On June 2, the Haitian Studies Institute at Brooklyn College helped spread the FIFA World Cup fever that is taking over the Haitian community when it welcomed two legends of the country’s soccer history: Fritz André, who played for the historic 1974 World Cup team, and Gerald “Geto” Jean, who was part of the wider Haitian player pool for the squad that was the first and only Haitian national team to qualify for the world’s biggest soccer tournament until now.
(Left to right) Gerald “Geto” Jean, Marie Lily Cerat, and Fritz André.
During a special visit to the institute’s archives, located on campus just steps from Brooklyn’s vibrant Little Haiti community, the former players shared unforgettable stories from their playing days and reflected on the pride of representing Haiti on soccer’s grandest stage. As anticipation builds for Haiti’s June 19 matchup against Brazil, they also spoke about the passion and excitement surrounding today’s national team and what the moment means for Haitian fans around the world.
The visit spotlighted the institute’s growing collection of Haitian soccer archival material, an effort led by Director Marie Lily Cerat, Archivist Obden Mondesir, and Special Projects Coordinator Jaïra Placide, who are working to preserve and expand this important piece of Haitian sports history. It was also made possible through a collaboration with Little Haiti BK and Sak Pase Nation.
