Fabrice Noël
Encyclopedia
Fabrice Noël is a Haiti
an soccer player who currently plays for Shanghai East Asia
in the China League One.
, 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.
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
. 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.
in an August 2006 friendly match against Guatemala
. He was a Haiti
squad member at the 2007 & 2009 Gold Cup Finals
Haiti
Haiti , officially the Republic of Haiti , is a Caribbean country. It occupies the western, smaller portion of the island of Hispaniola, in the Greater Antillean archipelago, which it shares with the Dominican Republic. Ayiti was the indigenous Taíno or Amerindian name for the island...
an soccer player who currently plays for Shanghai East Asia
Shanghai East Asia
Shanghai East Asia is a Chinese professional football club who play at Shanghai Stadium in Xuhui , Shanghai....
in the China League One.
Early life and career in Haiti
Noël grew up poor in the village of GressierGressier
Gressier is a municipality in the Port-au-Prince Arrondissement, in the Ouest Department of Haiti.It has 25,947 inhabitants.-2010 7.0 earthquake:...
, 12 miles west of Port-au-Prince
Port-au-Prince
Port-au-Prince is the capital and largest city of the Caribbean nation of Haiti. The city's population was 704,776 as of the 2003 census, and was officially estimated to have reached 897,859 in 2009....
. 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
Racing Club Haïtien
Racing Club Haïtien is a Haitian football club, one of the most successful in the country's history. The club plays its home games in Stade Sylvio Cator in Port-au-Prince, Haiti...
, 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
South Carolina
South Carolina is a state in the Deep South of the United States that borders Georgia to the south, North Carolina to the north, and the Atlantic Ocean to the east. Originally part of the Province of Carolina, the Province of South Carolina was one of the 13 colonies that declared independence...
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
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, 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
Palm Beach, Florida
The Town of Palm Beach is an incorporated town in Palm Beach County, Florida, United States. The Intracoastal Waterway separates it from the neighboring cities of West Palm Beach and Lake Worth...
, and enrolled in Palm Beach Lakes High School
Palm Beach Lakes Community High School
Palm Beach Lakes Community High School, also known as Lakes or PBL, is a coeducational Public High School located in the Palm Beach Lakes community of West Palm Beach, Florida. It is under the jurisdiction of the School District of Palm Beach County. It was founded in 1908 as Palm Beach 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 RapidsColorado Rapids
The Colorado Rapids are an American professional soccer club based in the Denver suburb of Commerce City, Colorado which competes in Major League Soccer , the top professional soccer league in the United States and Canada. It is one of the ten charter clubs of MLS, having competed in the league...
head coach Fernando Clavijo
Fernando Clavijo
Fernando Clavijo is a retired American soccer football defender and former head coach of the Colorado Rapids of Major League Soccer. He played three seasons in the American Soccer League, two in the North American Soccer League and ten in the Major Indoor Soccer League...
, 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
San Jose Earthquakes
The San Jose Earthquakes professional soccer team is located in the San Jose, California, United States suburb of Santa Clara, and participates in Major League Soccer , the top level soccer league in the United States and Canada....
, and scored his first goal in the season finale against Real Salt Lake
Real Salt Lake
Real Salt Lake is an American professional soccer club based in Sandy, Utah, a suburb of Salt Lake City. The team competes in Major League Soccer , the top professional soccer league in the United States and Canada. They currently play their home games at Rio Tinto Stadium. Real Salt Lake won...
.
During the 2007 MLS pre-season, the Rapids waived Noël, who subsequently signed with the Puerto Rico Islanders
Puerto Rico Islanders
Puerto Rico Islanders is a Puerto Rican professional football team based in Bayamón, Puerto Rico. Founded in 2003, the team plays in the North American Soccer League , the second tier of the American Soccer Pyramid....
in the USL First Division
USL First Division
The United Soccer Leagues First Division was a professional men's soccer league in the United States, Canada, and Puerto Rico....
. Noël scored the only goal in the two-legged 3rd place match in the CFU Club Championship 2007
CFU Club Championship 2007
The 2007 CFU Club Championship is the annual international football club competition held in the Caribbean Football Union region. Nineteen teams will compete in this year tournament from November 4 to November 16 in six venues in Trinidad & Tobago. The first round will consist of five groups to be...
, 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
Shanghai East Asia
Shanghai East Asia is a Chinese professional football club who play at Shanghai Stadium in Xuhui , Shanghai....
. 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.
International
Noël made his debut for the Haiti national football teamHaiti national football team
The Haiti national football team represents Haiti in association football and is controlled by the Fédération Haïtienne de Football, the governing body for football in Haiti. Haiti's home ground is Stade Sylvio Cator in Port-au-Prince and their head coach is Edson Tavares...
in an August 2006 friendly match against Guatemala
Guatemala national football team
The Guatemala national football team is the association football team representing the country of Guatemala and is controlled by the Federación Nacional de Fútbol de Guatemala. Founded in 1919, it affiliated to FIFA in 1946, and it is a member of CONCACAF....
. He was a Haiti
Haiti national football team
The Haiti national football team represents Haiti in association football and is controlled by the Fédération Haïtienne de Football, the governing body for football in Haiti. Haiti's home ground is Stade Sylvio Cator in Port-au-Prince and their head coach is Edson Tavares...
squad member at the 2007 & 2009 Gold Cup Finals
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.
Puerto Rico Puerto Rico Islanders
- USL First Division ChampionshipUSL First DivisionThe United Soccer Leagues First Division was a professional men's soccer league in the United States, Canada, and Puerto Rico....
- Runners-up (1): 2008United Soccer Leagues 2008The 2008 Season is the 22nd edition of the United Soccer Leagues season.The season kicked off on Friday, April 12 with two First Division games, as the Charleston Battery visited Miami FC and the Montreal Impact visited the Vancouver Whitecaps.-General:...
- Runners-up (1): 2008
- Commissioner's CupUSL First DivisionThe United Soccer Leagues First Division was a professional men's soccer league in the United States, Canada, and Puerto Rico....
- Winners (1): 2008United Soccer Leagues 2008The 2008 Season is the 22nd edition of the United Soccer Leagues season.The season kicked off on Friday, April 12 with two First Division games, as the Charleston Battery visited Miami FC and the Montreal Impact visited the Vancouver Whitecaps.-General:...
- Winners (1): 2008
- CFU Club ChampionshipCFU Club ChampionshipThe CFU Club Championship or CFU Club Champions' Cup is the annual international football competition held amongst association football clubs from the Caribbean Islands for clubs that are members of the Caribbean Football Union...
- Runner-up (1): 2009
External links
- Puerto Rico Islanders bio
- MLS player profile
- Fabrice's story in St. Petersburg Times
- Fabrice Noël Fund
- National Football Teams career stats