Amazonka, each individual uniform took dozens of hours to make–which isn’t surprising given the intricate level of detail.

Haiti

Haiti’s vibrant uniforms were created by Haitian-Italian designer Stella Jean to celebrate Haiti's culture and artisanship while sending a message of hope and renewal in a time marked by the country's political instability.

Haiti Official Olympics Opening Ceremony by designer Stella JeanCOURTESY OF STELLA JEAN

Jean incorporated the work of local artist Philippe Dodard into the skirt and trousers of the uniform—a bold, colorful print from a painting called “Passage.” For the women, the skirt will be paired with a woven chambray shirt, reflecting the country’s traditional blue-cotton spinning techniques, as well as a belted, sleeveless blazer made from recycled materials. Meanwhile, the men will sport field jackets inspired by the traditional Haitian Guayabera shirt, bearing the Haitian Olympic Emblem.

“I believe that these athletes have already won the most important medal by their very own presence in Paris. The winning category: human sustainability,” said Jean.

Canada

Athleisure giant Lululemon are the masterminds behind Canada’s chic uniforms, blending style and functionality. The brand teamed up with 14 Olympic and Paralympic athletes to ensure the kits meet the needs of the athletes set to compete. And it’s clear designers have listened; every look has a functional purpose to enhance athletic performance. The four-way stretch fabric fosters freedom of movement, while customizable drawcords allow a perfect fit. New pocket shapes and placements provide accessible storage, while SenseKnit technology and sweat-wicking material provide thermal comfort.

Paralympic uniforms by Lululemon for Team CanadaCOURTESY OF LULULEMON

That doesn’t mean the brand compromised on style. The red-and-white jacquard bomber jackets are emblazoned with traditional Canadian maple-leaf motifs, reminiscent of edgy street-style pieces you’d spot on a runway. The jackets can be paired with shorts or sweatpants in the same print.

Canada will once again shine at the Olympic opening ceremony as one of the best dressed teams.

USA

When you think of sports, fashion and Americana, only one name comes to mind: Ralph Lauren. This year marks the ninth time in a row that the brand is the official outfitter for Team USA.

Team USA is outfitted by Ralph Lauren for the 9th time. Made in the USA, but created with ... [+]COURTESY OF RALPH LAUREN

The preppy looks are quintessentially American and a classic Ralph Lauren: navy blazers with red and white trimming, striped Oxford shirts, and light-wash denim jeans. And naturally, each blazer features the iconic Olympic logo. Made in the USA, but created with sustainability in mind, using recycled polyester and Oregon-grown Responsible Standard wool from Shaniko Wool Company. “Ralph Lauren has once again created designs that not only capture the essence of American style but also embody the spirit and pride of Team USA,” said Sarah Hirshland, U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Committee CEO.

Sierra Leone

Adidas in collaboration with the London-based fashion label Labrum produced the official Olympic team kit for Sierra Leone. The collection features elements that pay homage to country’s cultural heritage, including windbreakers adorned with a distinctive white and blue print inspired by cowrie shells. Used in commerce as currency before, there unique shells now are often worn as the symbol prestige across many African countries.

adidas has teamed up with London-based label LABRUM to present the official team kit of the National ... [+]COURTESY OF ADIDAS

Labrum's founder, Foday Dumbuya, has recently received the esteemed Queen Elizabeth II Award for British Design, and with this collection, Labrum and Adidas have created a unified and vibrant visual identity for the Sierra Leone team, one that honors Dumbuya's roots and celebrates the beauty of Sierra Leone culture.

France

The host country of the Summer Olympic Games in Paris will be making a grand entrance, donning custom-tailored tuxedos designed by luxury brand Berluti. “Berluti has brought together the savoir-faire and experience of its artisans to ensure that the French athletes look their very best,” reads an official statement.

Custom-tailored tuxedos for the Opening Ceremony designed by luxury brand Berluti for Team FranceCOURTESY OF BERLUTI

Both men and women will sport midnight-blue wool tuxedos with lapels in shades of blue and red, key colors of the French flag. Suit pockets and scarves were created from fabric scraps to prevent waste, while the white shirts were made from cotton-silk blend for luxury and comfort. The expert craftsmanship of each tuxedo underscores the elegance typically associated with French fashion.

Great Britain

British brand Ben Sherman is returning for the third consecutive year to dress Team Great Britain. The opening ceremony uniform consists of a white bomber jacket with navy sleeves and a floral design embroidered on the back. Made up of the rose, thistle, daffodil, and shamrock, the design represents the four nations that make up the United Kingdom, symbolizing their unity and national pride.

British brand Ben Sherman is returning for the third consecutive year to dress Team Great Britain ... [+]COURTESY OF BEN SHERMAN

The jacket will be paired with a knitted polo featuring a geometric read-and-blue pattern, crafted from an organic cotton blend, as well as oxford trousers with a Union Flag waistband. With a contemporary yet timeless uniform design Team Great Britain will be a stellar team both on and off the Olympic ceremony stage.

The Netherlands

Slouchy, orange tracksuits might be an unexpected choice for the Olympic Opening Ceremony costumes, but Amsterdam-based brand The New Originals gave us a modern nod to the centuries-old Dutch royal color from House of Orange.

Amsterdam-based brand The New Originals designed Dutch Breakteam's Opening Ceremony uniforms.COURTESY OF THE NEW ORIGINALS

The opening ceremony uniform for the Dutch Breaking (break dance) Team is both relaxed and impeccably tailored, featuring white piping detailing and a stiff collar. The tracksuits also come in white and navy, featuring orange piping detailing, a small but powerful homage to the country’s flag. “Ever since we’ve started, our mission was to make ‘performance clothing for creatives,’” wrote the brand on Instagram. They also stated that each tracksuit is unique, slightly altered to fit the distinct styles of each break dancer.

Australia

Australia’s heritage is front and center in the opening ceremony uniforms designed by Sportscraft. Made up of a green blazer with gold buttons, plus green-and-gold ombre skirts for the women and khaki shorts for the men, the country’s national colors are on full display—representing Australia’s beaches, crops, and forests. As a sweet tribute to previous victors, the names of 301 Australian Olympic champions are featured in the lining of each blazer.

Australia’s heritage is front and center in the opening ceremony uniforms designed by Sportscraft.COURTESY OF SPORTSCRAFT

Sportscraft also incorporated Indigenous artwork into the looks. The scarf is printed with the work “Walking Together” by Olympic boxer Paul Fleming, while the pocket square features the work “Ngalmun Danalaig” by artist David Bosun.

Where To watch The Summer Olympic Games In Paris Online Or On TV:

Three cheers for fashion, as we prepare to watch the Opening Ceremony for the Summer Olympic Games in Paris this Friday, July 26, 2024. Let us know in the comments which country’s national Olympic uniform stood out the most for you.

TOPSHOT - The campaign's official logo of the Paris bid to host the 2024 Olympic Games is seen on ... [+]AFP VIA GETTY IMAGES

• Peacock will livestream every event of the Paris 2024 Olympics, including the opening and closing ceremonies.
• NBC and Telemundo will broadcast sole of the most popular Olympic competitions from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. ET each day. With additional sports airing on the CNBC, USA Network, E!, and Golf Channel.

Boca Raton swimmer, 14, will represent Haitian heritage at Paris Olympics

By the time she was six years old, Mayah Chouloute was already used to teammates and family chanting her name at swimming pools across South Florida.

But this summer, the 14-year-old from Boca Raton will be cheered from all over the world as she competes at the biggest meet of her life — the Paris Olympics.

Mayah will represent Haiti in the Olympic Games' fastest pool event, the 50-meter freestyle sprint. She told WLRN she is ready to make her family and heritage proud, and introduce her talents to the world stage.

“I think doing that '50 free' will be an opportunity to show how fast I can go in such a short [distance],” she said.

The confident teen, who was born in Palm Beach County to Haitian parents, credits her inspiration to celebrated U.S. athlete Simone Manuel, the first African-American to win a solo gold medal in swimming.

But even she will admit her first Olympic slot came sooner than she expected.

“Let me tell you, it was a big shocker for me. I didn’t think it was going to happen, especially since I’m only 14,” said Mayah, an 8th grader at Boca Raton Middle School.

Her mother, Marjorie Hilaire Chouloute, told WLRN Mayah's quick development in the sport also came as a surprise to the family.

Unbeknownst to Marjorie and her husband, when Mayah was six, she was already practicing her backstroke, breaststroke and butterfly swimming techniques during aftercare swimming classes.

So they were shocked when she told them about an upcoming relay race where she would be taking the butterfly leg.

"I'm like, 'You don't know how to do that! What?' And me and daddy were freaking out," Marjorie said. "And then the relay started and there comes her turn. And I saw her little back coming, flying out," she said. "I had a moment. That's one of the best moments of my life."

Very quickly, a simple hobby turned into Olympic aspirations.

