Port-au-Prince

“MACHE SOU YO!”

By Where Is Football

One day...

...in late January, as we journey through the community that gave birth to highly-talented Haitian youth footballer Paul Fritz, the inconceivable challenges of daily life are a consistent theme in conversation.

Jalousie, a Port-au-Prince slum named to describe its inhabitants’ longing to rise to the wealthier mountaintop just above them, is a world of harsh, contrasting realities.

While brightly-colored houses dot the hillside and, from afar, exude a sense of carefree living, the truth is that, for most, life here is difficult. Extremely difficult. A coalition of natural disasters, internal corruption, and a long history of exploitative foreign powers meddling in Haitian affairs has dealt a burdensome hand.

In one instance, the father of one of Paul’s teammates at FC Toro, a local youth club, offers an apology with his welcoming handshake: “Mwen ront resevwa nou lakay mwen nan kondisyon sa, kay la pa prezantab.” He is ashamed to receive us here, in such a humble abode.

It is in this moment that the stark contrasts of Port-au-Prince cut deepest.

Retaining an immense dignity, the father’s face often contradicts the words coming out of his mouth, as embarrassment at circumstances beyond his control is superseded by a slight smile at the congratulatory mention of his son’s footballing prowess. The game has not always evoked such a response, previously tagged as devoid of purpose in the quest to move beyond one’s limiting circumstances.

In this household, and throughout Port-au-Prince, however, perceptions about the game are shifting as new pathways are being created for young footballers, on and off the pitch, through the work of groups like FC Toro.

Paul has training today; but, first, we join him on a trip through his footballing past.

It’s matchday here in Jalousie. Pak Spotif La Montagne, a picturesque football ground overlooking Port-au-Prince, is hosting a game between two local primary schools. This is where Paul honed his skills, but today, he’s a spectator with us, here to watch Institution Mixte Garner Nume contre Institution Mixte Du Savoi in the midday sun.

Fans too young to remember the 1974 World Cup appearance of Les Grenadiers, the Haitian national team, provide an electric atmosphere and are treated to quite the game. First, a red card. An unbelievable strike follows. At the end of it all, a penalty shootout to settle an epic encounter.

Throughout the match, Paul is a picture of joyful reflection. A left winger by trade, he models himself on Brazil’s Neymar, and he possesses an almost telepathic connection with each player as they craft solutions to the problems their opponents throw at them. A feint here, a defense splitting pass there—the same daring creativity Paul deployed at the beginning of his footballing journey, in this very place.

In a budding career that has so far taken him to America and Europe to showcase his abilities, all those hours practicing here in Jalousie flash before him.

The final whistle sounds, and it’s time to make our way to FC Toro for training.

“Mache Sou Yo!”

The club’s rallying cry, which literally means “walk all over them.” It is an apt, if aggressive-sounding, phrase for a club that expects not only competitive excellence on the field, but also an adamant commitment to uniting the local community off of it, smashing barriers through football.

For the last seven years, FC Toro players from the hillsides and hilltops of Port-au-Prince have joined together to play one-twos, nutmeg each other, and share the burdens from their contrasting realities. Offering a safe space to play, high-level coaching, well-defined pathways to showcase their talents internationally, and, for some, food and education not available at home, FC Toro has made previously inconceivable opportunities now a part of their daily lives.

As we descend from Jalousie towards Parc Saint Therese for Paul’s practice, the buzz about football, and the way FC Toro is reimagining it within the community, lingers. Through our conversations and observations, it is clear that football rules this city and that this new vision for what the sport can be is already taking hold.

In that moment, with Jalousie’s vibrant houses forming a majestic backdrop for the evening’s festivities, one can’t help but imagine those screaming fans above watching Fritz lead Les Grenadiers back to the World Cup for the first time since 1974.

But, now, it's time for training.

With the support of the GPS Foundation, a football and education development non-profit based in the United States, FC Toro continues to grow its programming to offer opportunities to more youth in Port-au-Prince.