When you think of players heading to the World Cup, you probably picture stars from Europe's top leagues. But sometimes, the most inspiring stories come from the most unexpected places. Meet Josué Duverger, a 26-year-old goalkeeper who plays for FC Cosmos Koblenz in Germany's fifth-tier Oberliga Rheinland—and he's just been named to Haiti's 26-man World Cup squad.
Duverger will serve as one of the understudies for captain Johny Placide, who plays for Bastia in France's Ligue 3. It's a remarkable rise for a shot-stopper who was born in Canada, spent time in Portuguese football, and joined the amateur German club in 2024. Cosmos Koblenz were recently fighting relegation, but four straight wins have lifted them to ninth place in their regional division.
Duverger has already tasted international action, featuring in Haiti's thrilling 3-3 draw against Costa Rica during their successful World Cup qualifying campaign. He also has a moment he'd rather forget: during qualifiers for the 2022 Qatar World Cup, he scored one of the most unfortunate own-goals you'll ever see against his birth country, Canada, after two desperate miskicks trying to clear a back pass.
Haiti is making their first World Cup appearance since their debut in 1974—fittingly, in West Germany. The squad is boosted by the commitment of Sunderland forward Wilson Isidor. Their group stage opponents? Brazil, Morocco, and Scotland—a trio that also shared a group back in the 1998 World Cup.
From a fifth-tier German club to the biggest stage in football, Duverger's journey is proof that dreams don't care about league standings. Here's the full Haiti squad:
Goalkeepers: Johny Placide (SC Bastia), Alexandre Pierre (FC Sochaux), Josué Duverger (FC Cosmos Koblenz)
Defenders: Carlens Arcus (Angers SCO), Wilguens Paugain (SV Zulte Waregem), Duke Lacroix (Colorado Springs), Martin Experience (AS Nancy-Lorraine), Jean-Kevin Duverne (KAA Gent), Ricardo Adé (LDU Quito), Hannes Delcroix (FC Lugano), Keeto Thermoncy (BSC Young Boys II)
Midfielders: Leverton Pierre (FC Vizela), Carl-Fred Sainthe (El Paso Locomotive FC), Jean-Jacques Danley (Philadelphia Union), Jeanricner Bellegarde (Wolverhampton), Pierre Woodenski (Violette AC), Dominique Simon (FC Tatran Prešov)
Forwards: Louicius Deedson (FC Dallas), Ruben Providence (Almere City FC), Josué Casimir (AJ Auxerre), Derrick Etienne (Toronto FC), Wilson Isidor (Sunderland AFC), Duckens Nazon (Esteghlal FC), Frantzdy Pierrot (Çaykur Rizespor), Yassi