PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti (AP) 鈥� The U.S. government has given a visa to , the only member of 贬补颈迟颈鈥檚 national soccer team who lives in the Caribbean country, to travel and participate in the , an official said Tuesday.
Thecieux Jeanty, soccer federation spokesperson, told The Associated Press that Pierre was traveling to Florida on Tuesday.
鈥淚t was a great moment for him, a moment of happiness,鈥� he said.
Supporters gathered around Pierre as he arrived at the airport in Port-au-Prince on Tuesday, telling the AP that he had 鈥渁 happy heart.鈥�
Airport workers sought to have photos with him, while his mother hugged him several times before he left.
Among the fans was Guy Ernst Phillipe, who hugged Pierre: 鈥淲e could not be any more proud. … I’m touching history right now.鈥�
He also had a personal message for Pierre: 鈥淎t least 10 goals,” he said as both of them laughed.
Pierre’s teammates arrived in Florida last week to start preparing for the World Cup. It is that Haiti has qualified. The last time it appeared on soccer鈥檚 biggest stage was more than half a century ago.
Pierre had been training with local players in an upscale area of Port-au-Prince as he awaited the visa. The team鈥檚 stadium in 贬补颈迟颈鈥檚 capital was considered too dangerous, so Haiti was forced to play its 鈥渉ome鈥� World Cup qualifiers in .
Pierre is from , a seaside neighborhood that has long struggled with hunger, massacres and gang violence. It is located in western Port-au-Prince, which is 70% controlled by gangs.
Haiti will play World Cup warmup matches against New Zealand on Tuesday and Peru on Friday.
Haiti opens World Cup play on June 13 in Foxborough, Massachusetts, against Scotland, then plays five-time champion Brazil on June 19 in Philadelphia and Morocco on June 24 in Atlanta.
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Coto reported from San Juan, Puerto Rico.
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