Haiti’s Louicius Don Deedson dribbles the ball during a CONCACAF Gold Cup soccer match against the United States, Sunday, June 22, 2025, in Arlington, Texas.
Jessica Tobias/AP
FRISCO — When Louicius Don Deedson scored the goal that sent Haiti to its first World Cup in 52 years, the country erupted.
In living rooms without electricity, in crowded bars, in streets lit only by cell phones, Haitians celebrated a moment many believed they would never see again.
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“It had been a very long time since I saw people in Haiti that happy,” the FC Dallas winger said. “That night was special.”
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Haiti’s road to the World Cup has been unlike any other. Political instability meant the national team couldn’t play a match at home. Every home game was on foreign soil — in the Caribbean island of Curaçao, to be exact.
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“We’d go to Costa Rica or Honduras and see 40,000 fans yelling at us,” he explained. “Then we’d play in Curaçao with maybe 400 people. It was very hard.”
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No home crowd. No anthem sung by thousands. No familiar stadium. Just a group of players carrying the weight of a nation that desperately needed something to believe in.
Miracles happen
On Nov. 18, the final day of CONCACAF World Cup qualifiers, Haiti played Nicaragua at Curaçao.
Haiti entered the match as the clear favorite. Nicaragua was already eliminated from World Cup contention after earning four points and sitting at the bottom of Group C.
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Haiti, meanwhile, was level with Honduras at the top of the table with eight points. For Haiti, anything short of a win wasn’t an option.
In the ninth minute, Deedson buried the goal that put Haiti ahead 1-0 — a strike that felt important in the moment but would become monumental for the team’s future.
Haiti finished the job with a 2-0 win. Players fresh off the win had to wait, watch and hope for the result of a game across the Caribbean.
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To reach the 2026 World Cup for the first time since 1974, Haiti needed one more miracle: That night’s Costa Rica–Honduras match had to end in a draw.
For 90 tense minutes, the entire nation held its breath.
When the final whistle blew hundreds of miles away, the scoreline read 0–0.
In that instant, Haiti’s long wait was over. Deedson’s goal wasn’t just the opener of a match, it was the moment that unlocked a nation’s return to the world stage.
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“People said it was impossible,” he said after a practice at Toyota Stadium. “Even people in Haiti didn’t see it happening.”
The miracle on the field was the latest chapter of a journey shaped by sacrifice, distance and an unshakeable belief that soccer could give his country something bigger than sport — hope.
Family support
Deedson’s love for soccer began at a young age. When he was 2-months-old, his father hung a small soccer ball above his crib. At 24-years-old, that simple gift comes up in memory before matches and has become a compass for his life.
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The ball, and the man who placed it there, would guide him from the chaos of post‑earthquake Haiti to the bright lights of the World Cup.
“There were nice moments and some bad moments,” he said.
After the devastating 2010 earthquake, life became more uncertain in Haiti.
The magnitude‑7.0 earthquake claimed hundreds of thousands of lives. Roads, hospitals, government buildings and schools were reduced to rubble.
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In the aftermath, work, food and money grew desperately scarce.
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Many children couldn’t afford school, let alone soccer training. Deedson knew he was one of the lucky ones.
FC Dallas forward Louicius Don Deedson in action against the Seattle Sounders during an MLS soccer match, Saturday, April 25, 2026, in Seattle.
Lindsey Wasson/AP
Deedson’s father, once a coach and later a police officer, made sure his son had opportunities that many others didn’t. His mother worked in police administration. Together, they created a home where Deedson’s dreams could grow.
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“My dad was a big part of everything. He loved soccer. He believed in me since I was a kid,” Deedson said.
To achieve his dream of becoming a professional soccer player, Deedson knew he had to leave Haiti — and his family — no matter how painful.
Leaving his country — as so many Haitians do amid deep social, political and economic instability — became the only path for Deedson to chase his dream.
Early days
At just 12, Deedson traveled to Paris for a youth competition. When he returned, Haiti knew his name.
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A former national team player living in Atlanta saw potential in him and offered him a chance to study and play in the United States.
It meant leaving everything behind.
“The hardest thing was I had to move alone without my parents,” he said.
At 13, he boarded a plane to Atlanta, where a host family welcomed him as their own.