“She wanted to be part of a team. She advocated for that at six-years-old," Marjorie said. “It's really her journey. She started it. She loves swimming. She kind of calls the shot and we're following along.”

Mayah now trains under coach Quinn Cassidy, at Saint Andrews Aquatics in Boca Raton. She flew to Paris this week to prepare for the Olympic Games, which officially open on July 26.

Seven athletes in Haitian delegation

Mayah Chouloute, 14, is a women's 50 meter freestyle swimmer representing Haiti as she pursues success at the Paris 2024 Summer Olympic Games. She trains in Boca Raton.

She is one of just seven athletes in the Haitian delegation, selected by the Haitian Amateur Athletic Federation after successfully completing the Olympic standard.

Donning uniforms designed by renowned Haitian-Italian designer Stella Jean and Haitian painter Philippe Dodard, the athletes will compete in five events: judo, boxing, track and field, swimming and artistic gymnastics.

Also joining Team Haiti is Miami-native Emelia Chatfield who attended St. Thomas Aquinas High School in Hollywood. The 22-year-old will be taking part in track and field.

Like Chatfield and Lynnzee Brown, who will be the the first-ever woman gymnast to represent Haiti, Mayah qualified through a Universality Place. These are spots given to Olympic-level athletes to represent countries that have had eight or fewer athletes in the last two Olympics.

Under International Olympic Committee (IOC) rules, after meeting certain criteria, an Olympic athlete is allowed to compete for a country other than the one they were born in.

The Summer Olympic Games in Paris runs July 26 - Aug. 11, hosting more than 10,000 athletes from nearly 200 countries. Mayah Chouloute is set to compete on Aug. 3.

'She's the American Dream': Haiti earthquake survivor becomes East Bridgewater track star

EAST BRIDGEWATER — Sasha Feron says the first-hand memories are fuzzy. She was only 4 years old when her life was met at a crossroads.

But the date January 12, and where she was, are the pinpoint details she clings on to from when the catastrophic Haiti earthquake struck her hometown in 2010.

“I feel like I remember bits and pieces, but I was a kid and didn’t really know what was happening," Feron said. "The building we were in collapsed on us."

Feron recalls a random man from off the street rescuing her and her cousins from the debris. Her family immigrated to the United States later the same year.

All of this time later, Feron stands in a spot she couldn't have ever envisioned: set to graduate from East Bridgewater High as a track and field record-holder and Wentworth Institute of Technology commit.

"She’s the American Dream," said East Bridgewater's shot put/discus coach Jen Dias.

Feron's family followed her uncle, Fender Pierre, to Massachusetts in 2010 as he pursued a college degree from UMass Dartmouth. Together, they lived in an apartment in Brockton and, as time went on, Feron took care of her two infant siblings as her mother, Roseline Pierre, took on a rigorous, round-the-clock work schedule at South Shore Hospital in Weymouth.

Feron learned to change diapers as a student at Davis Middle School. Playing sports, meanwhile, wasn't a focus; not even as she went off to Brockton High as a freshman.

But when Feron transferred to East Bridgewater High as an incoming sophomore, it was the civics teacher Dias who saw a potential shot-put talent in Feron, who took inspiration from her mother's work ethic to dream of pursuing a college career.

"We’re thankful she’s here," Dias said. "I think (the tragedy in Haiti) made her the person who she is today. It’s built her character and integrity. The fact she’s overcome adversity -- as a student-athlete, she’s the role model of what we want to see. The whole package. Top to bottom.”

Feron, a multi-time South Shore League All-Star thrower, broke the school's shot put record with a 35'11" fling against Middleboro on April 9. The previous high mark of 35'7.5" was set in 1996 by Dias, who proudly urges that "Records are meant to be broken."

Feron recorded a 21’4" at the first meet of her career as a sophomore two years ago. Not satisfied, she prioritized weight-lifting every day after school starting her junior year, on top of juggling an honor-roll academic course load, multiple AP classes, playing varsity volleyball and singing at the Haitian Assembly of God in Brockton three times per week.

That's quite the hectic schedule.

“Yeah," Feron said, chuckling. "Very.”

A senior captain, Feron proceeded to finish her final indoor season unbeaten in dual meets with a fifth-place standing at Division 5 states (31-10.75). She set a winter-season school record of 35', a figure that stood atop the school's charts since the early 2000's according to Eaton, who has been involved with the program for 19 years, the last 13 as head coach.

“From Day 1, she’s gotten better and better,” Dias said. “She’s a leader. She’s spunky. You can tell, she’s feisty. She’s confident, super smart and super bright.”

Feron carries a 3.89 GPA and will major in biomedical engineering at Wentworth with hopes of potentially returning to Haiti one day to work in the disease control or prosthetics industries. She hasn't visited her home country since moving to the U.S.

“She just sets goals and goes to get them," EB head track coach Ryan Eaton said. "I’ll run into her in 10 years and she’ll have some awesome job doing what she loves to do. She’s that type of person."

Dias says Feron has "the package to excel" competing at the Division 3 collegiate level due to her strength throwing the shot put in a more stationary power position. Less strong throwers tend to move or glide to generate power, Dias said.

Feron entered the Division 5 state meet weekend ranked No. 2 in the state, behind Martha's Vineyard junior Madison Mello.

“Her competitive edge, maybe as a sophomore, wasn’t there. As a junior, it was ‘Hey, I’m kinda good at this,'" Dias said. "Now, it’s, ‘These are my events.’ It’s changed. That spark is now a fire.”

“People are always going to be talking about her records because we like doing that in sports, but her attitude is the big thing to me," Eaton said. "Win or lose, record or no record, I’ll remember that kid for a long time because of how she is.”

Indiana Pacers guard Bennedict Mathurin donates gear to youth in Haiti

Mathurin continues to connect with Haitians

Indiana Pacers guard Bennedict Mathurin is donating Adidas gear to over 300 Haitians. 

Today is Dessalines Day, a yearly cultural holiday celebrated in Haiti. It honors Jean-Jacques Dessalines, a critical figure in abolishing slavery in Haiti in the early 1800s.

Mathurin is donating the equipment via an event at the Barbancourt Foundation’s community facility in Haiti. 

"Supporting the Haitian community is important to me. I'm grateful to be working with the Barbancourt Foundation and Adidas to provide gear for youth in Haiti," Mathurin said in a statement. "And, to do it on a day that celebrates freedom is even more meaningful. This is just the beginning; I'm committed to making an impact in Haiti and elevating Haitians across the diaspora."

Mathurin has always been in touch with his Haitian roots. His mom flew into Indianapolis last year to cook him a Haitian meal at the Pacers facilities. "Ima be honest, I'm trying to eat as much Haitian food as I can in Indy," the second-year guard said on Tuesday.

"The main thing for me is to give back to the less fortunate," he added when asked about his donation today. "I'm from Haiti, so giving back to my community is obviously a great thing."

The event at the community facility will feature food, music and dancing on top of some basketball drills. Last year, Mathurin provided turkeys and gift cards to Haitian families around Thanksgiving.

Preview: Haiti vs. Cuba - prediction, team news, lineups

For the first time since 2019, Haiti and Cuba will clash at the CONCACAF Nations League, with both sides squaring off in Group B action on Friday at Estadio Panamericano in the Dominican Republic.

Both teams gained a return entry in League A of this competition earlier this year, with the Haitians going unbeaten in their group, while Cuba only suffered one defeat on the B side themselves.

After a temporary stay in League B, Les Grenadiers quickly proved they deserve to be back up with the big boys of CONCACAF, having no trouble finishing top of a group which featured Montserrat, Bermuda and Guyana.

A pair of challenging outings to kick off their League B campaign seemed to serve as a wakeup call for Haiti, who began by playing Bermuda to a 0-0 draw, following that up with a narrow victory over Montserrat (3-2), before turning it on down the stretch of the campaign, winning their final four fixtures by a combined score of 19-3.

It will be the first Nations League campaign for Gabriel Calderon Pellegrino as manager, and in his first tournament at the helm, his side could not maintain the early momentum they had from a last-gasp victory over Qatar (2-1), following that up with defeats to Mexico (3-1) and Honduras (2-1).

La Selection Nationale won all three of their League B home matches played in the Dominican Republic last season, notching three or more goals each time.

Haiti never trailed for a single second during their Nations League B campaign, which was rarely the case when they were in League A in 2019-20 as this team battled back to earn a pair of draws versus Costa Rica, leading only once throughout that entire competition, though their 1-0 advantage versus Curacao lasted just 26 minutes, when the two sides played to a 1-1 draw.

Les Grenadiers have won three of the previous four meetings against Cuba, the last one being at the Nations League qualification stage in 2019 when a goal three minutes from the end gave the Haitians a 2-1 win.

Just like their opponents on Friday, Cuba will also be returning to League A this year and searching for their first-ever points in the top tier of this competition.

