February 2014. It was the 23rd minute. A screamer-of-a-free-kick dashed to the far end of the post caught the entire Salt Lake Stadium off guard. Custodian Shilton Paul had absolutely no idea where the ball came in from. And that meant Bangladesh Premier League’s Sheikh Jamal Dhanmondi Club had gone on to knock Mohun Bagan out of the 118th IFA Shield last year. With that performance, Indian clubs soon started paying attention to a little-known free kick-scoring Haitian powerhouse called Sony Norde.Born in Grand’ Anse, Haiti, this robust winger rose from humble beginnings. He started building his career in the Latin American football circuit. His flight across the Atlantic was to come a few years later. But till then, he made a mark for himself playing for teams such as Argentina’s Boca Juniors and Mexico’s San Luis FC. He was deemed a good fit in their B-sides. He proved his mettle by scoring 10 goals in 23 appearances collectively for both the outfits.Cafetaleros de Tapachula (formerly Altamira) was the last that Norde would see of Mexican club football. By that time, he had already made a place for himself in the Haitian national side, having made his debut in 2008. He went on to represent Haiti at the CONCACAF Men’s Pre-Olympic Tournament, World Cup Qualifying Tournament and the Caribbean Cup, amongst many others.The 25-year-old right-footer then saw himself plying his trade in the Bangladesh Premier League in the season of 2013. He went from Sheikh Russel KC to Sheikh Jamal Dhanmondi Club (SJDC), both clubs being a part of Dhaka. That move sure did pay off – the 2013/14 season saw SJDC clinch their second Bangladesh Premier League title with Sony Norde at the helm of affairs. However, their celebrations would soon be short-lived.It was the 118th IFA Shield (2014) which saw the rise of a previously unheard-of international player who won the hearts of millions of football fans on either side of the border. Norde’s four goals in the tournament, which saw him scoring in nearly every match, helped SJDC reach the final against Mohammedan Sporting. They missed the title by a whisker but inadvertently, set a different set of wheels in motion. Indian clubs made a beeline for Norde’s services, especially from the hotbed of Kolkata. He, eventually, put pen to paper for Mohun Bagan and began his career in professional Indian club football.The move paid off bountifully for Bagan, as the Kolkata outfit went on to win their first ever Hero I-League title in May 2015 with Norde spearheading the attack. His tally of 9 goals and 13 assists in 19 matches for the Kolkata giants stands a testament to that fact that even when he wasn’t scoring goals, he was setting up plays for his mates. He served as Bagan’s Man Friday when he conjured up goals during vulnerable moments. His influence was quite obvious – out of 33 goals scored by the Kolkata club last season, Norde was directly involved in 22 of them.It is with this track record that he steps into Hero Indian Super League (ISL) 2015. Lapped up by Mumbai City FC, fans are in for a treat with the three-tiered attack force of Nicolas Anelka, Sunil Chhetri and now, Sony Norde to keep them enthralled. What’s important here is that the Haitian isn’t just a striker, but an effective playmaker. A good set-piece taker, he could come in very handy on the wings for Mumbai, creating chances for Anelka and Chhetri.Mumbai City FC’s Assistant Coach Óscar Bruzón had this to say about his team’s latest signing: “Sony’s addition to our squad will give our attack that extra power, quality and strength we need. We were following him through the Hero I-League season and as he was the best foreign player of the league last season, we soon decided that we want him. Thankfully, Sony was also interested in joining us when we initiated a conversation with him. All of us at Mumbai City FC are very excited as we believe that he will be an important asset for us.”A sure-shot star to watch out for in the ISL, come October.Fans of the island city can begin cheering for Mumbai City FC from October 5th as they gear up for the Maharashtra derby away against FC Pune City in the second season of the Hero ISL.
