Fabrice Noël

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Fabrice Noël
Personal information
Full nameFabrice Noël
Date of birth (1985-07-21) July 21, 1985
Place of birthGressier, Haiti
Height5 ft 10 in (1.78 m)
Playing positionForward
Club information
Current clubSan Antonio Scorpions
Senior career*
YearsTeamApps†(Gls)†
2001–2002Racing Club Haïtien
2005–2006Colorado Rapids16(6)
2007–2009Puerto Rico Islanders55(11)
2010Shanghai East Asia8(0)
2013–San Antonio Scorpions1(0)
National team‡
2006–Haiti10(3)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 29 June 2013.

† Appearances (Goals).

‡ National team caps and goals correct as of 16 February 2008

Fabrice Noël (born July 21, 1985 in Gressier) is a Haitian footballer who currently plays for San Antonio Scorpions in the North American Soccer League.

Career

Early life and career in Haiti

Noël grew up poor in the village of Gressier, 12 miles west of Port-au-Prince. He began playing soccer at a very young age, taught by his mother and brothers. By the time he was 12 years old he was playing for the national team for 15 year olds, and at the age of 16 he was one of the star players of Racing Club Haïtien, one of the country's most successful club teams.

However, his skills and success ultimately brought tragedy. In November 2002, while Noël was in South Carolina taking part in an international tournament, he received a phone call from his mother, telling him that his two older brothers Luckner and Kenson had been shot to death. Their murders are thought to have been carried out by supporters of a rival club that he had refused to join. Noël was granted political asylum in the United States, but his parents and youngest brother were forced to go into hiding.

After the ordeal, in late 2002, he went to live with a former coach in Palm Beach, Florida, and enrolled in Palm Beach Lakes High School. He joined the soccer team and quickly became the star, scoring 58 goals his senior season.

Professional

Noël received many offers from colleges, but turned them all down, instead choosing to turn professional in order to raise the money to bring his family to the United States. While playing in a local tournament in February 2005, he caught the eye of Colorado Rapids head coach Fernando Clavijo, who offered him a contract after he graduated high school. On June 24, 2005, Noël signed with the Rapids; he made his debut less than a month later on July 20, against the San Jose Earthquakes, and scored his first goal in the season finale against Real Salt Lake.

During the 2007 MLS pre-season, the Rapids waived Noël, who subsequently signed with the Puerto Rico Islanders in the USL First Division. Noël scored the only goal in the two-legged 3rd place match in the CFU Club Championship 2007, enabling the Islanders to advance to the CONCACAF Champions League 2008–09.

In February 2010,Noël moved to China and signed a contract with Shanghai East Asia.[1] On 4 April he made his league debut for Shanghai in the 2-0 victory over Guangdong Sunray Cave, replacing Jiang Zhipeng in the 55th minute.[2]

International

Noël made his debut for the Haiti national football team in an August 2006 friendly match against Guatemala. He was a Haiti squad member at the 2007 & 2009 Gold Cup Finals[3]

Personal

With the help of the Colorado Rapids organization, Noël set up a fund, known as the Fabrice Noël Fund in order to raise money for his parents and brothers transport to the United States.

Honors

Club

Puerto Rico Puerto Rico Islanders

References

  1. ↑ 徐根宝火速签约三外援 上海东亚新赛季全力冲超(Chinese)
  2. ↑ 武磊高难度垫射比肩巨星 东亚2-0广东范志毅开门红(Chinese)
  3. ↑ CONCACAF Championship, Gold Cup 2007 - Full Details - RSSSF

External links

Haiti
Haiti squad – 2009 CONCACAF Gold Cup
Haiti
San Antonio Scorpions – current squad


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