England face Haiti in first game of Women’s World Cup and opponents have 5ft 4in goalkeeper Kerly Theus – who has to jump a metre just to reach the crossbar!
Haiti goalkeeper Kerly Theus stands at only 5ft 4in and has to jump almost THREE FOOT just to reach the crossbar
- Kerly Theus was a reluctant goalkeeper and did not want to play the position
- She stands at just 5ft 4in and will play against England Women on Saturday
- Haiti are the opponents and the country does not have any professional clubs
World Cup debutants Haiti will be England’s first opponents in Australia.
Only Zambia, Morocco and South Africa are ranked lower than the Carribean side, who are 49 places below the Lionesses in the FIFA standings (53).
A young but ambitious team, Haiti sealed their place at the tournament with a shock play-off victory over an experienced Chile side in February.
Haiti’s goalkeeper Kerly Theus is just 5ft 4in tall and will have to jump nearly three feet – or one metre – high just to reach the crossbar.
Theus did not want to be a goalkeeper when she was growing up but is now aiming to inspire young girls in Haiti to take up both football and goalkeeping.
Haiti’s goalkeeper Kerly Theus is just 5ft 4in tall and faces England in the first game of the Women’s World Cup this Saturday
Theus can struggle when leaping to compete aerially against much taller players
‘I didn’t want to play in goal but I learned the mechanics – how to hold the ball, knowing when to dive, how to dive, things like that,’ Theus said in an interview with the BBC.
‘We want the world to know about Haiti and the talent we have.’
Haiti has no professional clubs, with the majority of the 23-player squad playing their football abroad.
The national team’s training centre was previously based in Croix-des-Bouquets, in the east of the capital Port-au-Prince.
But a surge in gang violence means the area is no longer safe and the team has been forced to play home games in neighbouring Domincan Republic.
Most of the squad live in France or America. The national team does not have any sponsors or any proper funding other than what is provided by FIFA, while some of their training equipment has been donated by supporters.
Theus has to jump a metre in the air to touch the crossbar and was a reluctant keeper at first
All you need to know about England’s first opponents
World Cup debutants Haiti will be England’s first opponents in Australia.
Only Zambia, Morocco and South Africa are ranked lower than the Caribbean side, who are 49 places below the Lionesses in the FIFA standings, at 53.
A young but ambitious team, Haiti sealed their place at the tournament with a shock play-off victory over an experienced Chile side in February.
Does Haiti have a professional league?
No. Only amateur clubs have existed in Haiti, with the majority of the 23-player squad playing their football abroad. The national team’s training centre was previously based in Croix-des-Bouquets, eight miles to the north-east of Haiti’s capital, Port-au-Prince.
But a surge in gang violence means the area is no longer safe and the team has been forced to play home games in neighbouring Dominican Republic. The national team does not have any sponsors or any proper funding other than what is provided by FIFA.
Who is their star player?
Undeniably, it is Melchie Dumornay.
Nicknamed ‘Corventina’, Dumornay was spotted at the Under 20 World Cup five years ago when she had not yet turned 15. Her talent earned her a move to French side Reims in 2021 and her impressive form saw her sign with champions Lyon this summer. The midfielder scored both goals in the play-off victory over Chile. Still just 19, Durmonay is a quick, strong and skilful midfielder who is capable of using both feet.
Melchie Dumornay is the star of the show for Haiti and plays her club football for Lyon
Interesting fact
Danielle Etienne played in Haiti’s World Cup qualification campaign less than three months after giving birth. The American-born midfielder is the sister of Derrick Etienne Jnr, who plays for MLS outfit Atlanta United and has played 39 times for the Haiti men’s team.
What are their chances?
It will be incredibly tough for Haiti to progress from Group D, which includes Denmark (ranked 13th) and China (14th) as well as England (4th). Manager Nicolas Delepine believes it is the toughest group in the tournament but said his team would ‘give it their best shot’. Haiti will look to Dumornay to conjure some magic.
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