LOS ANGELES, May 18 (Reuters) – As Haiti’s top goalscorer, Duckens Nazon, settled into his seat on a plane at Tehran airport, ready to take off, a message from a friend in Israel illuminated his phone.
“The alarm, the war alarm in Israel was just ringing,” his friend mentioned. Nazon, 32, reflected, “I thought, wow, I’m so fortunate to be on the plane, about to depart.”
But just ten seconds later, his fortune changed.
“The cabin chief announced, ‘Everyone must disembark. War has begun. The sky is closed’,” Nazon recounted to Reuters. “And then you switch to survival mode.”
Vaughn Ridley via Getty Images
Nazon, a player for Tehran-based Esteghlal FC, aimed to reach Paris to secure a visa for the World Cup, marking Haiti’s return to the tournament after 52 years.
Instead, he embarked on a hasty road escape through a war-torn region and eventually exited via Azerbaijan.
Faced with immediate danger, Nazon was fueled by adrenaline, his primary worry being to reassure his Moroccan wife and their four children of his safety. They had returned to her homeland, unable to adjust to life in Tehran, a decision he now sees as vital.
“I’m so relieved my family wasn’t with me at that moment,” Nazon, previously with Coventry City, noted. “When you’re alone, you can think and act faster.”
After the plane evacuation, Nazon encountered his teammate Munir El Haddadi, who also had to leave another flight. Eager to depart the country swiftly, he realized the club needed to coordinate transport for multiple players.
They headed back towards Tehran while many others attempted to escape.
“We drove on the highway toward the city, while the opposite road was congested for kilometers,” Nazon recalled. “No one wanted to enter the city due to the bombing.”
During their drive, explosions were visible nearby.
“One strike occurred just 100 meters away,” he described. “Reflecting on it later, it’s quite surreal.”
HAITI MAKE WORLD CUP AFTER 52-YEAR WAIT
With limited communication, Nazon briefly connected via a team security official’s phone.
He used this time to reach out to his family, instructing his wife to book a flight from Azerbaijan and acquiring an eSIM, hoping it would work near the border—a decision he credits with saving his life.
After many hours awaiting transport, he embarked on a lengthy drive to Azerbaijan. “In total, I was on the road for about 20 hours,” he said. “I witnessed some strikes…in the sky.”
At the border, officials initially denied him entry, demanding more documentation. With sporadic connectivity from his Azerbaijan eSIM, he managed to contact the French Embassy and his representatives, eventually securing a way out.
Two days later, he flew to Paris. The ordeal led him to ponder the human toll of conflict. “People lose their lives, their families…for what?” he reflected. “I pray for peace.”
Nazon’s future at the club is uncertain. He still has a year on his Esteghlal contract and expressed willingness to return if stability is restored.
“If the war ends and peace returns, I’ll go back to play football,” he stated.
Currently, his attention is on the World Cup in the United States, Canada, and Mexico. Haiti’s qualification, ending a 52-year wait despite playing all matches abroad due to gang violence, is a milestone Nazon finds hard to fully grasp.
“I can’t quite find the words to describe it,” he admitted. “I think the reality will hit when I’m on the pitch for a World Cup game.”
“IT GIVES ME GOOSEBUMPS”
Facing teams like Brazil, Morocco, and Scotland, Haiti’s challenge is significant, but Nazon remains unfazed. “We fear no one,” he emphasized. “We come humble but proud, as Haitians.”
His pride stems from his upbringing in Poissy, a working-class area outside Paris, described as “kind of like a ghetto,” and his Haitian heritage, with both parents born there. His idol, Brazil striker Ronaldo, shares his number nine position. As Haiti’s record scorer with 44 goals in 80 matches, Nazon is pursuing one more aspiration.
“I want to score in the World Cup,” he said. “It doesn’t matter against whom.”
When asked about bringing pride to Haitians, who have faced political turmoil and hardship, he paused. “It gives me goosebumps,” he said. “The feeling is indescribable.”
