Haiti’s Constant gets first European experience in Portugal

MIAMI, Florida – There are many factors when it comes to writing history. There are some that start it, and others that come along the way to make the path brighter. For Haiti center back Claire Constant, it was the latter, as thanks to her latest performances in an international scenario, she has landed in Europe at SCU Torreense of Portugal.

The 23-year-old DF has earned the nickname “The Cyborg”, and for good reason. She joined the Haitian Women’s National Team in the summer of 2022, just in time to help the squad face the Concacaf W Championship in Monterrey. Haiti showed why they were a team that people had been following for a long time, qualifying third in their group, earning their ticket to the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup Intercontinental Play-offs this past February.

In the CWC, Constant was key for Haiti in reaching the next stage in their World Cup journey. Blocking every threat that came Haiti’s way, she made sure no ball would pass by her or the defensive line that was on the field, as she started in all three games in Monterrey.

Constant’s performance came as no surprise to some fans. At the University of Virginia, she displayed her game for five years, wearing the white and Orange and serving as a mainstay for the team.

Understanding everything that was at stake, and equipped with the experience she had gained from the CWC, Constant and the rest of Les Grenadieres traveled to New Zealand to fight for one of the last three tickets left to participate in this summer’s FIFA Women’s World Cup in Australia/New Zealand.

Constant started and led the defense in the games against Senegal and Chile, making sure no danger would come to their goal area. With this and other talents in the side, Haiti wrote history in women’s football, becoming the second Caribbean nation to qualify for a Women’s World Cup, and the first ever for Haiti.

Thanks to her talent and leadership, Portuguese team SCU Torreense signed Constant in February as she was helping her National Team qualify for the World Cup, allowing her to make the jump for the first time into a professional league.

SCU Torreense are now sitting in ninth place of the Campeonato Nacional Femenino, Portuguese women’s first división. With Constant serving as a great addition to the team, they are now fighting to keep adding points to go up the table. Meanwhile, “The Cyborg” will be ready to keep growing and defending her team’s area every time someone comes her way.