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He didn’t speak a word of English. High school was a daily battle. But soccer was his refuge — his comfort zone, as he calls it. “When I’m on the field, that’s when I feel free.”
Close mentorship
The transition from Haiti to Atlanta wouldn’t have been possible without the help of Bruno Kalonji, a renowned youth coach who became a father figure.
“I was like his friend, his mentor, his father, his brother,” Kalonji said. “He couldn’t see his parents for years. I was there for him.”
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At Kalonji’s academy, Deedson sharpened his skills. In 2019, he won a national championship playing for Kalonji and was named tournament MVP.
His performance earned him something remarkable: a direct contract offer from Danish club Hobro IK. There was no trial, no evaluation period, just a straight path in for a 17‑year‑old.
“That almost never happens,” Kalonji said.
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The transition was brutal. A young Deedson was alone, and the club wasn’t equipped to support him emotionally. Minutes were scarce. Confidence dipped.
“The weather, the food, the culture — everything was different. I felt lonely. I wanted to go back to the U.S.,” Deedson said.
Again, Kalonji became Deedson’s lifeline — from more than 4,600 miles away.
“They expected big things from him, but the support wasn’t there,” Kalonji said, “so I became the person he relied on for that mental stability.”
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After six months, Deedson adapted to his new life in Denmark and broke through.
“That’s when my professional life really started,” he said.
Going pro
From 2019 to 2025, he excelled at two clubs in the Danish league (Hobro IK and Odense Boldklub), totaling 135 appearances and 34 goals.
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Last June, he received a call from FC Dallas — an opportunity he couldn’t pass up.
“I’ll always be grateful. FC Dallas gave me the opportunity to come back to the U.S.,” Deedson said.
FC Dallas forward Petar Musa (9) celebrates his second goal of the game with teammate Louicius Don Deedson (7) during the second half at Toyota Stadium in Frisco, February 21, 2026. The goal was the game-winner as FC Dallas defeated Toronto FC in the season opener, 3-2.
Tom Fox/Staff Photographer
With FCD, Deedson appeared in two matches last season, totaling 21 minutes.
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Not being on the field created enormous pressure, and every time he left the U.S. to play for Haiti, he had to go to court to secure a visa to return.
“They were moments of great frustration, but if anyone could overcome all that, it’s Deedson,” Kalonji said.
FC Dallas coach Eric Quill said Deedson needed time to adjust and understand what was expected of him on the field.
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“It’s not easy to come into a team midseason and connect with people, connect with the style of play, be successful right away,” Quill said.
The coach said he spoke very transparently with Deedson during preseason, making it clear that if he wanted more minutes, he would have to earn them — nothing would be handed to him.
With that feedback, Quill said Deedson was one of the players who showed the most improvement in preseason, hinting at more involvement this season.
Life in North Texas
Despite the difficult start with FC Dallas, Deedson said he’s happy to be in North Texas.
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He loves living in the area, where he’s discovered not only great BBQ but also a Haitian restaurant 20 minutes from his home. He goes often, drawn back by his favorite dish: griot, a marinated, citrus‑infused pork shoulder that’s deep‑fried to perfection.
Living in North Texas also means he’s closer to his parents, who now live in Orlando and work at Disney World.
“Deedson helped his parents get out of Haiti and into the United States. He’s carrying his family on his shoulders and creating tremendous opportunities for them,” Kalonji said.
Upcoming World Cup
For the World Cup, Haiti landed in Group C alongside Brazil, Morocco and Scotland — a gauntlet that would intimidate almost anyone. But don’t bother telling Deedson the odds.
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“We want to do something people don’t expect from us, just like they didn’t expect us to be at the World Cup. That’s all we think about,” he said.
The memory of his historic goal against Nicaragua is sharp. He can see his mother crying with joy, and he still laughs at how his father couldn’t answer the phone — too overwhelmed to speak, too emotional to process what his son had just done.
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Deedson is now a well-known figure in Haiti, but the moment that means the most to him didn’t come from a stadium or a headline. It came from his 6‑year‑old brother.
“He told me, ‘When I grow up, I want to be like you,’” Deedson said, his eyes filling with tears. “For me, that makes every sacrifice our family has made worth it.”