Article by Remus Dinu – Published Saturday, June 13, 2026, 5:15 p.m. / Updated Saturday, June 13, 2026, 5:15 p.m.
Haitian Mikael Cantave, 29 years old, ex-Chindia Târgoviște, presents with luxurious detail the particularities of one of the exotic presences on the WC 2026 tableau. The midfielder with a Haitian father and a French mother, born in Canada, until recently represented the national team of Haiti and speaks with emotion, for the readers of Gazeta Sporturilor, about his country's historic participation in World Championshipthe first since the 1974 adventure.
- Divided into Group C, Haiti debuts at WC 2026 on Sunday morning, from 04:00, in the company of Scotland. Brazil and Morocco complete the group.
- GSP launched the “World Soccer, Super League Hearts” project, a set of articles that brings forward foreign players who have played in the Super League, talking with emotion and passion about each motherland.
- The other episodes can be read here.
For Haiti, a country ravaged by criminal gangs that have taken over the capital Port-au-Prince, the return to world football's biggest stage is a defining moment, with a significance that transcends the boundaries of sport.
As far as Miki Cantave is concerned, the qualification has an additional connotation. The 29-year-old midfielder, now registered with Makedonikos in the second league in Greece, he constantly evolved in the national team until 2025 and is aware of all the ins and outs of the national team.
Cantave's story also explains, in a way, his national identity. Educated in Canada, raised in a multicultural space, he describes how the current generation of Haiti was built.
In dialogue with GSP.ro, Miki Cantave talks about the mental strength of a national team formed in the “diaspora”, about the impact that the team's performance has in a country tried by instability, about the leaders who marked his path in the national team shirt, also recalling the time he spent in Romanian football, in Chindia.
“One thing Haitians have? We are fighters!”
“For me, it is the greatest satisfaction of my career. The love that the Haitian people have for soccer is unique.
I think one thing that Haitians have is that we are fighters, we keep going no matter what. Football and life will always have ups and downs. Any footballer knows that it is impossible to have a career without difficulties or challenges, so the ability to always get back up after being knocked down comes from that quality that Haitians possess.
As mentioned earlier, we know how much impact sports and team performance have on the country and its people. The commitment to contribute to the improvement of the situation in the country is strong. To be able to bring joy to an entire nation is priceless”, said Miki Cantave, in the interview given to Gazeta Sporturilor.
The joy of the Haitian national team after qualifying for the World Cup / photo source: Facebook FHF – Fédération Haïtienne De Football
I have played in many countries, cities and leagues, but nothing compares to playing for the national team. The sense of pride and responsibility is even greater when you represent a nation.
I think there are a few things that make us unique. No matter who we play, we always have the mentality that we can beat them. I think it's a mentality that Haitians have inherited from our history and heritage. We all have Haitian blood; however, not all of us were born and/or raised in Haiti.
Some players were born in France, USA, Canada or other parts of the world. This combination of cultures is also an asset. Although we speak different languages and grew up in different parts of the world, we are all connected through Haitian culture and consider ourselves family.”
Asked about his first steps in football, Cantave brings up one of his regrets:
“My first memories of soccer are from my childhood club in Canada. Unlike many other countries, Canadian kids don't play in the streets much because of the weather and the culture. It's definitely something I wish I could have experienced as a kid.”
Mikael Cantave, left, in a duel with Argentinian Giovani Lo Celso / Photo source: Guliver/Getty Images
“The future of the national team is in good hands!”
The midfielder speaks with carefully measured respect about the teammates who helped him develop in the national team shirt:
“I think every player, from the oldest to the youngest, brings something special to the team. I have been there for a few years and I can tell that the future of the national team is in good hands when I see the young players coming up.
I also believe that veterans and team captains are true leaders and examples. When I was starting out, players like Duckens Nazon, Johnny Placide and others helped me a lot. Being around them and seeing how they behaved helped me learn and improve a lot.
There are also players like Ricardo Ade, who I think is a genuine example of a true leader.
When you see what he has achieved at both club and international level, it speaks for itself. They all had a big impact on my career with the national team. I also think about Fafa Picault, who is my closest friend in the national team, my roommate and someone who plays in the same position. He helps me a lot both on and off the field.”
The national team of Haiti celebrating the victory against Nicaragua
“I didn't know much about Romania”
Cantave has 9 matches in the first league of Romania, all for Chindia, in the 21/22 edition. The season spent in Romania came with difficulties, but also with important lessons, he says.
“Romania was a special experience for me. I didn't know much about the country or the football there. My period was difficult due to several injuries, including a fractured fifth metatarsal, which kept me off the field for quite some time.
It was an experience that taught me a lot and forced me to become stronger mentally, because in the end it was a very difficult environment. Even though it didn't go the way I expected, I'm grateful for that year and I think I've become a better player because of it,” the former Chindia midfielder confessed.
21 matchesand Miki Cantave has 4 goals for the national team of Haiti, where he debuted in 2018
They want to scare the favorites: “We can surprise anyone”
Haiti, a national team valued at only 55 million euros, is credited with the last six in the group that also includes Brazil, Morocco and Scotland. However, Miki Cantave rejects the outsider status:
“I don't think we have any weaknesses. Many may consider us the outsiders of the group; however, we believe in ourselves, our talent and our staff. We believe we can surprise and compete with anyone.
We have already made history by becoming the first nation to qualify for a World Cup without playing a single match at home. I think this achievement speaks for itself.”
“Talking about strengths again, sometimes being an outsider in a competition is actually an advantage. I really think we have an extremely talented team,” he added.
For him, however, the feeling of national pride is simply summed up:
I feel pride and motivation pride because representing a country like Haiti is a unique feeling.
– Mikael Cantave
4 Haitianshave played over time in the Romanian championship: Mikael Cantave, Jean Sony Alcenat, Bryan Alceus and Sony Mustivar
👉🏻 Haiti won the group from the preliminaries that also included Honduras, Costa Rica and Nicaragua. It will be the second appearance at a World Championship for the Central American country. The Haitians also participated in 1974, when they finished last in a group that included Argentina, Italy and Poland.
Haiti's World Cup Group C schedule:
- June 14, Haiti – Scotland, 04:00 (Romanian time)
- June 20, Brazil – Haiti, 04:00 (Romanian time)
- June 25, Morocco – Haiti, 01:00 (Romanian time)
