Playing for 90
Fansided

World Cup Heroes: the unlikely story of Haiti and Emmanuel Sanon

By Karl Harrington

PORT-AU-PRINCE, HAITI - JANUARY 24: A women holds a Haitian flag and roses as people pray together during a church service that is set up outdoors near an encampment after numerous churches were destroyed during the massive earthquake on January 24, 2010 in Port-au-Prince, Haiti. Relief supplies and medical help continue to arrive as governments and aid agencies launched the massive relief operation after a powerful earthquake that may have killed over a hundred thousand. (Photo by Joe Raedle/Getty Images)
PORT-AU-PRINCE, HAITI - JANUARY 24: A women holds a Haitian flag and roses as people pray together during a church service that is set up outdoors near an encampment after numerous churches were destroyed during the massive earthquake on January 24, 2010 in Port-au-Prince, Haiti. Relief supplies and medical help continue to arrive as governments and aid agencies launched the massive relief operation after a powerful earthquake that may have killed over a hundred thousand. (Photo by Joe Raedle/Getty Images) /
facebooktwitterreddit

In 1974, World Cup debutants Haiti faced a formidably strong Italy in their opening fixture; however, the script was not quite as straightforward as many had predicted.

In Haiti’s case, the annals of history have not been written by a benevolent hand. Theirs is a story punctuated with tragedies, both by human infliction and of natural causes. However, etched between tales of atrocities is one of unassailable glory: the tale of Jean-Jacques Dessalines who, in the early 19th century, lead the country’s slave rebellion and raised the very first Haitian flag.

And that flag flew high in 1974. Haiti may have spent almost its entire history in football’s backwaters, but that summer, if only for a fleeting moment, they stepped forward and made the world take notice.

World Cup 1974

Haiti made it to the 1974 tournament as only the second ever Caribbean nation to qualify for the World Cup. As the completely unknown and predominantly amateur Haitian side travelled to Germany, defender Serge Racine admitted the experience ‘was extraordinary:’

"“There were people who didn’t know that Haiti existed, people were asking us where Haiti was.”"

But no allowances were made for the competition’s minnows and they were drawn in a group of death alongside the might of Argentina, Italy, and Poland.

Their first match would see them line up against the Azzurri. Dino Zoff, the Italian keeper, hadn’t conceded a goal in 12 games spanning over a two-year period, a record that still stands today, and had only missed out on that years Balon d’Or at the expense of Johan Cruyff.

The media speculated if any of the strikers from the likes of Holland or Germany were even capable of beating Zoff; little did they know to the annoyance of a young Haitian forward by the name of Emmanuel Sanon who fancied his own chances and boldly predicted the Italian defense would be ‘too slow for [him]’.

Haiti vs. Italy

Buoyed by the support of any neutral inside the sold out Olympic Stadium, and largely thanks to the acrobatic prodigies of Henry Francillon in goal, Haiti made it through the first half with the score remaining 0-0.

Then, just a minute into the second half, a loose ball fell to Philippe Vorbe. With the outside of his right boot Vorbe hit a pass as perfectly weighted as a golfer’s putt to penetrate the Italian defense.

The robust Sanon lost his marker, Luciano Spinosi, with ease to get there first. Spinosi desperately grabbed at Sanon’s shirt but a thousand wild horses would have struggled to hold back the striker who headed straight for the Italian goal.

70,000 bottoms arose from their seats in Munich as Sanon, who earned just $200 a month playing for Don Bosco of Pétionville, found himself head-to-head with Zoff. Adrenaline must have coursed through the young forward’s veins as he attempted what the finest striker’s from nations as hallowed as Brazil, England, and Switzerland had all failed to do in the Azzurri’s previous 12 matches.

But Sanon showed the pastiche of World Cup veteran. With the drop of a shoulder and the cadence of the foxtrot he slipped to the keeper’s right. As if the victim of a foray of stray bullets Zoff threw out a leg, then an arm, before haplessly collapsing to the turf. Sanon rolled it into an empty net and, after 1,142 minutes, Zoff’s goal had finally been breached.

Instantly fabled, Sanon was besieged by his team mates as a sea of red tracksuits danced and star jumped the length of the sideline.

Unfortunately for Haiti, they couldn’t hold on to their lead. Italy soon equalized and went on to win the game 3-1; but for a few fleeting minutes Haiti had soared at the top of the footballing world on the grandest of all stages. Speaking to FIFA TV, the architect of the goal, Philip Vorbe, stated:

"“This was really the most beautiful moment of our careers, even of our lives! To score against Italy, it was fantastic.”"

Sanon again found the back of the net versus Argentina after the ball left his boot like a streak of lightning; his two goals meaning they finished the tournament in a respectable 14th position.

Present day Haiti

Germany was a Zenith never to be repeated by Haiti’s footballers who currently sit a lowly 104th place in the FIFA rankings. While, political instability and the second natural disaster in recent memory has thwarted any economic progression.

Next: 10 players to watch at the World Cup

But their flag still flies high. The people are immensely proud of the fortitude shown by their forefathers, and should you ever visit the island, any Haitian would be happy to take the time to sit down over a Prestige and a portion of fried plantains to tell you the story of Jean-Jacques Dessalines and the heroes of the Haitian revolution – just as they would of Emmanuel Sanon, and Haiti’s class of ’74.

Home/World Cup