OSNER’S FC Signs Haitian International Forward Jonel Désiré, Adding Proven Professional Firepower to Brooklyn

Former Haiti international and Armenian Premier League Golden Boot winner brings a decade of professional experience across five countries to OSNER’S FC

BROOKLYN, NY, UNITED STATES, September 2, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ -- OSNER’S FC is proud to announce the signing of Haitian international forward Jonel Désiré, adding one of the most experienced and accomplished players yet to join the Brooklyn-based club as it continues strengthening its First Team and advancing an ambitious long-term football vision.

Born February 12, 1997, in Mirebalais, Haiti, Jonel Désiré joins OSNER’S FC following a professional career that has taken him from Haiti to the United States and across European football in Armenia, Cyprus and Georgia.

Primarily a center forward, Désiré can also operate from the left or right wing, providing OSNER’S FC with experience, mobility and tactical flexibility across the attacking line. Transfermarkt lists him at 1.80 meters and documents an extensive professional career spanning more than a decade.

But his arrival in Brooklyn represents more than another transfer.

For a footballer whose career began in Haiti, who wore the colors of the Haitian national team and who has spent much of his adult life competing abroad, joining a Haitian-American-rooted club in New York provides an opportunity to connect experience, heritage and ambition.

“I am very happy to join OSNER’S FC and begin this new chapter,” Désiré said in a proposed statement for the announcement. “I have played in different countries, different leagues and different football cultures, but Haiti will always be part of who I am. To come to New York and join a club that is proud of its Haitian heritage while building something for the entire community is meaningful to me. I am coming here to compete, to score goals, to help my teammates and to help the club achieve its objectives.”

From Mirebalais to the Haitian National-Team Pathway

Désiré's football story began in Mirebalais, where he developed before establishing himself with AS Mirebalais.

His talent became apparent early.

Available international records credit Désiré with representing Haiti U17 from 2012–2013 before progressing to Haiti U20, where he became a productive attacking player. Historical records credit him with 17 U20 appearances and 11 goals, while Concacaf specifically documented four goals during the 2015 Concacaf U20 Championship and another goal against St. Kitts and Nevis during the 2017 tournament.

That youth progression eventually opened the door to Haiti's senior national team.

Désiré earned his first senior international involvement in 2015, while still a teenager. His national-team career would ultimately place him alongside a generation of Grenadiers who elevated Haiti on the Concacaf stage.

Haiti, AS Capoise and the Move to the United States

Désiré's early senior club career included AS Mirebalais and AS Capoise, two established names in Haitian football.

In 2017, his career took him to the United States when he joined Real Monarchs, the USL affiliate of Real Salt Lake. FBref.com records eight USL appearances during the 2017 season, giving the young Haitian attacker his first experience in American professional soccer.

After returning to Haiti and AS Mirebalais, his career was about to take another major turn.

Europe called.

A Breakthrough in Armenia and a Golden Boot

In July 2018, Désiré moved from AS Mirebalais to Lori FC in Armenia.

The transition proved transformative.

During the 2018–19 Armenian Premier League season, Désiré scored 17 league goals, finishing as the competition's leading scorer. UEFA's domestic competition summary officially lists Jonel Désiré of Lori FC as Armenia's top scorer for that season.

It was a major achievement for a Haitian forward adjusting to European football.

Désiré continued producing for Lori, with Haitian reporting crediting him with 29 league goals in 49 appearances across his time with the club before his move to FC Urartu in 2020.

For OSNER’S FC Sporting and Technical Director and Head Coach Walkins Joseph, that history demonstrates more than finishing ability.

“When a player leaves Haiti and becomes the leading scorer in a European first division, that tells you something about his ability to adapt,” Joseph said in a proposed quote. “Jonel understands movement, timing, positioning and the responsibility of a forward. He has competed against different defensive structures and under different tactical systems. That experience gives us another dimension.”

Urartu, Cyprus, Pyunik and a European Journey

Désiré joined FC Urartu in August 2020 and continued his Armenian Premier League career. He remained there until 2022 before moving to Olympiakos Nicosia in Cyprus.

In January 2023, he returned to Armenia with FC Pyunik.

Pyunik's official announcement highlighted Désiré's earlier Haitian clubs, Real Monarchs experience, Lori and Urartu career, and his status as the 2018–19 Armenian Premier League's 17-goal leading scorer.

He quickly made an impact, scoring his first Pyunik goal against Shirak. By the end of his spell, the club credited him with 16 appearances, four goals and three assists.

His journey subsequently included FC Telavi in Georgia, Alashkert, another return to Telavi, West Armenia, Andranik, and most recently FC Van.

Transfer records document a career path that reads:

AS Mirebalais → AS Capoise → Real Monarchs → AS Capoise → AS Mirebalais → Lori FC → FC Urartu → Olympiakos Nicosia → Pyunik → FC Telavi → Alashkert → FC Telavi → West Armenia → Andranik → FC Van → OSNER’S FC.

