Haiti head coach Sebastien Migne has called on his players to embrace the occasion and dare to dream when they face five-time champions Brazil in their FIFA World Cup 2026 Group C clash on Saturday, insisting his side has “everything to gain” against one of football’s traditional powerhouses.
Making their first World Cup appearance since 1974, Haiti opened their campaign with a narrow 1-0 defeat to Scotland, with John McGinn’s first-half strike proving decisive.
Despite the loss, the Caribbean nation earned praise for a spirited display and nearly snatched a late equaliser when Frantzdy Pierrot headed just wide in the closing stages.
Now, Haiti face an even sterner challenge against Brazil, but Migne believes his players can rise to the occasion and make their country proud.
“We’ll have to run more than we did against Scotland,” Migne told reporters on Thursday, according to Reuters.
“Tomorrow we’ve got everything to gain in a match like this. It’s been 52 years since we last featured in a World Cup, and now we’re up against Brazil – we’ve got to live up to our fans’ expectations. It’s a privilege to be here, and I hope we can make the Haitian people proud of us,” he said.
The Haitian coach said the defeat against Scotland had not altered his team’s ambitions and maintained that his players had already shown they belong on the biggest stage.
“We didn’t beat Scotland, but we showed that we deserve to be here,” he said.
“The objective hasn’t changed… The objective is to try to qualify, to present a good image and to show that we deserve our place in the next round – perhaps as third-placed team,” he added.
Migne acknowledged the magnitude of the challenge awaiting his side but said a victory would be remembered forever in Haiti.
“It would be absolute madness in Haiti if we won this match,” he further added.
“When you’re Haitian, you face more difficult times than easy ones. But when you step into the world of football, you dream of a moment like this – facing Brazil at a World Cup,” Migne concluded.
Brazil, meanwhile, will once again be without veteran forward Neymar, who continues to recover from a calf injury. The Brazilian Football Confederation confirmed that the 34-year-old will remain in New Jersey to continue the final phase of his rehabilitation and will not travel with the squad to Philadelphia.
Neymar has not played since sustaining the injury while representing Santos in May, and reports suggest Brazil are taking a cautious approach in the hope of having the star attacker available for the knockout stages.
Ahead of the tournament, Haiti had also found themselves in the spotlight after being required to modify its World Cup jerseys following concerns raised by FIFA over artwork depicting scenes linked to the nation’s struggle for independence.
Sportswear manufacturer Saeta and the Haitian Football Federation had subsequently altered the design, stating that the original concept was intended to celebrate Haiti’s history, pride and resilience.
With Brazil seeking another step towards the knockout rounds and Haiti chasing what would rank among the greatest upsets in World Cup history, Saturday’s encounter promises to be an emotional occasion for the Caribbean nation.