MELROSE, MASS. (WHDH) – A former Melrose High School student will make his World Cup debut with the Haiti national football team Saturday, and his former soccer coach from the school says he is incredibly proud of the accomplishment.
Frantzdy Pierrot was born in Haiti, and moved to Melrose when he was 11-years-old. Now 31-years-old, the professional soccer player is gearing up to play for Haiti against Scotland at Boston Stadium in a group stage game.
Pierrot’s high school coach said at the time, no one knew what greatness was in store for him.
“He still hadn’t grown into his body. He wasn’t as skilled as his is now, but he was super determined,” said Dean Serino, Pierrot’s Melrose High School Coach. “It’s that belief in himself, I think, that’s driven him to be great. Intrinsically, I think he wanted to be great.”
Serino coached Pierrot when he was a freshman and a sophomore, after he had just moved to the United States. He said Pierrot found a new home on the Melrose boy’s soccer team.
“There was no structure or organization for him. He said he’d be kicking rocks around. He gets here, and there’s some structure and organization, and a lot of kids took to him. He said we were the first people to believe in him,” Serino said.
On May 26, Massachusetts Governor Maura Healey declared it be “Frantzdy Pierrot Day” in the Bay State to honor his achievements. During the ceremony at the State House, Pierrot credited Melrose and his old coach for giving him the tools he needed to succeed.
“This is unbelievable. I’m very proud,” Pierrot said during the ceremony. “Obviously Melrose had a big impact on my life, and if I’m here today, it’s because of, you know, all the experience that I went through in Melrose.”
“I kind of got choked up because as an educator for 36 years, that’s what you try to do,” Serino said. “You try to tell these kids, if you put their mind to it, and your heart, they can really accomplish anything, and he’s the perfect example of that.”
Pierrot has set a great example for young athletes in Melrose, and several current students said they look up to him.
“He’s the type of guy where, the way he moves to the ball, and the way he moves off the ball, is, like, it’s really cool to watch, and he’s super smooth with it,” said Melrose High School Soccer Captain Gavin Barsotti.
“We share the same number,” said Melrose High School Soccer Captain Sirak Araia. “I have the number 14 this year, and he also wore the number 14 in his time at Melrose. One thing he told me is, it’s not a big burden to have and, like, anyone can make it.”
“It’s just crazy he came from Melrose, and now he’s playing against, like, some of my idols, you know? I’m a big Messi fan, it’s just crazy that he could possibly play them and he was here. He played on this field,” said Melrose High School Soccer Captain Quinn Cantin.
Pierrot will make his World Cup debut against the Scotland national football team Saturday night at Boston Stadium, less than an hour away from the town he once called home.
“It’s almost surreal, like if this were a movie you almost don’t believe it,” Serino said. “It’s super serendipitous that it started here, and now that pinnacle of his career is in his own backyard.”
While Pierrot is a soccer star, he is also an accomplished basketball player. His younger brother also played professional soccer in Ireland, and played for the Haiti national football team in 2024.
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