Their 2019 performances in League A left a lot to be desired, with the Cubans losing all four of their encounters that year by a combined score of 18-0, conceding four or more goals on three occasions.

Topping their League B group in 2022-23 was no easy feat either, as they lost their opening match to Guadeloupe (2-1) but won their remaining games, including a narrow 1-0 triumph at home against Les Gwada Boys on the final matchday.

After a disappointing Gold Cup campaign for Cuba in 2023, where they lost all three of their group fixtures, the federation have decided to go another direction, appointing Yunielys Castillo as the new coach with the goal being to restore some pride in a side who have not performed well in these continental competitions.

Since the beginning of 2022, Cuba have won all but two of their encounters played versus Caribbean opponents, losing twice to Guadeloupe over that span.

Cuba have lost every Nations League group stage encounter in which they had conceded the opening goal, but they also have a 100% record in this competition when drawing first blood.

Haiti form (all competitions):

• W
• W
• W
• W
• L
• L

Cuba form (all competitions):

• W
• L
• L
• L
• L
• L

Team News

© Reuters

Roberto Louima was selected to the Haitian squad for this international window but has not featured for the senior team since 2017, Eliader Dorlus will be seeking his first cap with Les Grenadiers, while Duke Lacroix made his international debut last June, playing the full 90 minutes in a victory over Saint Kitts and Nevis (3-1).

Carnejy Antoine led League B in scoring with five goals during the 2022-23 Nations League campaign, Mondy Prunier had four, Derrick Etienne and Frantzdy Pierrot notched three each, while Alexandre Pierre had two clean sheets and shared another one with Johny Placide.

Pierrot led them with two strikes at the Gold Cup this past summer, with their other goals from them at that tournament coming courtesy of Danley Jean Jacques and Duckens Nazon.

Ismael Morgado, Alejandro Delgado, Rey Angel Rodriguez, Jose Paradela and Christian Valiente were all selected for this international window and will each be seeking to make their first appearances for the Cuban national team.

Romario Torres picked up his first international cap earlier this year in a friendly versus Uruguay, and he made his Gold Cup debut in their final match against Canada, replacing Modesto Mendez for the last 21 minutes plus stoppage time.

Aricheell Hernandez had four goals to lead the Cubans in their previous Nations League campaign, Luis Paradela and Maikel Reyes each notched two, Sandy Sanchez collected three clean sheets, while Raiko Arozarena had one.

Haiti possible starting lineup:
Pierre; Arcus, Dulysse, Seance, Lacroix; Jacques, Sainte; Deedson, Dorlus, Simonsen; Prunier

Cuba possible starting lineup:
Arozarena; Morejon, Cavafe, Piedra, Corrales; J. Paradela, Y. Perez, E. Hernandez, Torres; Reyes, L. Paradela

---

We say: Haiti 2-0 Cuba

Cuba have yet to show they can compete against the A teams in this region and could find themselves chasing this game against a speedy and well-drilled Haitian squad.

Haiti may be missing some of their best players for this camp, including Fafa Picault, but their cohesion on the field and overall depth should still be enough to earn them three points in this encounter.

For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.

Soccer's helping Haiti keep its head up — and keep kids out of gangs

Soccer is standing tall above the catastrophic collapse of Haiti's government and economy. The women’s national team has qualified for the World Cup for the first time. But more important: youth soccer programs in Haiti are looking for more support to help keep kids out of the powerful gangs that are terrorizing the country.

Kids like Jean-Louis, a 14-year-old boy growing up in Cité Soleil, one of the worst slums of Port-au-Prince, Haiti.

Jean-Louis — we're not using his last name for safety reasons — told WLRN by WhatsApp that he hears the sound of gang gunfire in his neighborhood almost daily.

What Haitian kids like him don’t hear enough, he said, is the happier cacophony of the soccer practices he attends, run by a youth support nonprofit called FONDAPS. Thanks to the program, he points out, he wants to be a lawyer someday.

“A lot of times we have to hide under our beds” when the shooting erupts in Cité Soleil, Jean-Louis says. “It’s the only safe place we have. That and the soccer field. That’s where I learn respect for things.”

FONDAPS isn’t new. It’s been around for 16 years — and, in fact, in 2011 its founding director, Haitian businessman Patrice Millet, won a CNN Heroes award for helping thousands of kids rebound from Haiti’s 2010 earthquake.

FONDAPS founder Patrice Millet (in facemask) greets Haitian boys before a soccer game in Port-au-Prince

But the mission for Millet and FONDAPS today is broader and more urgent. It’s about preventing kids from joining gangs. The gangs that control most of Port-au-Prince, and much of the rest of the country. Gangs that terrorize Haitians through murder, kidnappings and hijackings of crucial necessities like food.

“The gangs are worse than the earthquake — much, much worse," Millet told WLRN recently in Miami, where he comes for treatment for the cancer he was diagnosed with 17 years ago. It was that illness that motivated him to start FONDAPS, which stands for La Fondation Notre Dame du Perpétuel Secours, or The Foundation of Our Lady of Perpetual Help, Haiti's patron saint.

FONDAPS teaches kids soccer, of course, but also self-improvement, including community service, civics and study skills. And it gives them food to take home. All of that is critical, Millet says, because so many of them are from communities like Cité Soleil — where gangs rule.

“It’s very difficult to keep a kid out of gangs in Haiti today," Millet says. "If they want to have some money, whatever they want, they have to go into gangs.

"But when a kid goes to the soccer field, there is no violence. And he receives some food, so when he goes back to his family, he comes with something — and he’s very proud. And he will see that the good people are on the soccer field, and the bad people are in the gangs.”

That's not to say schools don't matter in Haiti; they certainly do — even more than soccer programs. But unfortunately,the country's public education system is as wrecked and collapsed as its government is. Meanwhile, the international community can’t agree on how to confront the gangs.

So for now, there’s a growing consensus that there are two main ways to at least weaken Haiti’s gangs: cut off the flow of guns being smuggled to them — especially from U.S. states like Florida — and reduce the flow of children and teenagers they exploit.

As a result, U.S. State Department agencies like USAID and the Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs, or INL, are conducting youth support projects inside Haiti, including “learning laboratories” and vocational skills training.

“We’re seeing the gangs doing more and more to try to recruit younger people into their ranks," the Assistant Secretary of State for the INL, Ambassador Todd Robinson, told WLRN last year around the same time UNICEF warned the gangsters had begun to target schools more aggressively.

"And so if we don’t give those youths alternatives, that would be tragedy.”

It's very difficult to keep kids out of gangs in Haiti. But they will see that the good people are on the soccer field and the bad people are in the gangs.

Patrice Millet

Some in the Haitian diaspora, including expat organizations in South Florida, are also recognizing that urgent need for youth support in Haiti. Nonprofit groups like the Ayiti Communist Trust in Miami are sponsoring programs ranging from sports to music to agribusiness.

FONDAPS has mentored several role models for Haitian kids — including Roselord Borgella, the national women's soccer team's leading scorer.

Borgella, who grew up in poverty near Port-au-Prince, spoke to WLRN from Dijon, France, where she plays professionally today and is preparing for this summer's World Cup in Australia and New Zealand.

“When a girl is hungry in Haiti," Borgella says, "that may lead her to do terrible things — like join a gang. So I hope our soccer success will motivate more people to help train more Haitian kids to pursue a dream, any kind of dream, as I was able to do.

"When I came to FONDAPS I was the only girl, but they encouraged me to stay and learn discipline. That's why I am the person I am today. Kids in Haiti need something to occupy their minds even more today than we did back then."

Where being a kid is a luxury

That’s a big reason efforts like FONDAPS are reaching out for reinforcement to U.S. philanthropists like Tracy Gregorowicz of New York, who’s now a big financial supporter.

“The threat of gangs on the well-being of Haitian children is huge," Gregorowicz says.

"Just being able to be kids, you know, it’s a luxury in Haiti. Organizations like FONDAPS are really lifelines — and they are not supported enough, and I don’t really understand why.”

"Not every kid [in FONDAPS] is going to become a professional soccer player, so soccer isn't all we do," one FONDAPS coach, Jean-Francois Stanley, told WLRN from Port-au-Prince via WhatsApp.

"But what we can teach every kid is to become a model citizen, so that, as this violence and insecurity ravages Haiti, we can keep them from falling into it. We do this work because we believe in what it can do for the future, not just soccer."

Haitians youths practicing soccer in Port-au-Prince in the FONDAPS program.

In Miami's Little Haiti, high school teacher and popular soccer mentor Gomez Laleau says he understands the increasing focus on soccer in Haiti, where he grew up, as a means of filling the gaping education void.

"It's a simple but very effective — and very hopeful — way to get them involved in something besides what they see in the gang-controlled neighborhoods," says Laleau.

