Overview:
Residents expressed both pride and frustration after Haiti’s U-17 national team lost its first match 4–1 to Egypt at the FIFA U-17 World Cup. With four players from the northern city on the roster, many fans remain optimistic as the team faces England.
CAP-HAÏTIEN — As Haiti’s under-17 national team faces England on Nov.7 at the FIFA U-17 World Cup in Qatar, fans in the northern city of Cap-Haïtien say they’re still rallying behind Les Grenadiers — even after the team’s 4–1 loss to Egypt earlier in the week.
On Nov. 4, dozens of fans gathered inside a small Paryaj Pam betting office on Street 20H to watch the opening game. When the final whistle blew, silence filled the room. Some fans left quietly; others stared at the screen — disappointed but not discouraged.
“I don’t know if every Haitian feels this, but every time we participate in a competition, it’s always like this,” Kenley Amius, who played on the under-17 team almost 10 years ago, told The Haitian Times.
“It doesn’t make me feel good at all. We’re frustrated with how the game was played.”
Paryaj Pam’s office is located on Street 20H in Cap-Haïtien, where some soccer fans watched Haiti battle Egypt in the FIFA U-17 World Cup on November 4, 2025. Photo by Onz Chéry/ The Haitian Times.
Still, many felt proud watching players from their own city on the world stage. Four members of the squad — Ricthie Valcourt, Dave Bernard, Alcime Arthur, and Woodson Félix — play for local club Real Hope Football Academy.
“Seeing boys I used to train with playing at the World Cup gives me pride,” said Loubentz Saint-Yllus, a 23-year-old midfielder for Ideal F.C. “Dave was my teammate — I haven’t reached that level yet, but I’m happy to see them there.”
Haiti’s U-17 standout performer, however, was not from the North but from Port-au-Prince — goalkeeper Clifford Géné, who currently plays in Jamaica for Mount Pleasant F.A. The 16-year-old made nine saves and drew praise from fans online for keeping the score from getting worse.
Head coach Éddy César tried to motivate the U-17 players’ spirits after the Nov. 4 game, reminding them that the competition is far from over.
“Nobody put their head down,” César told his players on the bus. “Forget the loss, learn from it, and show a stronger side against England. The mission remains the same.”
Haiti, which has never won a FIFA World Cup match at any level, will look to make history today when it faces England in its second group-stage game.
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