Marcelin recalls historic Haiti goal against Brazil

James Marcelin, the only Haitian footballer to have scored against Brazil, has reflected on his historic strike ahead of the teams' Group C meeting at the FIFA World Cup on Friday. The former midfielder found the net for Haiti in a 7-1 defeat against Brazil at the CONMEBOL Copa América Centenario in 2016, a goal that remains Haiti's sole strike against the five-time world champions.

A unique place in history

Marcelin's goal came in the 70th minute of the group-stage match in Orlando, Florida. With Brazil already leading 5-0, Duckens Nazon forced a save from goalkeeper Alisson, and Marcelin reacted quickest to turn in the rebound. Although Brazil added two more goals through Renato Augusto and Philippe Coutinho, Marcelin had secured his place in Haitian football folklore.

“It was incredible,” Marcelin told FIFA. “Playing at the Copa America for the first time already meant a lot. It was fantastic to become the first player to score for Haiti in the competition, and the only Haitian to score against Brazil. I could never have imagined it.”

The 35-year-old, who retired in 2019 after a spell with Canadian club Edmonton, emphasized the significance of the goal beyond personal achievement. “I scored other goals for Haiti but this one meant so much more,” he said. “Lots of people in Haiti get behind Brazil and Argentina, so it was important for the supporters. They loved it.”

Previous encounters and the 'Match for Peace'

Haiti and Brazil have met only twice before. The first was a friendly in 2004 dubbed the 'Match for Peace', held in Port-au-Prince. Brazil, fresh off their 2002 World Cup triumph, fielded stars including Ronaldo, Ronaldinho, Roberto Carlos, and Adriano. Ronaldinho scored a hat-trick, with Roger Flores adding a brace and Nilmar completing a 6-0 rout. The match aimed to reduce armed violence in Haiti, which was experiencing political turmoil.

Marcelin, then 18 and yet to make his international debut, watched from home. “I watched the game on TV as a kid,” he recalled. “It was a special occasion. They wanted to play that match to promote peace in the country, as Haiti was going through a turbulent time – that made it even more meaningful. There were tanks in the streets and everything. It was insane!”

World Cup return and Group C challenge

Haiti are appearing at the FIFA World Cup for the first time in 52 years. They began their Group C campaign with a 1-0 defeat against Scotland but showed resilience against Steve Clarke's side. Brazil, meanwhile, opened with a hard-fought draw against Morocco and will be seeking their first win of the tournament.

Friday's match in Philadelphia marks the first competitive meeting between the sides since Marcelin's historic goal. For Haiti, it is an opportunity to build on their performance against Scotland and perhaps create another moment of history.