Right now, the international fame of the Haitian women’s soccer team may be doing the most to bring more kids out to soccer fields like the two FONDAPS runs in Port-au-Prince. But a lot more fields — and balls and shoes and jerseys and equipment and food — will be needed.

State Farm Stadium to host Gold Cup match between Mexico, Haiti

The 2023 CONCACAF Gold Cup match schedule came out on Tuesday, and State Farm Stadium will host two group-stage contests on June 29.

Team Mexico will take on Haiti at 7 p.m. after Honduras-Qatar at 4:45 p.m. in Group B.

State Farm Stadium has hosted games in the tournament — held every two years to decide the champion of North America, Central America and the Caribbean — in 2009, 2015, 2017, 2019 and 2021.

The home of the Arizona Cardinals hosted Mexico, Qatar, Honduras and El Salvador in 2021, with the Mexico-Honduras game seeing a crowd of 64,211 people.

Other host cities this year include Cincinnati, St. Louis, Los Angeles, San Diego, Las Vegas, Chicago and Toronto.

The U.S. defeated Mexico in the final for its seventh Gold Cup in 16 tournaments in 2021. Either Mexico or the U.S. has won every Gold Cup title since 2000.

Valley soccer fans will get an opportunity to see international play at State Farm Stadium on Wednesday, as Team USA will take on Mexico in an exhibition at 7 p.m.

How Anthony Duclair wants to bring hockey to Haitian community

FORT LAUDERDALE -- Anthony Duclair said it hit him right in the heart.

It was May 2021. Duclair was in his first season with the Florida Panthers, the sixth team of his NHL career. He was scrolling through social media on his couch when he saw a tweet from Imran Siddiqui, who had taken his 6-year-old son, Musa, to a Build-a-Bear Workshop. Musa, a Panthers fan, chose a stuffed toy and dressed it as a hockey player.

Musa named the bear Duclair. He told his father it was "because he's brown and plays hockey, like me."

Duclair had seen young fans express their admiration for him before. This hit differently.

"It was just ... chills," Duclair said. "This hit me right in the heart."

That moment was one of many -- some good, some regrettable -- that led the 27-year-old NHL player to create the Anthony Duclair Foundation with the goal of bringing hockey to underserved, diverse communities starting with those in the Panthers' market.

"We have a lack of representation in this league right now. It's tough to grab onto something when you don't know that it's there," Duclair said. He timed the debut of his foundation to NHL All-Star Weekend in South Florida and the start of Black History Month.

"This isn't just going to be another player foundation. I'm going to be really hands-on with this. I'm going to be there as much as I can, and make sure that I'm present for these kids," he said.

While he wants to bring hockey to everyone he can, Duclair said he especially wants to help it grow in south Florida's Haitian community. Both of his parents are from Haiti originally.

Duclair has visited the Little Haiti neighborhood of Miami. He wants to build ball hockey rinks there, hold hockey camps and potentially subsidize the cost of ice hockey for young players in the community.

But, most of all, he wants to have a personal presence doing it.

"I want to do something tangible. Not a one-off," he said. "I look forward to building a relationship with these kids. To hear their stories when I tell them my story."

Duclair's story begins in Montreal, where, he said, "you're put in skates whether you like it or not." His father put him in skates at 2 years old. Duclair found that he didn't just like hockey -- he loved it.

"Whatever sport you're playing, you just want to play. Make yourself happy. Make others proud. For me, that was hockey," Duclair said.

Duclair would be the only Black player on his youth hockey teams. His family would frequently be the only Black fans in the stands.

"As a kid, you don't see color. Until you're reminded of it," he said. "Being Black and being Haitian and playing hockey -- which is a predominantly white sport, as we all know -- I have a lot of great memories. It's opened up so many doors for me and my family. With that being said, it came with a lot of pain. Some of the worst memories I carry with me to this day. Experiences that have haunted me for life."

Like when Duclair was 8 years old and parents at youth games would make monkey gestures toward him. Like when opposing players would use racial slurs against him.

"That kind of thing gets in your head. It leads to a lot of sleepless nights," Duclair said. "As Black people, we learn to internalize things. You feel like you can't relate to anyone. That you can't go to anyone to talk. For me, that's how my childhood was. As much as I loved hockey, there was a part of me that was absolutely disgusted by it. And I know that I'm not the only one."

Duclair hopes sharing his story will let young players of color know that they're not alone.

"Parents tell me that their kids want to quit hockey because of incidents that I went through and that my little brother went through," he said. "I want to make sure that other kids know that I've overcome that and it's possible for them to overcome that to go where they want to go in life. To not be stopped by racial gestures and stuff like that."

Duclair scored 31 goals in the 2021-22 season. Eliot J. Schechter/NHLI via Getty Images

Duclair started planning out the foundation during last offseason, although the idea had been running through his head for years. The Panthers' Brett Peterson, the first Black assistant GM in the NHL, came to him last August and said they had to do something for Black History Month, especially with the All-Star Game being held in Sunrise.

"My mind started rolling and starting my own foundation was a no-brainer. To help the next generation and to tell my story," Duclair said.

He reached out to Thomas Eugene Jr., the senior director of diversity, equity, inclusion and multicultural affairs for the Panthers. Eugene suggested a handful of communities on which to focus the foundation's efforts: Little Haiti, North Miami and Liberty City among them.

Duclair had time to work on his vision because of some unfortunate circumstances. After a breakout 31-goal season in 2021-22 -- a career high -- Duclair had surgery in July to repair an Achilles tendon injury. He has yet to appear in a game during the 2022-23 season, although Florida expects him back in the lineup soon. During his recovery, Duclair hunkered down to find ways to execute plans for his foundation.

The night before the NHL All-Star Game skills competition, Duclair hosted a cocktail gala on the roof of a Fort Lauderdale hotel to launch the foundation. Teammates, friends and fundraisers were in attendance. So were members of the Hockey Diversity Alliance, a player-led organization formed to "eradicate systemic racism and intolerance in hockey." Duclair is one of its founding members.

The launch was a success. The Panthers donated $100,000 to Duclair's foundation. The NHL Players' Association donated $50,000 in funds and equipment from the NHLPA Goals & Dreams program.

"This guy leads with his heart," the NHLPA's Chris Campoli said of Duclair. "That's clear. I work with industry growth and youth hockey in partnership with the NHL. South Florida is a place where we can do a lot."

Duclair hopes to organize a hockey camp at the Panthers' IceDen practice facility this summer. Meanwhile, he's scheduled to have a camp with Bokondji Imama of the Arizona Coyotes at a rink in Pierrefonds, Quebec, where he skated as a young player.

Whether it's Canada or Florida, Duclair said it's vital to give young athletes opportunities to learn the game -- and to know they're not alone if they experience some of the things he did.

"So many communities and so many ethnicities don't know anything about hockey. These are underserved communities that I want to reach out to and lend a hand," he said. "And let them know that they're loved. And that they're supported."

Haiti, Portugal qualify for Women's World Cup for 1st time

AUCKLAND, New Zealand (AP) — Haiti and Portugal qualified for the FIFA Women's World Cup finals for the first time after winning playoff matches Wednesday in New Zealand.

Carole Costa scored a 94th-minute clincher in Portugal's 2-1 win over the Cameroon “Lionesses” who have reached the round of 16 at the last two World Cups.

Haiti beat Chile 2-1 earlier Wednesday in an historic match it hopes will bring joy and “a breath of fresh air” to a strife-torn homeland.

Melchie Dumornay scored twice to ensure 55th-ranked Haiti will return to the southern hemisphere in July to play in Group D of the Women's World Cup alongside England, China and Denmark.

Haiti and Portugal have taken two of the last three places at the World Cup which will be decided at the this 10-team inter-continental playoff in New Zealand. Paraguay will play Panama Thursday for the last place in the 32-team tournament which will be co-hosted by Australia and New Zealand in July and August.

Haiti's Dumornay recently was signed by seven-time Champions League winners Lyon and showed why with two pieces of slick finishing. She won the race to a through ball from Roselord Borgella in first-half stoppage time to give Haiti a 1-0 lead at the break.

Dumornay then seemed to make the game safe in the eighth of 11 minutes added on by the referee after Chile captain Christiane Endler had saved Nerilia Mondesir's attempt from the penalty spot.

But Maria Jose Rojas scored in the 11th minute of stoppage time to keep Chile’s hopes alive and make the final moments nerve-wracking for Haiti’s Les Grenadiers, who held on to claim an historic victory.

Players shed tears of joy when the final whistle blew, reflecting on success attained in the most difficult of circumstances.

Haiti’s Les Grenadiers had to win two matches in New Zealand to qualify for their first World Cup. They beat Senegal 4-0 in their opening match and then beat 38th-ranked Chile for their first ever win over a South American opponent.

Prior to the tournament midfielder Danielle Etienne told ESPN “there’s a lot of unhappiness in the country and football is the joy."

