😍 Oberliga keeper off to 2026 World Cup, best story of qualifiers | OneFootball

What an incredible story is FC Cosmos Koblenz writing here? While on ordinary weekends in the Oberliga Rheinland-Pfalz/Saar, it’s usually all about rugged tackles, mediocre beer, and the smell of bratwurst, suddenly an amateur footballer finds himself in the spotlight of the big, wide world of football. We’re talking about goalkeeper Josué Duverger.

The 25-year-old has actually qualified for the 2026 World Cup with Haiti and is expected to play next summer in the monstrously large arenas of North America. From eighth place in the Oberliga straight to the World Cup? These must be the kinds of stories that only football can write!

Haiti defies all odds!

Haiti’s 2-0 victory over Nicaragua on Tuesday night marked the final step toward a sensation. First place in the CONCACAF qualifying group C was achieved under conditions no team in the world would wish for.

The country has been plagued for many years by political instability, escalating violence, and natural disasters. The capital area, Port-au-Prince, has long been considered gang-controlled, and in 2024, the national stadium was completely taken over by gangs. Home games? Not a chance! Haiti hasn’t played in its own country since 2021, instead celebrating World Cup qualification in exile—this time in Willemstad, Curaçao.

Duverger makes all of Koblenz proud!

Right in the middle of this incredible story: a goalkeeper from Quebec, Canada, trained in Portugal, and under contract since 2024 with the fifth-division club from Koblenz.

So far, Duverger has played six international matches, was in goal for the full 90 minutes during the spectacular 3-3 draw against Costa Rica in September, and apparently impressed so much that he was able to secure his place in the team. Even back then, he said how grateful he was to be able to represent his country. Today, he is one of the heroes of a historic moment.

For Haiti, this is only their second ever World Cup appearance, the first since 1974. For Duverger, it’s the chance of a lifetime. And for the fans in Koblenz? It’s probably a story they’ll proudly tell at every regulars’ table in the future: “Remember our keeper? He played at the 2026 World Cup!”

There’s only one small downside: Whether Haitian fans will even be allowed to support their team live is uncertain. Currently, there is a travel ban in the USA for citizens of the country. But no matter how many spectators are in the stadium: This qualification story is already one of the most beautiful of the entire tournament!

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇩🇪 here.

📸 Christian Petersen - 2023 Getty Images