Thirty years ago, Soni Mustivar’s parents packed up their things and crossed the expansive Atlantic Ocean to start a new life for themselves in France. They left behind everything they knew in their home country of Haiti, but in their new home, they clung devotedly to their Haitian heritage.
Years later, the couple gave birth to their son, Soni, in Ivry Sur Seine, France. The newest addition to the Mustivar family would grow up knowing the culture, landscapes and customs of France, but his parents were determined to instill an appreciation of Haitian culture in their son.
Twenty-six years later, that appreciation for his roots is exactly why midfielder Soni Mustivar takes exceptional pride in stepping onto the pitch in the colors of a country that’s not, by traditional standards, “his own.