May 15 (Reuters) - Haiti named their World Cup squad on Friday, with captain Johnny Placide and all-time top scorer Duckens Nazon included as Les Grenadiers prepare for their first finals in 52 years.
French coach Sebastien Migne selected an experienced squad led by 38-year-old goalkeeper Placide, who plays for Bastia, while Wolverhampton Wanderers midfielder Jean-Ricner Bellegarde is among the team's most recognisable European-based players.
Nazon, who has 44 goals in 76 appearances, was also selected after playing a key role in qualification, with the striker from Iranian club Esteghlal netting six times during the campaign.
The Caribbean side will play at the men's World Cup for only the second time, and first since the 1974 tournament in West Germany, after topping their CONCACAF qualifying group.
They had to play all of their home matches at neutral venues because of the country's security crisis.
Haiti will play warm-up matches against New Zealand and Peru before opening their Group C campaign versus Scotland on June 13 followed by games with five-times champions Brazil and Morocco.
Squad:
Goalkeepers: Johnny Placide, Alexandre Pierre, Josue Duverger
Defenders: Carlens Arcus, Wilguens Paugain, Duke Lacroix, Martin Experience, JK Duverne, Ricardo Ade, Hannes Delcroix, Keeto Thermoncy
Midfielders: Leverton Pierre, Carl-Fred Sainte, Danley Jean-Jacques, Jean-Ricner Bellegarde, Woodensky Pierre, Simon Dominique
Forwards: Louicius Deedson, Ruben Providence, Josue Casimir, Derrick Etienne, Wilson Isidor, Duckens Nazon, Frantzdy Pierrot, Yassin Fortune, Lenny Joseph
(Reporting by Janina Nuno Rios in Mexico City; Editing by Ken Ferris)
