Haiti's record scorer Nazon on Scotland link and escaping Iran

Duckens Nazon, Haiti's record scorer with 44 goals in 78 appearances, has experienced a whirlwind of emotions in recent months. The 32-year-old striker helped Haiti qualify for their first World Cup since 1974, then feared for his life while escaping the ongoing conflict in Iran, where he plays club football for Esteghlal. Now, he is focused on facing Scotland in Haiti's opening match of the 2026 World Cup—a nation he briefly called home during a loan spell with St Mirren in 2019.

Escape from Iran

Nazon was scheduled to leave Iran on the day Israeli-US strikes began, but was ordered off his flight for safety reasons. His wife and four children were already safe in France, where Nazon was born. He described watching bombs drop from just 100 metres away before finally escaping via Azerbaijan.

Speaking on the BBC's Sacked in the Morning podcast, Nazon said: "I was about to take a plane to go to Istanbul or Paris, then the steward told everybody to get off because the war had started." He added: "Imagine you have your wife and your children by your side in that situation. If you're alone, I wouldn't say I don't care about my life, but you are more relaxed and taking decisions is easier and faster."

At the Iran-Azerbaijan border, Nazon faced further complications. "I was stuck at the border for maybe 48 hours. They refused me, sent me back to Iran and I slept at the border," he recalled. A recently purchased eSIM proved crucial after internet was cut in Iran. "I had no contact and I was praying that when I reached the border I would get some signal—and it worked. This saved my life. I could talk to the French embassy and they helped me to get my passport. They spoke to the Azerbaijani forces and then I got out."

World Cup preparation and facing Scotland

With domestic football in Iran suspended due to the conflict, Nazon has been following an individual training programme to prepare for the World Cup. Haiti's squad have become national heroes for leading the country back to football's grandest stage for only the second time. Nazon acknowledged the players are "part of the country's history" but insisted they will play without "extra pressure".

"We are ambassadors of our country and we know we have a responsibility," he said. "We know the young people also see us as examples. But we don't have to put extra pressure on ourselves and, when we play for our country, it's more a mission and we do it with passion and with love."

St Mirren memories and ticket prices

Nazon spent the second half of the 2018-19 season on loan at St Mirren from Belgian club Sint-Truiden, playing 12 games and scoring twice. He recalled the experience as a "story" but admitted he was "not ready for this kind of aggression and fight" in Scottish football, while the weather also played a part. "I remember one game we had sun, snow and rain," he said. "After this, I was like, OK, I'm done."

Weather is unlikely to be an issue in North America this summer, but Nazon voiced concerns about inflated ticket prices for the World Cup matches. "There is only one thing that starts to go in my brain—it's the ticket prices," he said. Haiti will also face Morocco and Brazil in their group, with Nazon's wife being Moroccan.