Born on November 25, 1996, in Richmond, Derrick Étienne is part of the generation of dual-national players who have left their mark on the recent history of the Haitian national team. At 29 years old, the attacking midfielder has regained a place in the Grenadiers squad set to compete in the 2026 World Cup, the culmination of a journey marked by both promise and periods of uncertainty.

Developed in the United States, Étienne represented Haiti at the U-17, U-20, and Olympic levels before joining the senior national team. Yet his relationship with the Grenadiers has never been entirely straightforward. Left out of Haiti’s squad for the 2016 Copa América Centenario, the player then hoped to earn a call-up from the United States. That expectation led him to decline several invitations from the Haitian Football Federation for the 2018 World Cup qualifying campaign.