Danley Jean Jacques becomes the first active Union player to play in a World Cup
The midfielder started for Haiti on Saturday night against Scotland in Foxborough, Mass., in what was also Haiti’s first men’s World Cup game since 1974 and Scotland’s first since 1998.
Halfway through the Union’s 17th season, midfielder Danley Jean Jacques became the first active player from the club to play in a World Cup.
Jean Jacques started for Haiti on Saturday night against Scotland in Foxborough, Mass., in what was also Haiti’s first men’s World Cup game since 1974 and Scotland’s first since 1998.
The 26-year-old from the small coastal town of Petit-Goâve is in his third season with the Union. He has been a regular with Les Grenadiers since 2023, earning his 31st cap for the country in this game.
Jean Jacques is the third active Union player to be on a World Cup team. The first was right back Olivier Mbaizo, who made Cameroon’s squad four years ago but did not play.
In 2014, centerback Carlos Valdés played in the tournament while on a series of loans away from the Union. While he returned to Chester later, the loan meant he didn’t qualify for this piece of history.
This year, centerback Olwethu Makhanya made South Africa’s team. He could have beaten Jean Jacques to the history books since South Africa played co-host Mexico in the tournament’s opening game.
» READ MORE: A history of Philadelphia and the Union at the World Cup
Alas, Makhanya was on the bench, though that wasn’t too surprising. He had never played for Bafana Bafana’s senior team before the tournament, and hadn’t come close until finally earning a training camp invitation from manager Hugo Broos this past March.
The odds of Makhanya playing in South Africa’s next game, Thursday in Atlanta vs. Czechia (noon, Fox29, Telemundo62), might have gone up when two of his teammates were sent off in the 2-0 loss at Mexico City’s fabled Estadio Azteca. Then again, neither of those players was a centerback.
Haiti’s next game will be a homecoming for Jean Jacques, as the team plays mighty Brazil in Philadelphia on Friday (8:30 p.m., Fox29, Telemundo 62). One of his teammates, Penn alum Duke Lacroix — a native of New Egypt, N.J., in Ocean County — will also return to town, and will get to train on his old college field on the eve of the game.
Lacroix was on the bench against Scotland.
» READ MORE: Duke Lacroix’s soccer career has taken him from Penn to Haiti’s World Cup team
Haiti’s group finale is June 24 against Morocco in Atlanta. Morocco and Brazil tied, 1-1, earlier Saturday in East Rutherford, N.J., with spectacular goals by Ismael Saibari and Vinícius Junior.
South Africa’s group finale is June 24 against South Korea in Monterrey, Mexico.
Nine nations will compete in five group stage matches this summer, plus two more in a knockout game on July 4. Here’s what you need to know about those countries — and what those fans need to know about Philly. Click here for more.