“Being able to qualify to the World Cup would be major," she said at the time. "We want that for the country as a whole, to have a breath of fresh air and kind of step aside from anything going on.”

While Portugal's win was sealed late it came at the end of a dominant performance. Portugal had 20 shots on goal, most of which were comfortably saved by Cameroon's 16-year-old goalkeeper Cathy Biya who was promoted after Ange Bawou was sent off against Thailand.

Diana Gomes gave Portugal the lead after 22 minutes and the match seemed to be heading to extra time when Ajara Nchout Njoya equalized for Cameroon in the 89th minute.

But an Estelle Johnson hand ball was spotted after a VAR check and Costa scored from the penalty spot.

Haiti squares up with Nicaragua in decisive World Cup qualifier

Haiti’s soccer team will welcome Nicaragua home at Sylvio Cator Stadium Tuesday at 5:00 p.m. 

A win or a draw will send Haiti to the second phase of the qualifiers, while a loss will end its World Cup quest.

Haiti sits on top of its group with six points after overpowering Belize 2-0 in March and Turks and Caicos Islands 10-0 Saturday. 

Meanwhile, Nicaragua is in second spot after beating Turks and Caicos Islands 7-0 and Belize 3-0.

Duckens Nazon leads Les Grenadiers in scoring with four goals. Nazon netted the second fastest quadruple in the history of the World Cup qualifiers versus Turks and Caicos Islands, scoring four goals in 10 minutes.

Hervé Bazile, who started the last game, and Carlens Arcus won’t be available due to injuries.

The game will be played without fans because of a surge in COVID-19 cases in Haiti.

The boy who loved soccer in Haiti grew up to love football in Buffalo

At first Rev. Chuck Whited didn’t understand what was happening. He heard the loud pop of a wall cracking and felt the ground sway.

Then he knew.

The earthquake that struck Haiti in 2010 killed more than 100,000 people and displaced hundreds of thousands more.

Whited is pastor of First Trinity Lutheran Church in the Buffalo suburb of Tonawanda. Some years before the quake, his church had begun doing mission work at the Children of Israel Orphanage in Les Cayes, a seaport 120 miles from Port-au-Prince.

Erik BradyFri, May 7, 2021, 10:32 AM

At first Rev. Chuck Whited didn’t understand what was happening. He heard the loud pop of a wall cracking and felt the ground sway.

Then he knew.

The earthquake that struck Haiti in 2010 killed more than 100,000 people and displaced hundreds of thousands more.

Whited is pastor of First Trinity Lutheran Church in the Buffalo suburb of Tonawanda. Some years before the quake, his church had begun doing mission work at the Children of Israel Orphanage in Les Cayes, a seaport 120 miles from Port-au-Prince.- ADVERTISEMENT -https://s.yimg.com/rq/darla/4-6-0/html/r-sf-flx.html

He and his wife, Susan, adopted two children from the orphanage in 2007, but by 2010 they had yet to take them home; miles of bureaucratic red tape kept preventing it. Chuck and Susan dearly wanted these two to join their four biological children. And each year there would be tears all around when travel visas were denied yet again.

Wisken Whited in 2019 with the plaque for the Catholic state championship.

Then the earthquake hit. Chuck and his missionary team, in those frantic moments, led children to the safety of the soccer pitch — a refuge of open space away from buildings. That field had long been a different sort of refuge for his adopted son, Wisken, who had spent many happy hours there playing with the other children.

The human toll of the earthquake remains incalculable, but one glimmer of light is this: Haitian authorities said Lovelie, 11, and Wisken, 7, could at last leave for their new home in the United States. They arrived in Buffalo six days after the quake — and could not believe what they saw.

“This being Buffalo, there was a lot of snow on the ground,” Chuck says of that January day. “They would go to the back door, look at the snow, and just giggle. Then they would go back inside to warm up, and then open the door again and giggle some more.”

Lovelie is 22 now and works in child care. Wisken is 18 and a senior at Canisius High School, the defending Catholic state champion in football. He plays wide receiver on offense, and cornerback and safety on defense — and, on special teams, he kicks off, punts, and kicks field goals and extra points.

“He rarely ever leaves the field,” says Bryce Hopkins, assistant head coach and special-teams coach.

Saturday Canisius will play St. Francis High School in the championship game of the local Catholic league; that will end a truncated spring season, there being no state title game this time.

An American sport wins out

How Wisken got from that soccer field in Haiti to a football field in Buffalo is an American story. Soccer was his first love; all the kids at the orphanage played it. And when he got to the U.S., that love stayed with him, until football won him over.

“No matter what kind of ball we gave him at first — basketball, football — he kicked it like a soccer ball,” his father says. “Everything was a soccer ball.”

Then, as the years rolled on, Wisken could see how much Buffalo loved the Bills. He dearly wanted to try American football. So, as an eighth-grader at Christian Central Academy, he told his parents he wanted to go to Canisius and play football there. His parents liked the Canisius part, for an education grounded in faith, but his mother wasn’t so sure about the football part.

“So many kids get hurt playing football,” she says. “That’s what you hear.”

Rev. Chuck Whited and his wife Susan in Haiti in 2004 with the children they would later adopt, Lovelie and Wisken.

So Wisken played soccer as a freshman, but never stopped pestering his parents about football until they finally let him try out for junior varsity as a sophomore. He struggled at first, trying to learn the rules and the game’s finer points. But he excelled right away at kicking; he had long known how to do that.

As a junior, Wisken kicked for the varsity team — and emerged as the unsung hero of the state championship game in 2019, which is the last time there was one. Canisius beat Cardinal Hayes of the Bronx, 25-24, in storybook fashion. Quarterback Tyler Baker hit receiver Nik McMillan for a 13-yard TD as time ran out, and fullback C.J. Ozolins crashed in for the winning two-point conversion.

Cardinal Hayes had scored four touchdowns but made none of its conversions. Canisius scored three touchdowns — plus Wisken’s 28-yard field goal and both of his extra points.

“It’s simple math,” Hopkins says. “Three touchdowns doesn’t beat four touchdowns without Wisken.”

Think of Canisius as Kicker High, in the sense that Penn State is Linebacker U. All three placekickers who preceded Wisken went on to play for Division I programs: Michael Tarbutt at Connecticut and Minnesota, Blake Haubeil at Ohio State, and Tristian Vandenberg at Ohio University. And the other day Haubeil signed a free-agent contract with the Tennessee Titans.

“There was a ton of pressure on Wisken last year, following in the footsteps of those guys,” Hopkins says. “But it’s like he doesn’t feel pressure.”

A late start in football

Wisken played sparingly, other than kicking, as a junior. But this spring, as a senior, he emerged as a force. He scored 27 points in a 63-0 win against rival St. Joseph’s Collegiate Institute — nine for nine on extra points plus two touchdowns on receptions and one more on an interception. Canisius is ranked No. 1 in The Buffalo News large-schools poll, and Wisken is the team’s leading scorer.

“I don’t know if we have ever had a kid who started playing football so late who has been this successful,” Canisius coach Rich Robbins says. “It speaks to how hard he works.”

And not only in football. Among the instruments he plays, by his mother’s count, are the saxophone, tenor sax, piano, guitar, ukulele — and the drums for Sunday worship at First Trinity. “God has gifted him with many talents,” she says.

Wisken will go to college at Liberty University, in Lynchburg, Va., where he hopes to walk on to a football team that finished No. 18 in the Amway USA TODAY coaches poll last season. And he has his sights set even higher. Ask him about Greg Rousseau, the Bills’ top draft choice, whose mother and father hail from Haiti, and Wisken has a ready answer.

“That’s pretty cool,” he says. “Hopefully one day that will be me.”

That seems unlikely, as Wisken is 5-11, 180 pounds.

Then again, his whole life has been unlikely.

“I am extremely appreciative for what my parents have done for me,” he says. “I am grateful for them.”

And for his adopted hometown of Buffalo, where he learned to love that other kind of football.

Naomi Osaka Expanding Tennis Academy to Haiti and Los Angeles: 'All Kids Deserve a Chance to Play'

Play Academy, which Naomi Osaka created with Nike and Laureus Sport for Good, originally launched in Japan last summer.

Naomi Osaka is lending a helping hand to even more aspiring athletes.

The tennis superstar's Play Academy with Nike and Laureus Sport for Good — which first launched in Japan last summer — is expanding to two new locations: Los Angeles, California, and Haiti. Play Academy provides grants and capacity-building training for community organizations in order to boost girls' access to and participation in sport.

"We believe that all kids — especially girls — deserve a chance to play, no matter where they come from or what they look like," Osaka tells PEOPLE. "The more we provide girls with opportunities to get active, the more opportunities we are giving them to become leaders in their communities."

In Haiti, Play Academy will be partnering with GOALS Haiti to reach underrepresented youth. Osaka says they're hoping to "hire more female coaches, and provide girls with education to help build up their confidence, self-esteem and leadership skills."

