1. Early life and background
James Marcelin was born on 13 June 1986, in Saint-Marc, Haiti. He began his football career at the age of sixteen with the Haitian club Roulado. His early dedication to the sport quickly led to professional success within his home country.
2. Club career
James Marcelin's professional club career spanned over a decade, featuring stints with teams in Haiti, Puerto Rico, the United States, and Canada. He established himself as a versatile player, often featuring as a midfielder or defender.
2.1. Early career
Marcelin started his professional journey with Roulado when he was sixteen years old. With Roulado, he contributed to the team winning the Ligue Haïtienne title in 2003. In 2007, he moved to Racing Club Haïtien, continuing his development in the Haitian league.
2.2. Puerto Rico Islanders
In 2008, Marcelin transitioned to the USL First Division, joining the Puerto Rico Islanders. During his initial period with the club, he saw limited playing time in league matches. However, he was heavily involved in the Islanders' 2008-09 CONCACAF Champions League campaign, participating in many of their games. By 2009, Marcelin had solidified his position, becoming a regular first-team starter for the club. With the Puerto Rico Islanders, he won the Commissioner's Cup in 2008.
2.3. Portland Timbers
On 11 February 2010, the Portland Timbers (USL), then part of the USSF D2 Pro League, signed Marcelin to a one-year contract for the 2010 season. He quickly became a regular starter for the Timbers. When the club joined Major League Soccer in 2011, Marcelin continued with the team, appearing in most of the season's games and starting in several matches. On 25 April 2012, Marcelin was waived by Portland for reasons cited as 'non-soccer related'.
2.4. FC Dallas
Just over a week after leaving Portland, on 4 May 2012, Marcelin signed with another MLS club, FC Dallas, for the remainder of the season. His tenure with FC Dallas was brief, concluding at the end of the 2012 season.
2.5. Fort Lauderdale Strikers
In July 2014, Marcelin signed with the Fort Lauderdale Strikers of the North American Soccer League. On 16 December 2014, he signed with Sporting Kansas City of Major League Soccer, but he was waived during the preseason. He then re-signed with Fort Lauderdale on 3 March 2015, where he played a significant role and was named to the NASL Best XI in 2015.
2.6. North Carolina FC
On 30 December 2015, Marcelin was traded by Fort Lauderdale to the Carolina RailHawks (later renamed North Carolina FC) in exchange for Neil Hlavaty. He continued his professional career with the North Carolina-based club during this period.
2.7. Miami United
In June 2018, Marcelin signed with Miami United FC, a team competing in the National Premier Soccer League. His time with the club was relatively short.
2.8. FC Edmonton
On 22 February 2019, Marcelin joined Canadian Premier League side FC Edmonton, marking his move to Canadian professional football. He made his debut for the team, nicknamed the "Eddies," on May 4 against Valour FC, playing the full 90 minutes in a 2-1 victory. At the conclusion of the 2019 season, FC Edmonton announced that Marcelin would not be returning to the team for the 2020 season, marking the end of his professional club career.
3. International career
James Marcelin had a notable international career representing Haiti at various levels. In 2006, he played for the Haitian U-21 national team. He subsequently joined the senior Haiti national football team, making appearances in the CONCACAF Gold Cup tournaments in both 2007 and 2009. A particularly significant moment in his international career occurred on 8 June 2016, when Marcelin scored a historic goal for Haiti. This goal, netted against Brazil during the Copa América Centenario in Orlando, Florida, became the first goal ever scored by Haiti in a Copa América competition and also marked the first time a Haitian player scored against Brazil.
4. Career statistics
The following tables provide a statistical overview of James Marcelin's professional career, including his international goal-scoring record for the Haiti national football team.
4.1. International goals
As of match played 8 June 2016. Haiti score listed first, score column indicates score after each Marcelin goal.
| No. | Date | Venue | Cap | Opponent | Score | Result | Competition |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 8 July 2009 | Robert F. Kennedy Memorial Stadium, Washington, United States | 17 | Grenada | 2-0 | 2-0 | 2009 CONCACAF Gold Cup |
| 2 | 2 September 2011 | Stade Sylvio Cator, Port-au-Prince, Haiti | 21 | US Virgin Islands | 1-0 | 6-0 | 2014 FIFA World Cup qualification |
| 3 | 6 September 2011 | Ergilio Hato Stadium, Willemstad, Curaçao | 22 | Curaçao | 2-2 | 4-2 | 2014 FIFA World Cup qualification |
| 4 | 9 October 2015 | BBVA Compass Stadium, Houston, United States | 30 | El Salvador | 1-0 | 3-1 | Friendly |
| 5 | 8 June 2016 | Camping World Stadium, Orlando, United States | 33 | Brazil | 1-5 | 1-7 | 2016 Copa América |
5. Honours
James Marcelin accumulated several team titles and individual accolades throughout his professional football career.
- Roulado
- Ligue Haïtienne: 2003
- Puerto Rico Islanders
- Commissioner's Cup: 2008
- Individual
- NASL Best XI: 2015