Sonny Laiton returns to the national team. The goalkeeper for Racing Union Lëtzebuerg, a club in the Luxembourg first division, is back with the Barea after being left out of Corentin Martins’ plans since 2025, following his refusal of a call-up that same year. He replaces Zacharie Boucher for the first two matchdays of the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifiers. Boucher was dismissed by the Malagasy Football Federation (FMF) due to controversial remarks he made in 2018, which were recently brought to light by the French press.
The Malagasy Federation confirmed the goalkeeper’s arrival for the matches against Nigeria and Tanzania. Sonny Laiton had already announced his return to the Barea in a Facebook post and is expected to join the national squad in Lagos this Monday.
This call-up marks the return of Laiton, who served as the starting goalkeeper for the Barea before Corentin Martins took charge. The return signals an end to the rift between the player and the coach. In March 2026, the French coach explained that their relationship had deteriorated both professionally and personally, citing Laiton’s decision to prioritize his club over the national team in 2025 and subsequent social media posts that questioned the coach’s management.
Laiton’s career has seen turbulence since leaving AJ Auxerre in 2024 and a failed move to Girondins de Bordeaux. After stints in Luxembourg and Reunion Island, he joined Racing Union Lëtzebuerg this past summer. He had been excluded from Martins’ plans until the recent controversy surrounding Zacharie Boucher, who was dropped after past comments surfaced in which he stated he identified as French and prioritized the French national team.
Captured & Published at: 2026-09-21 10:53:34 (Madagascar Local Time EAT)
Original Source: https://www.2424.mg/football-sonny-laiton-remplace-zacharie-boucher-pour-les-deux-premieres-journees-des-eliminatoires-de-la-can-2027/