Play Academy is still seeking community partners in Los Angeles, and aiming to focus on girl athletes from Black, Asian and Latino communities. Osaka notes that interested partners can apply at http://laureus.com/playacademyla.

Both locations have special meaning to the athlete: Los Angeles is where Osaka currently lives and trains, and Haiti is where her father is from.

Osaka's own tennis journey is, of course, part of the inspiration for Play Academy. "Growing up I dreamed about winning Grand Slams and becoming number one in the world," she recounts. "While it was not easy, my family was dedicated to helping me get the access I needed to reach my goals. But unfortunately, not all girls have the same opportunities that I did."

Continues Osaka, "There are huge barriers that girls face in getting active. Some girls, especially those from marginalized communities, never even get the chance to play. The more I learned about these barriers — through my work with Nike and Laureus Sport for Good — the more I felt determined to do something about it."

"It started with conversations and it became this incredible program working with community partners that are committed to leveling the playing field for girls."

And Osaka sees how much sports impact youth in all areas of their lives. She notes that research shows active kids are not only healthier, but happier and more confident. She hopes to be a role model for youth to see all those things are achievable.

"Growing up, I saw my mother work incredibly hard to support me and my passion for play," says Osaka. "She always put others first and encouraged me to embrace my diversity. Every role model I've had has inspired me to dream big. To level up in every way. And while I'm still working on how to be the best role model I can be, I want to show them that I stick to my beliefs and love who I am. Then maybe one day it will help them feel confident that it's okay to be different and create their own lane – as long as they remain true to themselves."

The first group of the new Play Academy partners will be announced summer 2021. 

FIFA bans Haiti women's soccer official in sexual abuse case

ZURICH (AP) — A soccer official in Haiti was banned for 10 years on Monday for her part in the systematic sexual abuse of women’s national team players.

FIFA ethics judges ruled Nella Joseph, former supervisor of the Haiti Under-20 women’s team, was guilty of “actively coercing and threatening (players) into engaging in sexual relationships” with the then-president of the Haitian Football Association.

FIFA expelled the long-time former Haitian FA president, Yves Jean-Bart, from soccer for life last year.

A FIFA judgment in Jean-Bart’s case said he raped girls as young as 14 and took “habitual mistresses” among players starting in 2014.

Joseph “failed to protect the physical and mental integrity of various female players who were under her authority and responsibility” at the national training center in Haiti, FIFA said in a statement.

She was also fined 20,000 Swiss francs ($22,000).

FIFA said its ethics committee is working on other cases pending against Haitian soccer officials.

The allegations were first revealed in British newspaper The Guardian in April 2020.

Haitian Roots Osaka Is New Queen Of Women’s Tennis

MELBOURNE, Australia, Mon. Feb 22, 2021 (Reuters) – Haitian Roots tennis star Naomi Osaka has cemented her standing as the new queen of the women’s game of tennis.

Osaka crushed Jennifer Brady 6-4 6-3 to secure her second Australian Open title on Saturday. The one-sided win over the 22nd-seeded American in the final at Rod Laver Arena gave the Japanese Haitian juggernaut her fourth major crown, with her career still budding at the age of 23.

She joined Monica Seles and Roger Federer as winners in their first four Grand Slam finals, marking her out as the ultimate big match performer.

“My reaction is that that’s very amazing company,” Osaka told reporters, sitting next to the winner’s Daphne Akhurst Memorial Cup.

“I hope that I can have one grain of how their career has unfolded. But you can only wish and you can only just keep going down your own path.

“But it’s definitely something crazy to hear.”

More major trophies surely await if she can convert her irresistible hardcourt form to French Open clay and grass at Wimbledon.

Having humbled Serena Williams in the semi-finals, a victory that reinforced a changing of the guard, Osaka was untroubled by Brady in the clash of power hitters.

She romped to a 21st straight win in completed matches, a streak dating back more than a year.

Fans hoping for a repeat of the pair’s engrossing U.S. Open semi-final last year were left disappointed as Brady froze in the spotlight of her first Slam final.

U.S. Open champion Osaka was also short of her best tennis, joining Brady in producing a dour, error-strewn first set.

But she settled to clinch six straight games, roaring to a 4-0 lead in the second before serving out the match to love.

A big serve sealed it, causing Brady to fire a forehand return long, and Osaka held her racket over her head, beamed and gave a little leap in an understated celebration.

“Tonight I felt like was (it) more of a mental battle,” said Osaka who also won the 2019 title.

“Of course, I can’t speak for her, but I was extremely nervous. I honestly just told myself before the match, I’m probably not going to play well.

“I shouldn’t put that pressure on myself to play perfectly but just go out there and fight for every point.”

EARLY NERVES

On a cool and breezy night at Rod Laver Arena, Osaka warmed up with two aces but the fast start fizzled out in a stream of errors from both players.

A nervous Brady was especially culpable, spraying 18 unforced errors in the opening set.

Both players dropped their serve before Brady breathed some life into the contest at 4-4, luring Osaka in with a drop-shot, then scrambling forward to retrieve and lob her for break point.

Osaka cancelled it nervelessly with an imperious forehand winner fired from the baseline and hung tight until Brady gifted her the lead.

Serving to stay in the set at 5-4, Brady slapped a wild forehand over the baseline to cough up set point then stepped in to pound a would-be forehand winner straight into the net.

The crowd groaned and Brady went to her chair ashen-faced.

Osaka seized the momentum, breaking Brady again in the second game of the second set with a sumptuous crosscourt backhand winner.

She rolled on to a 4-0 lead before Brady belatedly conjured some resistance to break Osaka.

The American clawed back to 5-3 but bowed out as she started, smashing wild returns to allow Osaka to serve out the match without trouble.

It was a forgettable display from Brady’s racket but she had a remarkable run in Melbourne, after being one of the 72 players unable to train during their two-week hard quarantine in the lead-up.

“I think she’s human like the rest of us in this room,” Brady told reporters of Osaka. “She just brings out her best in the big moments.

“But I don’t think, you know, she’s God,” she added with a smile. “I think maybe Serena is. Maybe she’ll get there, I don’t know.”

EXCLUSIVE: 'It's a parody of justice!' Former Haiti Football Federation president who was banned for life from the sport over allegations he sexually abused female players says claims are baseless and that 'corrupt' FIFA is using him as a 'scapegoat'

• The head of the Haiti soccer federation Yves Jean-Bart was banned from the sport for life last month after being accused of sexually abusing female players 
• Jean-Bart, one of the region's longest-serving top soccer official, told DailyMail.com in an exclusive interview that FIFA is 'corrupt'
• He said that FIFA is bent on keeping Haiti soccer 'in its place' because the men's national team is suddenly competitive against world powerhouses
• FIFA banned the 73-year-old, who is nicknamed Dadou, after giving him 10 minutes on Skype to respond to accusations 
• There are rumors he fathered children with his alleged victims - some of whom are reportedly under 18 
• But he says his long-term treatment for prostate cancer has made it physically impossible for him to impregnate anyone 
• He is now appealing the lifetime ban before the Court of Arbitration for Sport

The head of the Haiti soccer federation banned from the sport for life last month after being accused of sexually abusing and even impregnating some of the country's elite female players, said the accusations against him are pulled out of thin air and weren't properly investigated by world-wide soccer authority FIFA.

Yves Jean-Bart, one of the region's longest-serving top soccer official, told DailyMail.com in an exclusive interview that FIFA is 'corrupt' and bent on keeping Haiti soccer 'in its place' because the men's national team is suddenly competitive against world powerhouses. He pointed to the night of July 2019 when the red-and-blue suffered a one-goal loss to Mexico at the last minute of the Gold Cup semi-finals.

FIFA banned the 73-year-old, who is nicknamed Dadou, after giving him 10 minutes on Skype to respond to accusations he used his status to abuse and harass players whose future he was entrusted with, some younger than 18.

Jean-Bart told DailyMail.com that powerful Switzerland-based FIFA found a convenient scapegoat in its attempt to root out corruption in the sport – and he is appealing the lifetime ban before the Court of Arbitration for Sport, also in Switzerland. +12

Yves Jean-Bart, one of the region's longest-serving top soccer official, told DailyMail.com in an exclusive interview that FIFA is 'corrupt'+12

The head of the Haiti soccer federation Jean-Bart was banned from the sport for life last month after being accused of sexually abusing female players+12

A protester holds up a sign that reads in Creole "We are asking for justice," during the hearing of President of the Haitian Football Federation Yves Jean-Bart in May 

'Haiti football is disturbing the establishment,' Jean-Bart said in his native French. 'We have no sponsor, no advertising, no support and no money behind us, yet we beat Costa Rica and we push Mexico and the USA around. How dare we?

