Globetrotter Garcia dreams of Tahiti glory

“Anything is possible in a one-off match. Don’t forget that Carquefou beat Marseille.”

Samuel Garcia, coach of the Tahiti men’s national team, has 19 March 2008 etched in his memory. On that extraordinary day, USJA Carquefou, then of the French fifth tier, dumped Ligue 1 runners-up Marseille out of the Coupe de France with a 1-0 win in the last 16.

The exploits of the plucky minnows from the outskirts of Nantes have lived long in the collective memory in France. News of the upset even travelled as far as Tahiti, where Garcia put down roots in 1997, following a spell honing his craft with Bordeaux.

In the years since his arrival, Tahitian football has also witnessed two landmark moments worthy of being mentioned in the same breath as Carquefou’s giant-killing feat. First came qualification for their maiden FIFA tournament: the FIFA U-20 World Cup 2009. Back then, Garcia (himself a Tahiti international before becoming the coach of AS Venus) was the assistant to Lionel Charbonnier, the former Auxerre and Glasgow Rangers player.

“We took Tahiti to a World Cup for the very first time,” Garcia reminisces in an exclusive interview with FIFA.

Then came the FIFA Confederations Cup 2013, for which the Toa Aito qualified having won the 2012 OFC Nations Cup. Although over a decade has passed in the interim, Tahiti, under Garcia’s leadership since 2019, now have their sights on a third major coup: qualifying for the FIFA World Cup 26™, or at least challenging for a place.

To progress directly to the global showpiece, they will need to win the OFC qualifiers, the second round of which – a group stage – is currently taking place. That will be followed by a third-round knockout phase, with the winners qualifying and the losing finalists having a second bite at the cherry in the FIFA Intercontinental Play-Off Tournament. That seems to be the more realistic target for Tahiti and Garcia, especially after their 3-0 loss against OFC powerhouses New Zealand in October.

“Garcia the globetrotter” – who himself played in qualifying for the 1998, 2002 and 2006 editions of the FIFA World Cup™, and has also previously coached Aceh United in Indonesia and served as a scout in Asia for the Argentina giants Boca Juniors – gave us his impressions of the 2026 qualifiers.

FIFA: What are Tahiti’s chances of qualifying for the FIFA World Cup 26?

Samuel Garcia: Now that the winners of the OFC qualifiers will automatically qualify for the World Cup, New Zealand, who were already the strongest team, have been destroying everything in their path to claim that spot.

We’ve already faced New Zealand in Vanuatu and lost 3-0. We decided to set up in a low block and to shut up shop because if you try to take the game to New Zealand, you’re done for. Their team is packed full of players who play in Europe, they’re more skilful than us and they have more in their locker.

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We were better off losing 3-0 than 7-0 against them because second place in the group could come down to goal difference [the top two teams in the group qualify for the semi-finals]. Our closest competitors, Samoa and Vanuatu, are going to play New Zealand in Hamilton and Auckland, where the first-class conditions – including top pitches and favourable weather – could play into the hosts’ hands. So, if they’re too cavalier, they could be sent packing.

Then again, anything is possible in a one-off match. Don’t forget that Carquefou beat Marseille. I want to play New Zealand in the final – that’s the message because a brilliant reward awaits even the losers in the form of the play-off tournament, where you’ll play teams in incredible stadiums, as was the case in Egypt. These are memories you’ll cherish forever.

You’ve mentioned Egypt, where Tahiti played in the FIFA U-20 World Cup in 2009. What impact did that competition have and what do you remember about it?

The U-20 World Cup in Egypt was a remarkable adventure. It was a huge moment for us, especially because it was our first time. We’d already won our own World Cup simply by qualifying. We’re a little rock in the middle of the Pacific with a circumference of 100km. We have amazing sportspeople and wonderful fans, but we’re not footballing heavyweights. To qualify for a World Cup was beyond our wildest dreams. It had an incredible impact.

We got to play in 50,000-capacity stadiums or thereabouts. One memory sticks in my mind and we still laugh about it to this day. Against Spain, our left winger Jay Warren went to take a throw-in and spotted himself on the big screen just as he was lifting the ball above his head. He was gobsmacked! You’re surrounded by cameras and big screens – it’s the World Cup!

That World Cup definitely served as a stepping stone for Tahitian football. That generation, under the stewardship of Eddy Etaeta, then qualified for the [2013 FIFA] Confederations Cup. So that definitely gave us experience and confidence. It was an incredible time that enabled us to show what we could do and to highlight the work of the leaders and educators in French Polynesia.

You’ve also mentioned the Intercontinental Play-Off Tournament for the 2026 World Cup. What would it mean to take part and what targets would you set for it?

In that play-off tournament, you’ll face teams from huge confederations that even New Zealand couldn’t beat. That doesn’t mean you need to go there and roll over but, these days, if a coach from the Pacific region says: “I’m going to win the intercontinental play-off tournament,” I just don’t believe them. You need to have the right sense of perspective to be self-aware.

It’s quite something for football in Oceania for us to participate in a tournament alongside teams from CONMEBOL, Concacaf, the AFC and CAF. It’s a wonderful reward for all the sacrifices you’ve made. A tournament like that can’t fail to motivate you to dream bigger and work harder, to collaborate with others and to dig deep.

The concept of collaboration seems important to you.

Yes, I’m interested in collaboration and driving change with people who want to make progress. Although the OFC is the smallest confederation, we have some very good players and there are real football fans – it’s extraordinary. Whether you go to Vanuatu, the Solomon Islands, Papua New Guinea or New Caledonia, there’s a buzz about football. We have effortless connection and great cultural exchanges. Building bridges between cultures, exchanging information, respect – those are all things that stay with you for life.

You also have these exchanges with your leader and captain, Teaonui Tehau. How important is he?

I’ve known Teaonui Tehau since he was a child of six. He’s nicknamed Filou (meaning wily) because although he was the smallest kid, he had a sixth sense for anticipating moves before anyone else. I call him “the legend of Tahitian football”. He’s played in the qualifiers for the futsal, beach soccer and football World Cups. He’s one of a kind. He’s extremely effective and his performances belie his age because he’s so smart. He’s a role model on the pitch who knows how to unite the people around him. He’s a key player and a very good bridge between me and the team because we know one another so well. He’ll always be my captain – he’s my guy.