Most recently, Désiré returned to the Armenian Premier League with FC Van in 2026. Transfermarkt now lists him as having left Van on July 1, 2026, clearing the way for the next chapter of his career.

Part of Haiti's Historic 2019 Gold Cup Team

One of the defining chapters of Désiré's career came wearing Haiti's colors.

He was part of the 2019 Haiti national team that produced one of the greatest Concacaf Gold Cup campaigns in the country's history.

Désiré appeared four times during the tournament, including against Bermuda, Nicaragua and Costa Rica, and played 38 minutes in the semifinal against Mexico. Haiti won its group with a perfect record, defeated Canada 3–2 in a memorable quarterfinal comeback and pushed Mexico into extra time before falling 1–0 in the semifinal.

His senior international career also includes World Cup qualifying and international friendly competition. Different statistical databases currently vary slightly on his exact senior cap and goal totals; Transfermarkt lists 20 caps, while other historical databases list 21 appearances, so OSNER’S FC will avoid overstating a precise total. What is beyond dispute is that Désiré represented Haiti at youth and senior levels across multiple international cycles.

A Significant Addition to the OSNER’S FC Vision

For J. Ronald Nazaire, President and General Manager of OSNER’S FC, Désiré's arrival represents another important step in building a club capable of combining competitive ambition with meaningful player development.

“Jonel Désiré joining OSNER’S FC is significant for us because we are bringing in a player who has lived the pathway that so many young footballers dream about,” Nazaire said. “He came through Haitian football, represented Haiti from the youth level to the senior national team, played professionally in America, became a leading scorer in Europe and continued competing across several countries.”

But Nazaire emphasized that Désiré's résumé is not the end of the story.

“We did not bring Jonel here simply to celebrate what he has already accomplished. We brought him because we believe he can help us accomplish what comes next. Our vision is to build a serious football institution in New York City, one capable of competing, developing players, pursuing trophies and creating a pathway that young people can believe in.”

For Désiré, the expectations are equally clear.

“I know I am coming into a club with ambition,” Désiré said. “My responsibility is to work, be professional, help the younger players when I can and give everything when I step onto the field. I have experienced many chapters in football. I want this chapter to be successful.”

Haitian Heritage, New York City Ambition

The cultural connection makes the signing especially meaningful.

OSNER’S FC was created from Haitian-American roots, yet the club's vision is intentionally representative of Brooklyn and New York City's extraordinary diversity.

Désiré arrives not simply as a Haitian player, but as a footballer shaped by Haiti, the United States and several European countries.

That international experience aligns naturally with the multicultural dressing room OSNER’S FC continues to build.

“Our Haitian heritage gives us our roots, but New York City gives us our reach,” Nazaire added. “Jonel understands both worlds. He can represent something familiar to the Haitian community while competing alongside teammates from many different cultures. That is Brooklyn. That is OSNER’S FC.”

Coach Joseph sees another benefit.

“Experienced professionals establish standards through what they do every day,” Joseph said. “We expect Jonel to compete for his position like everyone else, but we also expect his experience to strengthen the mentality of the group. We want players who understand that talent must be accompanied by discipline, preparation and sacrifice.”

The Next Chapter Begins in Brooklyn

After more than a decade of senior football spanning Haiti, the United States, Armenia, Cyprus and Georgia, Jonel Désiré joins OSNER’S FC with another objective ahead.

To compete.

To contribute.

To score.

To lead.

And to help a young Brooklyn organization continue transforming its vision into something tangible.

For a player whose journey began in Mirebalais and carried him onto the international stage with Haiti, the destination is now New York City.

Welcome to Brooklyn, Jonel Désiré.

Welcome to OSNER’S FC.

Believe in the Vision. Respect All. Fear None.

About OSNER’S FC

OSNER’S FC is a New York City soccer organization based in Brooklyn and proudly rooted in Haitian-American heritage, diversity, community and player development. The club is building a comprehensive football pathway designed to give players opportunities to progress from youth development into increasingly competitive senior environments.

The OSNER’S FC First Team competes in NPSL and UPSL Premier, while the organization is also building its competitive presence through the U.S. Open Cup qualifying pathway and National Amateur Cup. Its broader senior structure includes teams competing in UPSL Division 1 and UPSL Division 2, creating progressive opportunities for players at different stages of their development.

Through the OSNER’S FC Academy, the organization is extending that pathway into youth football, with competitive programming that includes UPSL Academy, PDP and additional academy competition and development platforms. The objective is not simply to create teams, but to build an integrated football ecosystem through which ambitious young players can develop toward collegiate, senior and professional opportunities.

OSNER’S FC also embraces its responsibility beyond the field. The organization seeks to use the universal language of soccer to connect Brooklyn's diverse communities, celebrate culture, provide meaningful opportunities for young people and establish a club that New York City can proudly call its own.

At every level, the philosophy remains consistent:

Believe in the Vision.

Respect All. Fear None.

J Ronald Nazaire
OSNERS FC
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