English Premier League Star Isidor commits to Haiti after fan push ahead of World Cup

CAP-HAÏTIEN — After responding to long-standing calls from supporters urging him to join Les Grenadiers, English Premier League striker Wilson Isidor— a French native born to Haitian and Malagasy parents— has chosen to represent Haiti. He confirmed his decision on social media as the national team prepares for the 2026 World Cup.

In a message addressed to fans and the Haitian community, Isidor explained that he had taken time to carefully consider the decision before committing to the Haitian national team.

“I’m proud to be on the team now and to be able to lift up our people. Our nation,” Isidor posted on Instagram March 17. “I can’t wait to discover the fervor of the diaspora and to meet you guys.”

The 25-year-old forward, who made fans wait, is called up for the first time for friendlies against Tunisia and Iceland later this month. He is a key addition to the Haitian team, already qualified for the World Cup. Isidor joins Haiti just three months before the competition, adding more vigor to a team that’s on the rise.

His decision follows months of public support from Haitian fans, especially on social media, after the team qualified for the global event, urging him to join Les Grenadiers as the team built momentum during its qualifying run. 

In a short clip, posted on Facebook by the Federation Haïtienne de Football (FHF), he said of his decision to join Les Grenadiers: 

“You asked for me. 
You believe in me.  
You waited for me.
Today, I come to tell you: here, I am.”

The call-up of the 6’1″ forward currently playing for the English Premier League team Sunderland AFC marks a historic moment for Haitian soccer. The team desperately needs a reliable goalscorer. Les Grenadiers has probably never had a striker of Isidor’s talent. He is young, fast and powerful, with excellent ball control, dribbling skills and a knack for scoring. Despite a recent drop in form, he remains one of the league’s most dangerous forwards early this season, netting four goals so far.

Now, he joins a growing group of Europe-based players helping reshape Haiti’s squad, including 27-year-old midfielder Jean-Ricner Bellegarde, who also plays in the English Premier League with Wolverhampton, and 24-year-old winger Josué Casimir of French Ligue 1’s AJ Auxerre — both of whom played key roles in securing Haiti’s spot in the World Cup. Bellegarde and Casimir, who were also born in France, had already made significant contributions to Haiti securing its World Cup spot between August and November 2025. With this trio, Haiti now has its most talented team on paper ever.

Born in Rennes, France, Isidor previously represented France at the youth level, from U-17 to U-20, and was once considered a potential option for the French national team.

He started his professional career in 2017 with Monaco before finding his footing with Russian club Lokomotiv Moscow in 2022, where he scored consecutively in his first six matches. After a period affected by injuries, he regained momentum with his transfer to Sunderland in 2025. He scored a late game-winning header against Brentford on August 30 and added another winner against Chelsea on October 25. 

Head coach and Frenchman Sebastien Migné named 25 players for the two warm-up matches, with all but one—midfielder Woodensky Pierre of Violette Athletic Club—from Haiti’s league. The other 24 are mainly diaspora players from European and North American leagues. 

Aside from Pierre, who earned his first senior team call-up, Migné also selected Delentz Pierre of USL Championship club FC Tulsa for the first time. Both are former Haiti U-20 players.

Les Grenadiers will face Tunisia on March 28 and Iceland on March 31 at BMO Field in Toronto, Canada, as part of their preparations for the World Cup. In the upcoming summer global showcase, they are placed in Group C with Brazil, Morocco and Scotland. 

“Together, we have the chance to make history and live big adventures,” Isidor said.

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