With the World Cup’s afterglow still on him, Danley Jean Jacques resumes his key role for the Union
Jean Jacques was quietly effective, as he often is, in the Union's back-to-back wins over New York and Seattle. He also remains thankful for the all-time high of playing at the World Cup for Haiti.
When Danley Jean Jacques stepped back on to the field in a Union game on Wednesday, it had been just under a month since his first trip to a World Cup with Haiti ended.
But for as much as happened after that — 52 of the tournament’s 104 games, plus Major League Soccer’s return to action — the afterglow hadn’t fully faded yet. Nor does it need to for the first active Union player to play in a World Cup.
Jean Jacques will have that title forever. And at least until 2030, he’ll be the only active Union player to have played in a game on the world’s game’s biggest stage.
“I take great pleasure from representing my country in a World Cup,” he said. “We know how much glory there is in a World Cup. It’s great to have played in one.”
Jean Jacques also gets lifetime membership in one of the sport’s world’s most famous clubs: people who’ve played in a World Cup. Whether just one game, his three, or Lionel Messi’s record 34, all can say they’ve had the honor.
The memories will last a long time, not just for him but the nation’s fans. After Haiti was unable to play a home World Cup qualifier because of domestic unrest, the diaspora showed up to Philadelphia, Boston, and Atlanta in big numbers: a sea of blue that came through loud and clear to fans worldwide.
» READ MORE: Danley Jean Jacques becomes the first active Union player to play in a World Cup
“It’s been a long time since we played in front of our home crowd,” Jean Jacques said of a drought that has endured for over five years. “During the World Cup, we had the good luck to play in front of our fans. It feels great to see Haitians cheering on their team, because I know they are thirsty for it. They need that, to see the team play in front of them. It really feels good.”
They also got to see Les Grenadiers put in a fighting effort. Though the team lost all three games, there were two goals to savor in the finale against Morocco, including a contender for goal of the tournament from Wilson Isidor.
And there was the chance to play against Brazil, not just a soccer superpower but a team that has a proud soccer history with Haiti specifically — with the cherry on top for Jean Jacques of it being in Philadelphia. Though Haiti lost the game 3-0, he got to tussle with stars including Vinícius Júnior, at one point leaving the Real Madrid winger down on the deck after a challenge.
“I say thanks to the fans who came out to support me and my country,” Jean Jacques said. “It was a pleasure to play in a stadium that was full like that, and the fans were fully behind us. They give their all, and we give our all for them, too.”
» READ MORE: For Haiti, a lopsided World Cup loss to Brazil didn’t matter much. Just being here meant everything. | Mike Sielski
He lamented that “unfortunately, the result of the game didn’t go our way, but on the field, we made sure to give our absolute best, and I want to thank the fans for spurring us on.”
He also offered a hope that “the best is yet to come,” for Haiti and himself. That might be a tough ask in a Union context this season, with the team facing a big deficit in the standings. But MLS is eternally forgiving, with nine teams from each conference making the playoffs.
“My teammates gave me a warm welcome back,” Jean Jacques said. “Honestly, it feels good to be back here and to start back up with the club again. … My goal for the rest of the season is to stay focused, give the maximum for the team, help the team win, and try to climb the standings too.”
Saturday’s 1-0 win over the Seattle Sounders marked just the halfway point of the regular season in terms of games played. It also marked a second straight win for the Union for the first time this year, raising their record to 3-10-4 (13 points).
» READ MORE: Amid Kai Wagner and Quinn Sullivan’s returns, Neil Pierre stole the show in the Union’s win over Red Bull New York
Jean Jacques was quietly effective, as he often is. In 80 minutes, he registered two tackles, two clearances, three defensive recoveries, four duels won from eight contested, and 28-of-32 passing including five passes into the attacking third.
Three days earlier, he was more active in the 3-1 win over Red Bull New York: 12 defensive recoveries, five interceptions, two tackles, four duels won from six contested, and 25-of-32 passing including nine passes into the final third.
“When he’s at his best, to me he’s one of the best midfielders in the league,” interim manager Ryan Richter said Saturday night. “We’re getting, from what I see in the first two games [of his tenure], a really good version of him.”
He asked Jean Jacques to “keep working the way you are, keep being a positive influence with your teammates. If this team’s going to be good, Danley has to be one of the best players, and he has been in these first two games.”
» READ MORE: Neil Pierre earns first start as Union top Seattle Sounders to win second straight game
As a little extra psychological boost, the Union now aren’t the worst team in MLS anymore. Atlanta United, coincidentally the team that will come to Chester next Saturday (7:30 p.m.), took over that mantle with a 4-1 blowout loss at New England.
Jean Jacques promised the team is “going to do everything we can to make the playoffs,” and said spirits are high despite the scale of the task.
“It’s good for the team, good for the mindset and morale,” he said. “It had been a long time since we won, but now we’ve got that winning feeling back. So we need to keep that going for the rest of the season.”