'Haiti makes no money for FIFA. Kicking me out and crippling Haitian football was the easy way out, the convenient thing to do. After all, what's Haitian football? It's nothing, right.'

The investigation into sexual abuse made by unnamed sources, purportedly coaches, players, referees and trainers, to The Guardian earlier this year are so preposterous, says Jean-Bart, that he can debunk them with nothing more than basic principles of biology and good old-fashioned common sense – something FIFA refused to do, he said.

Take the rumor he fathered children with young players.

Jean-Bart, who took over the country's soccer apparatus 20 years ago, filed documents with FIFA showing he has been fighting prostate cancer from the time he's been involved with soccer.

His long-term treatment has made it physically impossible for him to impregnate anyone, the 73-year-old Jean-Bart tells DailyMail.com.

According to the American Cancer Society, prostate cancer treatment can include the removal of the organ that makes sperm capable of fertilizing an egg, radiation, chemotherapy and medication. Any of the treatment is likely to cause erectile dysfunction and the inability to conceive, although each patient can be affected differently.

'Trust me when I tell you that part of me no longer works,' Jean-Bart says about his treatment without elaborating. 'I even sent (FIFA) a copy of the biopsy results.'

Jean-Bart is rumored to have gone underground since the ban and possibly crossed the border into the Dominican Republic.+12

He said on a Zoom call with DailyMail.com that FIFA is bent on keeping Haiti soccer 'in its place' because the men's national team is suddenly competitive against world powerhouses+12

'Haiti football is disturbing the establishment,' Jean-Bart said in his native French. 'We have no sponsor, no advertising, no support and no money behind us, yet we beat Costa Rica and we push Mexico and the USA around. How dare we?'

He appeared on Zoom at the agreed-upon time on December 4 from a room with no art on the sand-colored wall or any distinctive feature.

Wearing a sky-blue open-collar shirt and speaking in a firm but understated manner, Jean-Bart didn't look like a man on the run. As a matter of fact, he looked and sounded downright content and relaxed.

That's because the facts, he says, are on his side.

'They say I abused 100 girls and got some of them pregnant,' says the married father of four adult children. 'They alleged I've got children left and right, with such and such player. Where are all those babies? Not a single witness has come forward with a baby.'

The allegations included rumors Jean-Bart may have forced some of his alleged victims to undergo abortions.

Yet, according to published reports, the pregnancy-ending procedure is illegal in the Caribbean nation.

'Sounds like a good story,' Jean-Bart says, 'except that abortions are not legal in Haiti. What are they talking about?'

Since becoming president of the Haitian federation in 2000, Jean-Bart says, he has spent most of his time trying to get young men and women out of poverty through soccer.

'Our federation had the worst reputation when I came on,' Jean-Bart says. 'The sport here was plagued with theft and bribery. There were stories about drug trafficking conducted by players when they traveled to games in other countries.'

Arguably, the quality on the field of Haiti's soccer improved even as the island has been battered by earthquakes, hurricanes, poverty, environmental catastrophes, hunger, violence and political upheaval.

Jean-Bart oversaw the opening in 2002 of a FIFA-sponsored training center for the country's elite players set up in an aging ranch that once belonged to Haiti dictator Jean-Claude Duvalier, the Centre Technique National.

And while the sexual abuse allegedly took place inside the center, it's also been fertile training grounds for the cream of the soccer crop. Today, dozens of male and female players formed there ply their trade in professional leagues in Europe, Asia and elsewhere.

'Journalists are at the center all day long,' Jean-Bart says. 'They eat there. They watch the training. They talk to the players, the coaches, everybody. Yet, not a single time, have any of these journalists reported anything wrong.

'I recently counted 15 of our girls are playing in professional teams in France. I'd say the federation did some good work.'

Since Haiti's only appearance in the World Cup in 1974, soccer has risen to the status of religion on the island, making men like Jean-Bart some of the country's most powerful individuals. Rumors have it he has ties to criminal armed gangs, a charge Jean-Bart denied and called 'patently ridiculous.'

Incidentally, someone shot up an alleged victim's home when she wasn't around, and thugs are said to be engaged currently in a campaign of intimidation against believed to have testified against Jean-Bart.+12

'They say I abused 100 girls and got some of them pregnant,' says the married father of four adult children. 'They alleged I've got children left and right, with such and such player. Where are all those babies? Not a single witness has come forward with a baby'+12

There are rumors he fathered children with his alleged victims - some of whom are reportedly under 18. The national teams of the United States and Haiti have a moment of silence during a game between Haiti and USWNT

'I'm such a powerful, scary guy I don't even have security,' Jean-Bart tells DailyMail.com with a sarcastic smile and head shake. 'My house isn't protected by anyone. I drive my own car around town without a chauffeur. I'm a regular, normal person who cares about the country's youth.'

Soccer officials here control the fate of players who have a chance at the comfortable lifestyle of a pro in an industrialized county.

They also represent their country at international soccer gatherings – something that gives them the ability to network with some of the world's richest people.

Is it any wonder, says Jean-Bart, that the election for soccer federation president could spark negative campaigns against him?

Jean-Bart was cruising to what he thought was an easy victory for his sixth four-year mandate early this year when, he says, rumors portraying him as an out-of-control, sex-crazed despot who used money, food and threats to confiscate passports to entice young girls to have sex with him and others got to the ears of reporters at The Guardian and the New York-based NGO Human Rights Watch earlier this year.

'I'm still asking myself questions about this when I go to bed at night,' Jean-Bart said. 'The federation was in a period of election, and like in every election in Haiti, I couldn't escape made up stories and rumors about things that never happened.'

Jean-Bart said someone associated with a rival group contacted The Guardian in London, which assigned sports reporter Ed Aarons to the story.

Aarons is the newspaper's deputy sports editor who specializes in African soccer. Aarons recently published a book about African players who made their mark on English soccer. 

'This man never came to Haiti to investigate,' Jean-Bart said. 'He knows nothing about the subtleties of this country and why certain stories find their way to Europe. No one in Haiti reported this story. But from abroad, The Guardian did.

'This was a well-organized campaign that spread around the world.'

When asked if Aarons traveled to Haiti and why sources weren't named, a spokeswoman for The Guardian released this statement: 'The Guardian's reporting on Mr. Jean-Bart has been carefully considered and researched. The abuse allegations were made to the Guardian by numerous sources, including alleged victims and their families. We stand by our reporting and the sources who informed it, and we strongly reject any attempt to discredit our story.

'Following our reporting, FIFA's independent Ethics Committee conducted a formal investigation into allegations of systematic sexual abuse of female players. FIFA banned Jean-Bart for life after finding him guilty of sexually harassing and abusing multiple female players, including minors.'

Jean-Bart still won the election but, by then, FIFA was under pressure of Human Rights Watch to investigate and ultimately end his tenure.

Said a spokeswoman for the non-profit: 'Human Rights Watch directly interviewed multiple female athlete survivors, witnesses, coaches and referees who spoke of the abuses they experienced or witnessed. These statements detail alleged abuses by Jean-Bart, and also other senior football officials in the federation he ran.'+12

Jean-Bart says his long-term treatment for prostate cancer has made it physically impossible for him to impregnate anyone, despite rumors he fathered children with his victims +12

In a verdict announced last month the FIFA ethics committee found Jean-Bart guilty, banned him from the sport for life and fined him dollars 1.1 million, following accusations of systematic sexual abuse of female players

A scan of Haiti news organizations, meanwhile, shows the country's media barely covered the allegations against Jean-Bart and did not independently investigate them.

The daily newspaper Haiti en Marche and others, however, memorialized the November 16 decision by the Haiti justice system to not prosecute Jean-Bart criminally in connection with the scandal.

A creole language story Haiti en March mentions that prosecutors underscored the fact no victim was identified by government investigators and that no member of the human rights organizations that complained against Jean-Bart 'shined by their absence' from meetings with prosecutors.

The newspaper noted Jean-Bart's criminal investigations were launched on the request of several women's rights groups, including Solidarite Fanm Ayisyen (SOFA).

No one at SOFA responded to an email requesting comments.

Said Evan Nierman, Jean-Bart's spokesman and CEO of the international crisis management firm Red Banyan: 'The Haitian judicial system properly investigated and cleared (Jean-Bart) of wrongdoing, yet FIFA raced to convict him without evidence.'

According to the Human Rights Watch Spokeswoman Minky Worden, there's a good reason why witnesses are not coming forward in public.

'The lack of justice for victims of gender-based violence in Haiti is a long-standing problem,' Worden said. 'The victims themselves end up being punished.

'But I can promise you a number of female players brought us specific evidence against Mr. Jean-Bart.'

She declined to provide more details as, she said, to not tip off Jean-Bart on the identity of the alleged witnesses.

Meanwhile FIFA, says Jean-Bart, may lack the moral authority to investigate.

