World Cup
Pierrot chose the less-traveled road as a professional soccer player, but his path to the sport’s biggest stage led him back to Massachusetts.
Frantzdy Pierrot at the Massachusetts State House with Gov. Maura Healey. Finn Gomez/The Boston Globe
June 12, 2026 | 3:43 PM
4 minutes to read
Before he moved to Massachusetts, Frantzdy Pierrot discovered soccer in his native Haiti. As a child, he overcame the natural barriers of his circumstances to find joy in the beautiful game.
“It was difficult because at the time, we didn’t really have a field. It was only dirt,” Pierrot told Boston.com. “We didn’t have a soccer ball or football shoes, so we had to make our own balls with socks and fill it up with trash or a bunch of clothes to make it round so we could play with each other.
“And sometimes my friends and I would climb trees to get oranges just to play. It was tough because we didn’t have anything to protect our feet. We would hit the rocks, so our toenails would come off,” he says while smiling in reflection. “It was hard, but it was fun.”
From that origin story, Pierrot has grown tall (he’s 6-foot-4) and developed into a professional goal-scorer, plying his trade in European leagues since 2018. He’s now set to participate in the 2026 World Cup representing Haiti.
His story connects with Massachusetts (specifically Melrose) after he moved to the United States in his youth along with his father and three brothers. He witnessed the work ethic of his father, who worked multiple jobs to support the family while Pierrot’s mother was still in Haiti.
“It was only him trying to manage everything on his own,” Pierrot remembered. “It was not easy, but seeing him, how hard he works, that made me want to do more in whatever I was doing, whether it was school, basketball, or soccer. Those are some of the things that motivate me.”
Pierrot adapted to life in the U.S., specifically the wider array of possibilities as an athlete. He became not only a talented soccer player, but picked up basketball and became a standout for Melrose High School:
While he received recruiting attention for his basketball ability — including noted basketball powerhouse Virginia — Pierrot knew his future would be in soccer. At first he chose to attend Northeastern.
“I started here and at Northeastern University because I wanted to get an education while also playing football,” he said. “Also I wanted to be close to home, to my family. So whenever I wanted to get some Haitian food, I could take the orange line and go to Melrose.”
After two years, however, Pierrot knew he could aim for a higher level of soccer. He transferred to Coastal Carolina, seeking a more competitive standard. He found it, and eventually received his first Haitian national team call-up while still in school.
“It was crazy. I couldn’t believe it,” he said of his first international appearance. “They never did that. Now they do it more, but usually back then they never called a player from college. You had to be a professional.”
A fascinating crossroads moment occurred for Pierrot after he finished college. He was selected with the 27th overall pick of the 2018 MLS SuperDraft by the Colorado Rapids. While his path seemed clear — pursuing a career in MLS — Pierrot chose the road less traveled. He wanted to go abroad, and had a contract offer from a Belgium team.
While traveling on the bus with the rest of the Rapids team to the airport where they would fly out for preseason, Pierrot called his old Melrose High School coach, Dean Serino, and his father to ask for advice.
“They said, ‘Do what you think is right for you.’ So I got off the bus, I went to the [Colorado] coach and just told them, ‘I appreciate everything, but I’m going to leave the camp here.”
It was a striking moment, with two choices literally in front of him at the airport.
“The line was here [for MLS], and the international flight was here,” he recalled. “So I traveled to Belgium [wearing] all the Colorado gear on because at the time I had no other clothes.”
Arriving in a new place with only the clothes on his back, Pierrot forged a career. He moved from Belgium to France, and has subsequently played for clubs in Israel, Greece, and Turkey.
Simultaneous to his club career, Pierrot was a regular for Haiti. And while the country was not lacking in talent, the national team was never quite able to put together a consistent qualifying campaign (having only played in one World Cup in 1974).
That changed in the buildup to the 2026 World Cup. Haiti powered through qualifying despite not being able to play any home games due to the ongoing security concerns within the country.
“It wasn’t easy because we couldn’t play in front of our fans, which is always a big advantage,” Pierrot said. “But also it kind of pushed us even more because we knew that even with all that’s going on, if we stay together and work together, we can make it happen. We can give them hope.”
Pierrot scored one of the most important goals for Haiti during CONCACAF World Cup qualification, netting the winner in a 1-0 victory over Costa Rica (who had been the favorites to qualify).
Now, the Haitians face a World Cup group that includes Brazil, Morocco, and Scotland. They will take the field in the country’s first game at the prestigious tournament in more than half a century on Saturday at “Boston Stadium” (Gillette Stadium) against Scotland at 9 p.m.
For Pierrot, it’s an added bonus to be playing so close to where he grew up.
“I think this was just the perfect timing,” he said. “It means everything to me. Yes, it’s the World Cup, but for me it’s also like I’m playing at home.”
Hayden Bird
Hayden Bird is a sports staff writer for Boston.com, where he has worked since 2016. He covers all things sports in New England.
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