For two days in 2004, the violence stopped in Haiti. The arrival of Brazil for an exhibition match brought Port-au-Prince to a standstill, with thousands waving Brazilian flags and climbing trees for a glimpse of Ronaldo and Ronaldinho. Haiti lost 6-0, but for a nation wracked by gang warfare, it was a glimpse of peace. As Haitian journalist Pierre Richard Midy recalled, there was "an atmosphere of peace" and gangs seemed "ready to turn the page and cease fire for two days."
Now, 22 years later, Haitians are preparing for another rare moment: their first men's World Cup appearance in 52 years. They face Scotland in Massachusetts this week. The match is about more than football in a country so dangerous that the national team have not played at home for five years. Their coach has never set foot on the island, and most of the squad were born abroad. One domestic-based player, Woodensky Pierre, knows the realities.
“Haiti face Scotland in their first men's World Cup in 52 years, bringing hope to a gang-plagued nation.”
All-time top scorer Duckens Nazon said: "When we put the shirt on, it's more than a normal game. We are the first independent black nation in the world. We have a lot of history. We have to assume this role."
Scotland, meanwhile, are making their own return — their first World Cup match in 28 years — and the Tartan Army has already kicked off celebrations in Boston. For Haiti, the group also includes Brazil and Morocco. Streets in Haiti have been cleaned and flags hung with pride, but with chronic electricity shortages and US travel bans imposed by President Donald Trump's administration, getting to the games is near impossible for most fans.
But football, once again, is about hope, not scorelines.