Young Haitian soccer prodigy heads to Spain to try out for La Liga’s Rayo Vallecano

CAP-HAÏTIEN — Miguel Joseph, Haiti’s under-20 soccer team’s hero from the first round of the World Cup qualifiers, headed to Spain to try out for first division side Rayo Vallecano, the Spanish Embassy in Haiti posted on its social media pages this week.

“Today we say goodbye to Miguel Joseph, a promising young player from the Haitian national team, who is traveling to Spain to participate in a series of matches and trials with the Rayo Vallecano Foundation,” the Spanish Embassy in Haiti wrote on March 27. 

“We wish Joseph the best of luck and hope to see him playing with the big teams in La Liga soon,” the embassy added.

As of the time of this writing, the length of the trial has yet to be announced.

Last month, the 16-year-old defensive midfielder scored a 90-minute free-kick to level the score 1-1 against Curaçao in a decisive U-20 World Cup qualifier, in which Haiti needed a win or a draw to advance to the next and final round. Boosted by the last-minute equalizer, Les Petits Grenadiers scored another goal to win the encounter 2-1 in added-time at Rignaal “Jean” Francisca Stadium in Willemstad, Curaçao on March 4. Still, it was Joseph’s goal that inspired the comeback.

Joseph was one of Haiti’s top players in the first round of the qualifiers as he controlled the tempo and rhythm of the games with his passes in the midfield. Joseph also helped stop Haiti’s opponents’ attacks with his positioning, tackles and interceptions. 

Joseph played in the U-17 World Cup in Qatar last November and helped Haiti qualify for the tournament again as the captain last month. The teenager is currently plying his trade with Mount Pleasant Football Academy in Jamaica.

He was called up to the senior side for its two friendlies in March versus Tunisia and Iceland but traveled to Spain for the trial instead.

Dubbed as “the next generation,” Haiti’s under-20 side overflows with talent and Joseph is the third player who has drawn interest from Spain. Seventeen-year-old winger Franco Celestin went on trial with second division side Real Betis Santander last December. Emerson Laissé, another winger, was also in Spain last December to try out for first division side Real Sociedad. Laissé impressed, winning a tournament’s Most Valuable Player award.

Both wingers are also playing in Jamaica, Laissé for Mount Pleasant while Celestin is wearing the colors of Montego Bay United Football Club. Per FIFA rules regarding minor players, even if the three teenagers pass their trials, they can’t sign a professional contract in Europe until they turn 18. 

A Haitian-born player has yet to play for a Spanish first or second division club. So, if one of the teenagers ends up breaking into one of the Spanish teams they tried with, it would be a first for Haiti.

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