07/06/2026

theSun on Sunday JUNE 7, 2026

2026 WORLD CUP

SPORTS 13

Haiti targeting knockout rounds: Migne HAITI coach Sebastien Migne said his team are targeting a place in the knockout rounds of the World Cup as he named a 26-strong squad for the tournament. Haiti are returning to the World tive will, of course, be to secure our first-ever point in the World Cup finals. However, setting that as the sole goal would provide too little motivation for my players,” Migne said. “Our new roadmap includes ward in dangerous counterattacks. The experience and composure of leaders such as Duckens Nazon, Frantzdy Pierrot and Ricardo Ade give the squad a crucial balance. Haiti qualified by finishing sec

he told the BBC .

which is a tremendous reward for the boys. We’ll now have to go out there and prove that we’re up to the challenge.” With the explosive Nazon leading the charge, Haiti are daring to dream. The prolific striker has become far more than a goalscorer, embodying the passion, resil ience and pride of a nation that breathes football. The buildup

“I was stuck at the border for maybe 48 hours. They refused me, sent me back to Iran and I slept at the border. But I was so lucky because, before the war started I bought an eSIM. After that, they cut the internet in Iran. The eSIM saved my life.” Drawn against Brazil, Morocco and Scotland, Haiti face a daunting task, but Nazon insists they will not be intimidated. “We are not scared of anybody,” he said. “We come humble, but also proud because we are Haitian.” He carries that pride from his upbringing in Poissy, a working-class suburb west of Paris he describes as “kind of like a ghetto,” and from his Haitian roots, with both of his par ents born there. His idol is Brazil striker Ronaldo and Nazon is also a No. 9 like the World Cup-winner. Now, as Haiti’s record scorer with 44 goals in 80 appearances, he is chas ing one more dream. “I want to score in the World Cup,” he said. “It doesn’t matter against who.” Asked if he looked for ward to making Haitians, who have endured years of

ond behind Curacao in Concacaf Group C and then winning their third-round qualifying section with key victories against Costa Rica and

Cup this year for the first time since qualifying for the 1974 finals, where they have been placed in a daunting Group C that includes Brazil, Morocco and Scotland. Migne said

reaching the Round of 32; that is what we will strive to achieve, by focusing on our style of play rather than solely on the high stakes involved.” Haiti open their campaign on June 14 (9am Malaysian time) against Scotland, before taking on five-time world champions Brazil on June 20 (8.30am) and then con cluding the group on June 25 (6am) against Morocco, semifinal ists at the 2022 World Cup. Migne, has created a fierce and disciplined side built on intensity, tactical

Nicaragua, establish ing themselves as one of the Caribbean’s most respected foot balling nations. Migne has never hidden his ambition. “In one match any thing can happen. The idea is to write a new story with these players,” he said. The Frenchman told Fifa.com : “We’ve been handed a tough group… but looking on the bright side, we’ll certainly be in the lime light,

while Haiti’s main goal is

to the tourna ment has not been smooth because he plays for a club in Iran. “I was about to take a plane to go to Istanbul or Paris, then the steward told eve rybody to get off because the war had started,”

to win a first ever point in the World Cup, the bigger chal lenge was to secure a place in the last 32. “The primary objec

organisation and rapid transitions.

They are able to defend with discipline before burst ing for

political unrest and hardship, proud, he paused. “It gives me

goosebumps,” he said. “This emotion is unbeliev able.”

Sebastien Migne Scotland seek history on long-awaited return

SCOTLAND return to

captain John McGinn and Napoli’s Scott McTominay, this could be their one and only chance to make an impact on the World Cup. All three have played a massive role in get ting their country to three major tournaments in the past five years after a 23-year absence. But excitement at qualification for Euro 2020 and 2024 quickly turned to despair as Scotland crashed out of both without winning a single game. “We’ve been to two major tournaments This will be our third and hopefully the expe rience of the boys that have been to major tournaments before will come to the fore and we’ll do something that no Scottish team has ever done before,” said Clarke when announcing his squad. McTominay’s overhead kick in a 4-2 vic tory over Denmark that secured qualification has already gone into national folklore and printed on a special edition Scottish bank note. The former Manchester United midfielder and McGinn will be relied upon for goals in a squad short of proven strikers at international level. Clarke also has scarce options to choose from in goal where 43-year-old Craig Gordon is in contention to start despite limited min

utes at club level with Hearts this season. “This core of very experienced players are crucial,” former Scotland manager Andy Roxburgh told AFP . “I know it will be difficult, but if they could replicate the way they played against Denmark in the final qualification, they will certainly have a good chance. “We can be optimistic here that they can achieve, for the first time, qualification to the knockout phase.” Time is of the essence for an ageing squad, with only five members under the age of 26. But one of the few youngsters, Bournemouth’s 20-year-old Ben Gannon Doak, will be crucial to add much-needed pace and guile in the final third. “My whole generation doesn’t really remember it and now we get to lead our country to a World Cup. It’ll be one of the proudest things I’ve ever done in my career,” said Robertson, a Champions League and Premier League winner with Liverpool. “We’ve been very fortunate to qualify for two Euros, but the World Cup is a step up from that.” The Tartan Army are dreaming that this time the players also step up and give them something to savour.

the global stage at a first World Cup for 28

years determined not to just make up the numbers as Steve Clarke’s side aim to finally end generations of group-stage heartbreak. In 12 previous attempts at major tournaments Scotland have fallen short of making the knock out stages. However, the new format at the first ever 48-team finals offers hope that hex can be broken despite a difficult draw. An opener against Caribbean min nows Haiti in Boston is a must-win in the eyes of the thousands of fans head ing across the Atlantic with the might of African champions Morocco and five time winners Brazil to come in Group C. Even defeat in their final two games might not be fatal for the Scots’ chances if they can put Haiti to the sword in style as eight of the 12 third-placed teams progress to the final 32.

For an experienced core that includes Liverpool’s Andy Robertson, Aston Villa

Steve Clarke