The powerful soccer governing body itself, he points out, has been caught in scandal after scandal.+12

Former French national team star Michel Platini has been suspended from any soccer activity until 2023 for accepting suspicious payments totally more than $2 million from FIFA+12

Payments to Michel Platini were made by former FIFA president Sepp Blatter (pictured), who was also forced to resign in 2015 after more than 17 years at the helm. 'This is the kind of organization that pretends to be investigating what's happening in Haiti,' Jean-Bart adds

Reports over the past two decades showed how FIFA officials lined their pockets with rigged bids for World Cup tournaments, including the 2010 World Cup in South Africa, 2018 World Cup in Russia and the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, a desert country where the weather has been found to be downright hazardous to the health of top-flight players.

Former FIFA executive committee member Jack Warner remains holed up in his native Trinidad & Tobago under an extradition request from the United States in connection with his organizing the distribution of bribes within FIFA.

Former French national team star Michel Platini has been suspended from any soccer activity until 2023 for accepting suspicious payments totally more than $2 million from FIFA.

The payments were made by former FIFA president Sepp Blatter, who was also forced to resign in 2015 after more than 17 years at the helm.

'This is the kind of organization that pretends to be investigating what's happening in Haiti,' Jean-Bart adds.

FIFA didn't respond to a request for comment.

Meanwhile, the group sent a team of three investigators to Haiti. They allegedly gathered enough evidence to have Jean-Bart banned and fined the equivalent of $1.1 million.

During his hearing before FIFA's Independent Ethics Committee, Jean-Bart described himself as 'unnerved' in the 10 minutes he personally had to defend himself.

'I knew I was going to be found guilty no matter what,' he said. 'I sent FIFA a 2,000-page document in my defense. I do not believe they even read anything from it.'

His lawyers were given 30 minutes to speak.

'Members of the committee said something about zero tolerance,' Jean-Bart said. 'It was a parody of justice.

'You have to wonder if they'd do the same thing with the president of the French or Italian federations.'

Naomi Osaka takes a surprise visit to Haiti, her father's homeland

A big but satisfying surprise for many Haitians.

Three-time major champion Naomi Osaka has arrived in Haiti this Monday, September 21, for a very surprise and discrete visit. Osaka, 22, is accompanied by a few members of her family, according to our sources.

After her arrival in Toussaint Louverture's airport, the tennis player of Japan has landed in Jacmel, hometown of her Haitian father Léonard François. Osaka is also expected to visit the famous Citadelle Laferrière, in Milot (North), official from the Haitian Ministry of Sports said.

The winner of the 2019 Australian Open, is reportedly in Haiti to film a documentary series directed by Netflix and dedicated to her life as a successful athlete.

In February, Netflix had announced the documentary series. But there has been no title and release date announced yet.

"The docuseries will follow the multiple times Grand Slam champion in the high-pressure year running up to the 2020 olympics in Tokyo", Netflix wrote on its website.

father's homeland

WILNER BOSSOU CREATED : 21 SEPTEMBER 2020ENGLISH CORNER

Japan's Naomi Osaka poses with her US Open trophy. Photo: AFP / Matthew StockmanShare to FacebookShare to TwitterShare to LinkedInShare to WhatsAppShare to MessengerShare to EmailShare to TelegramShare to More

A big but satisfying surprise for many Haitians.

Three-time major champion Naomi Osaka has arrived in Haiti this Monday, September 21, for a very surprise and discrete visit. Osaka, 22, is accompanied by a few members of her family, according to our sources.

After her arrival in Toussaint Louverture's airport, the tennis player of Japan has landed in Jacmel, hometown of her Haitian father Léonard François. Osaka is also expected to visit the famous Citadelle Laferrière, in Milot (North), official from the Haitian Ministry of Sports said.

The winner of the 2019 Australian Open, is reportedly in Haiti to film a documentary series directed by Netflix and dedicated to her life as a successful athlete.

In February, Netflix had announced the documentary series. But there has been no title and release date announced yet.

"The docuseries will follow the multiple times Grand Slam champion in the high-pressure year running up to the 2020 olympics in Tokyo", Netflix wrote on its website.

This is the third visit of the world number 3 in Haiti. The last time she came to the caribbean country was in 2018 after defeating Serena Williams in the 2018 US Open finals.

At that time, she was received by the Haitian President Jovenel Moise, who honoured her.

https://youtu.be/QT7Q_JLcoNE

Naomi Osaka Refuses To Play Her Semifinal Match In NYC Over Police Shooting; Tournament Pauses – Update

UPDATED, 9:15 AM: The Women’s Tennis Association, ATP Tour and USTA had decided not to play matches scheduled for Thursday at the Western & Southern Open.

PREVIOUSLY, August 26: The pro sports boycotts over the police shooting of Jacob Blake in Wisconsin continue to grow.

Following the lead of the NBA, its Milwaukee Bucks and other teams and leagues, two-time Grand Slam winner Naomi Osaka of Japan said today that she is skipping her semifinal match Thursday at the Western & Southern Open in New York City.

“Before I am an athlete, I am a black woman,” she wrote in a social media post (read it in full below). “As a black woman I feel as though there are much more important matters at hand that need immediate attention, rather than watching me play tennis. I don’t expect anything drastic to happen with me not playing, but if I can get a conversation started in a majority white sport I consider that a step in the right direction.”

The boycotts have grown since this afternoon’s Game 5 of Milwaukee Bucks-Orlando Magic first-round playoff series initially was delayed and later postponed. The Magic players initially came out on the court to warm up, but the Bucks didn’t and the visiting team eventually left. The NBA announced soon afterward that all of its games scheduled for today and tonight have been postponed. The WNBA, MLB’s Milwaukee Brewers and other baseball teams later joined the boycott.

Currently ranked No. 10 by the Women’s Tennis Association, Osaka came into the Western & Southern Open seeded fourth. She was set to play the semifinal against Belgium’s Elise Mertens on Thursday morning at Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in Flushing Meadows.

Osaka was the world’s No. 1-ranked WTA player for six months last year after the second of two consecutive Grand Slam singles wins at the 2018 U.S Open and the 2019 Australian Open.

Here is the full text of Osaka’s statement:

Hello, as many of you are aware I was scheduled to play my semifinals match tomorrow. However, before I am an athlete, I am a black woman. And as a black woman I feel as though there are much more important matters at hand that need immediate attention, rather than watching me play tennis. I don’t expect anything drastic to happen with me not playing, but if I can get a conversation started in a majority white sport I consider that a step in the right direction. Watching the continued genocide of Black people at the hand of the police is honestly making me sick to my stomach. I’m exhausted of having a new hashtag pop up every few days and I’m extremely tired of having this same conversation over and over again. When will it ever be enough? #JacobBlake, #BreonnaTaylor, #ElijahMcclain, #GeorgeFloyd

Barcelona's U.S. youngster Konrad de la Fuente signs contract extension until 2022

United States youth international Konrad de la Fuente has signed a new contract with Barcelona, committing his future to the Spanish champions until 2022.

De la Fuente's new terms include a €50 million release clause that will rise to €100m if he is promoted to the first team before the expiration of the deal.

He will form part of the club's B team next season, who are playing in the third tier of Spanish football but could be promoted to the second division later this summer.

They are preparing for the playoffs, which take place in July across several locations in the south of Spain. De la Fuente, who started the season with the under-19s, is already part of the squad.

Barca had to work hard to convince the young winger to stay at Camp Nou after a number of clubs showed an interest in him with his contract set to expire this summer.

De la Fuente, 18, looked set to move to German side Hertha Berlin in December, but Barca managed to persuade him that he would get chances to progress at the Catalan club.

The Miami native moved to Barcelona with his parents when he was 10 and was incorporated into Barca's La Masia academy in 2014.

He has since progressed through the youth teams and has already made five appearances for the B team. He scored the winning goal in February in a 2-1 win against AE Prat.

His development has seen him called up to train with the first team on occasions, where he has brushed shoulders with six-time world player of the year Lionel Messi.

"It's not that I'm used to [seeing Messi now] but I still get a little starstruck [when I see him]," De la Fuente told ESPN in April.

"The first time I trained with the first team, I got into the locker room and I turned to go into it and run into someone. And I looked and I see it's Messi.

"I said, 'Hi,' and shook his hand and everything. And then as I walked past him I said, 'Oh my God, I just [ran into] Messi.' But there was just that moment and that's it. And then it was just normal."

De la Fuente has represented the U.S. youth teams since under-16 level. He was part of the side that reached the quarterfinals of the U20 World Cup in 2019, beating France in the round of 16 before losing to Ecuador.

He has set his sights on not only making the senior squad in the future, but forming part of a generation that can lead the country to World Cup success.

"My goal with the national team is to win a World Cup," he said in April. "That's my personal goal. Everyone has their own, and for me, it's to win a World Cup.

"I definitely think it can happen. If we continue to grow in our clubs in Europe, I think we can do something special."