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MIAMI —- On Saturday, Feb. 22, 2025, as Inter Miami CF took on New York City FC to open its 2025 Major League Soccer (MLS) season at Chase Stadium in Fort Lauderdale, it was a debut and homecoming for Haitian star-winger Fabrice Jean-Lan “Fafà” Picault. Saturday was his first home game for the club in front of the eager Haitian-heavy South Florida fans. Unfortunately, 16 minutes into the game a hamstring injury cut the party short, with thousands of fans in attendance, including Tennis star Serena Williams.
The International Haitian soccer sensation Fafà joined the MLS after signing as a free agent in December with fans and Picault himself hoping for a better script in his debut. He was in the starting lineup with global Argentine star Lionel Andrès Messi and many others, including Sergio Busquets, Jordi Alba and Luis Suarez— Messi’s former teammates at Spanish club giant FC Barcelona.
Inter Miami CF’s fans began celebrating early as their star-studded side quickly passed the ball around in succession. The Herons were rewarded with a breakthrough goal within five minutes of action. After receiving a line-splitting ball from Alba to break into the opponent’s box, Messi set up Tomás Avilés in front of the goal, who scored with a first-time shot from close range for Inter Miami CF to lead New York FC 1-0.
Unfortunately, this celebration would be short-lived when Fafà went down in the 16th minute of the game. He would leave the field in disappointment, knowing he could not continue.
During a transition play, Fafà appeared stretched across the ground, lying on his back with his head and eyes fixed on the dark blue sky in pain, unable to get up. The game came to a halt as fans turned their laughter and cheering into worry and silence. Trainers rushed to the intersection between the halfway line and the sideline opposite the press box and coaching sidelines.
Fafà would not be able to return to the game and instead had to be hoisted up by trainers who stood on opposite sides of him to maintain his balance off the field. Fafà was carted off into the locker room for a non-contact injury. The extent of the injury or how long the Haitian star will be sidelined for is unknown.
“We don’t have an update, but Mascherano, the head coach, said we will assess the situation, and when we have an update, we will provide it,” Michael Cabrera, the director of communications for Inter Miami CF, told The Haitian Times after the game.
After the injury to Picault, Inter Miami CF’s Head Coach Javier Mascherano was forced to make a premature change, entering winger Robert Taylor. In the 23rd minute, it got worse for the South Florida club when goal scorer and defender Avilés was sent off for a bad foul on a New York City FC forward during a fast-break counterattack. Inter Miami had to carry on the remainder of the match, playing one man down.
“We don’t have an update, but Mascherano, the head coach, said we will assess the situation, and when we have an update, we will provide it.”
Michael Cabrera, Director of Communications for Inter Miami CF.
With the game ending in a 2-2 tie, the overall performance of Fafà’s teammates was best described by the Inter Miami CF head coach in his post-match press conference at the Chase Stadium.
“They scored and tied the game against us; we couldn’t even adapt the team to, at the very least, achieve a result in our favor,” said Mascherano during the post-game press conference.
“And then, beyond that, what I want to emphasize is the players’ heart,” he said in Spanish through an English translator.
Looking ahead, the team will undergo recovery while Fafà completes an assessment on Sunday, Feb. 23, to determine the extent of his injury. At the moment, there is no update on when he will return.
Inter Miami CF’s next game is on Tuesday, Feb. 25, against Sporting KC for the return leg of the Concacaf Champions Cup. The game can be viewed for free on Fox Sports Streaming or through a subscription on ViX.
Going into the game, New York City FC had announced the transfer of Santiago Rodríguez, a 25-year-old Uruguayan midfielder, from Brazilian top-flight side Botafogo. The announcement was made less than an hour before kick-off on Major League Soccer’s page. This marks the second-highest transfer fee in the club’s history. The team now has an open designated player spot after this trade.
“We accomplished something great together as a team with all of you as well,” says Rodríguez in an emotional video transcribed from Spanish using English subtitles posted on X (formerly Twitter).
After the game, no post-game press conference was held by New York City FC coaches, players, or staff.
Next up, New York City FC plays Los Angeles FC (LAFC) at BMO Stadium starting at 10:30 p.m/PT or 1:00 AM/EST on Apple TV MLS Season Pass.
The post Haitian soccer star Fafà Picault exits Inter Miami CF debut early due to injury appeared first on The Haitian Times.
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