Will Haiti's former Celtic hero help them stun Scotland in the 2026 World Cup?

Haiti is assembling a squad with Premier League stars to shock Scotland in the World Cup, including Odsonne Edouard.

Scotland faces a surprise opponent in Haiti at the World Cup Scotland will have been quite content to be facing a relatively underpowered opponent in Haiti at the World Cup. However, thanks to some astute scouting and persuasive agents, the war-torn Caribbean island is assembling a team that hopes to surprise Steve Clarke's side when Group C begins on 14th June. Players called up include Premier League stars with Haitian ancestry, including Wolves midfielder Jean-Ricner Bellegarde and Sunderland striker Wilson Isidor – plus potentially former Celtic hero Odsonne Edouard. Edouard scored 57 goals in 94 league matches for Celtic between 2018 and 2021, helping them to successive domestic trebles. ## Odsonne Edouard's potential inclusion raises questions about his eligibility Now playing for Lens in Ligue 1, the 28-year-old represented France at youth level but has never played for them at senior international level. His parents are of Haitian heritage, which is why they are hoping to recruit him for the World Cup. Jerome Salbert, a Fifa agent who works closely with the Haiti FA in talent ID and recruitment, stated, 'Edouard is a possibility, but the player is also French - he might be called up for France.' 'His father is Haitian but he was raised in France. It is difficult for him to decide if he accepts, as he would prefer to play for France.' ## Haiti's World Cup team faces numerous challenges For Haiti, issues off the field are also a problem. Since the country was devastated by an earthquake in 2010, armed gangs have been in an ongoing battle with government forces and have seized much of the capital city, Port-au-Prince. This has left over a million people homeless and caused widespread food shortages. Haiti qualified for the World Cup despite being unable to play any of their qualifiers at home. ## Recruiting players with Haitian ancestry has been a challenge Jerome Salbert and the Haiti FA have still managed to convince some big names to represent the country, with the World Cup a major lure. Salbert stated, 'The problems in Haiti don't really have anything to do with it - players refusing to represent countries happens a lot when they are based overseas.' 'It is tough at first glance. Take the case of Wilson Isidor - he has Haitian roots. We must convince them to play with the heart. That helps with players; the football gives them hope amid the trauma their country faces and helps the team move forwards.' ## Sebastian Migne will lead Haiti against Scotland Salbert's agency is based in Paris, but he was born on the Caribbean island of Guadeloupe, an overseas region of France. This connection to the region, plus the challenge of working with a beleaguered country like Haiti, drew him in. 'I think football belongs to everyone, and their players have a lot of talent, also a lot of resilience,' he said. 'They have a lot of skills, which I like. There are a lot of Haitian communities in Guadeloupe so I know a lot about the personalities.' ## Haiti's manager, Sebastian Migne, has World Cup experience Salbert began working with the Haitian FA in 2024 and recommended Migne, who has World Cup experience as Cameroon assistant coach at Qatar 2022. He has since been tasked to recruit players from around the world who would be eligible to hold a Haitian passport. 'I cannot travel in Haiti, so I use a scout who is in the Caribbean,' Salbert says. 'And also WyScout - a local scout spots a player in Haiti, I check the system then contact the player to sign with my agency and then suggest them to the coach.' ## Haiti's players look to the World Cup as a chance to advance their careers On what it meant for Haiti to qualify, Salbert said, 'There was a feeling of pride. It showed us how good football is in Haiti and shows that big sense of resilience.' 'The players look at themselves and look at the World Cup as a chance to advance their careers. They know they will not have a second chance.'