By Angu Lesley Ngwa Akonwi
Football Writer,kick442.com-Cameroon
Sébastien Migné’s journey from assistant coach of the Indomitable Lions to architect of Haiti’s historic World Cup return reads like a script only football could write. Once seated on Cameroon’s bench at the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar, the Frenchman has now masterminded one of the most improbable qualifications of the 2026 edition — guiding an exiled Haiti back to the global stage for the first time in 52 years.
When Migné accepted the Haiti job 18 months ago, he stepped directly into chaos. Armed gangs had seized most of Port-au-Prince, displacing more than a million people and forcing the national team into permanent exile. Haiti could not host matches, could not train at home, and could not guarantee basic safety for its footballers. Every “home” fixture had to be played in Curaçao, and every update on local players came through videos, phone calls, and federation reports.
Yet, from thousands of kilometres away, Migné built a team with identity, discipline, and belief.
Under his guidance, the Grenadiers put together a remarkable run: 21 matches, 13 victories, four draws, and four defeats — a record that carried them all the way to the 2026 FIFA World Cup. But the raw numbers barely capture the magnitude of the achievement. This was not just a qualification; it was a defiant message from a nation battered by crisis and held together, in part, by football.
Migné’s experience in Cameroon proved invaluable. As assistant to Rigobert Song during the Indomitable Lions’ path to the 2022 World Cup, he learned the rhythms, pressures, and tactical demands of football’s biggest stage. Working with some of Africa’s finest talents shaped his attention to detail and sharpened his preparation methods — qualities that became the foundation of Haiti’s transformation.
Players and federation officials often praised Migné’s ability to connect despite the distance. His communication was constant, his tactical instructions clear, and his trust in his squad unwavering. In Curaçao, far from the noise and suffering back home, Haiti found a temporary sanctuary where Migné’s football ideas could grow.
Their qualification is more than a sporting success. It is a story of resilience, organisation, and a coach who refused to let geography dictate possibility. Haiti, a nation living through one of the darkest chapters in its history, now has a reason to dream again.
For Migné, the achievement cements him as one of football’s unlikely heroes — a man who moved from Cameroon’s World Cup bench to becoming the history maker of Haiti’s greatest modern sporting moment.
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