Benin national football team
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Nickname(s) | Les Guépards (The Cheetahs) Formerly: Les Ecureuils (The Squirrels) | ||
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Association | Benin Football Federation | ||
Confederation | CAF (Africa) | ||
Sub-confederation | WAFU (West Africa) | ||
Head coach | Gernot Rohr | ||
Captain | Khaled Adénon | ||
Most caps | Stéphane Sessègnon (89) | ||
Top scorer | Stéphane Sessègnon (24) | ||
Home stadium | Stade de l'Amitié | ||
FIFA code | BEN | ||
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FIFA ranking | |||
Current | 91 ![]() | ||
Highest | 59 (November–December 2009, April 2010) | ||
Lowest | 165 (July 1996) | ||
First international | |||
![]() ![]() (Dahomey; 8 November 1959) | |||
Biggest win | |||
![]() ![]() (Abidjan, Ivory Coast; 27 December 1961) | |||
Biggest defeat | |||
![]() ![]() (Nigeria; 28 November 1959) | |||
Africa Cup of Nations | |||
Appearances | 4 (first in 2004) | ||
Best result | Quarter-finals (2019) |
The Benin national football team (French: Équipe nationale de Football du Benin), nicknamed Les Guépards (The Cheetahs), represents Benin in men's international association football and are controlled by the Benin Football Federation. They were known as Dahomey until 1975, when the Republic of Dahomey became Benin.
Benin have been affiliated with FIFA since 1962 and are a member of the Confederation of African Football since 1969. They have never qualified for the World Cup, but have participated at four Africa Cups of Nations in 2004, 2008, 2010 and 2019, never placing in the top two in the group stage at all of these occasions. However, Benin has a unique record as the country is the first national team to reach the quarter-finals of an AFCON edition without gaining a single win in their AFCON history.
History
[edit]Benin hosted its first official international match on 8 November 1959, a 1-0 loss to Nigeria. The match was played while the country was still a French dependency, prior to its independence on 1 August 1960.
Benin qualified for the 2004 Africa Cup of Nations, their first AFCON in history. However, they lost all three matches to South Africa, Morocco and again Nigeria. Benin's only goal was scored by Moussa Latoundji against Nigeria.
History repeated itself again in 2008, when Benin lost to Mali, the Ivory Coast and yet again Nigeria. They also scored only once through Razak Omotoyossi in the 4-1 defeat to the Ivory Coast.
In 2010, the Benin Football Federation's president Anjorin Moucharaf was arrested. Members of the BFF decried the imprisonment, saying that Moucharaf had been unjustly accused of fraud, leading to 12 of the 15 board members resigning in protest.[3]
In the 2010 World Cup qualifiers, Benin topped their group in the second round. They started with a defeat to Angola but went on to win the next four matches and ensure their qualification before the final day. In the third round of the qualifiers, Benin finished second in their group, three points behind Ghana. Despite not qualifying for the 2010 FIFA World Cup, Benin's second place finish ensured their qualification to the 2010 Africa Cup of Nations, where they drew against Mozambique to receive their first ever point at the AFCON. The Squirrels then lost their other two matches against Nigeria and defending champions Egypt to finish third in their group and fail to progress to the next round. After this performance, on 8 February 2010, the BFF, not willing to accept a group stage exit for the third time in a row, dissolved the national team and sacked coach Michel Dussuyer, as well as the rest of his staff.[4][5] Dussuyer was unaware that he had been sacked and claimed that he had not done anything wrong.[6] The team became an innocent victim of enraged African countries failing to accept defeat at major tournaments and disbanding their national teams in the early 2010s, along with Nigeria, the team that Benin have met in the group stage of all three of their AFCONs before their disbandment, which were suspended for two years by President Goodluck Jonathan after the 2010 FIFA World Cup.
In the second round of the 2014 World Cup qualifiers, Benin were placed in Group H with Algeria, Mali and Rwanda. They finished third in their group, failing to advance to the next round.
On 9 May 2016, FIFA suspended Benin for unknown reasons.
At the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations, despite advancing only as the third-best third-placed team, Benin, reunited with Dussuyer, reached the quarter-finals, where they lost to eventual runners-up Senegal, with a shock win over tournament favourites Morocco on penalties.
Results and fixtures
[edit]The following is a list of match results in the last twelve months, as well as any future matches that have been scheduled.
Win Draw Loss Fixture
2023
[edit]9 September 2023 AFCON qualification | Mozambique ![]() | 3–2 | ![]() | Maputo, Mozambique |
15:00 UTC+2 | Report | Stadium: Estádio do Zimpeto Referee: Mohamed Adel (Egypt) |
14 October Friendly | Benin ![]() | 1–1 | ![]() | Khouribga, Morocco |
16:30 UTC+1 | C. Hountondji ![]() |
Buya Turay ![]() |
Stadium: Phosphate Stadium |
17 October Friendly | Madagascar ![]() | 2–1 | ![]() | Casablanca, Morocco |
16:00 UTC+1 | Stadium: Larbi Zaouli Stadium |
18 November 2026 World Cup qualification | South Africa ![]() | 2–1 | ![]() | Durban, South Africa |
15:00 UTC+2 | Report |
|
Stadium: Moses Mabhida Stadium Referee: Mahmood Ismail (Sudan) |
21 November 2026 World Cup qualification | Lesotho ![]() | 0–0 | ![]() | Johannesburg, South Africa |
15:00 UTC+2 | Report | Stadium: Orlando Stadium Attendance: 1,000 Referee: Tsegay Mogos Teklu (Eritrea) |
2024
[edit]23 March Friendly | Ivory Coast ![]() | 2–2 | ![]() | Amiens, France |
17:00 UTC+1 |
|
Report |
|
Stadium: Stade de la Licorne |
6 June 2026 World Cup qualification | Benin ![]() | 1–0 | ![]() | Abidjan, Ivory Coast |
19:00 UTC±0 |
|
Report | Stadium: Felix Houphouet Boigny Stadium Attendance: 3,600 Referee: Dahane Beida (Mauritania) |
10 June 2026 World Cup qualification | Benin ![]() | 2–1 | ![]() | Abidjan, Ivory Coast |
16:00 UTC±0 | Report |
|
Stadium: Felix Houphouet Boigny Stadium Referee: Pierre Atcho (Gabon) |
Coaching history
[edit]Serge Devèze
Wabi Gomez
Peter Schnittger (1992)
Moise Ekoue (1993)
Cecil Jones Attuquayefio (2003–2004)
Hervé Revelli (2004)
Edmé Codjo (2005–2007)
Didier Notheaux (2007)
Reinhard Fabisch (2007–2008)
Michel Dussuyer (2008–2010)
Jean-Marc Nobilo (2010)
Denis Goavec (2010–2011)
Edmé Codjo (2011–2012)
Manuel Amoros (2012–2014)
Didier Ollé-Nicolle (2014)
Oumar Tchomogo (2015–2017)
Michel Dussuyer (2018–2021)
Moussa Latoundji (2022–2023)
Gernot Rohr (2023–present)
Players
[edit]Current squad
[edit]The following players were called up for the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualification matches against Rwanda and Nigeria on 6 and 10 June 2024.[7]
Caps and goals correct as of 10 June 2024, after the match against Nigeria
Recent call-ups
[edit]The following players have been called up for Benin in the last 12 months.
Pos. | Player | Date of birth (age) | Caps | Goals | Club | Latest call-up |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
GK | Serge Obassa | 30 June 1996 | 2 | 0 | ![]() |
v. ![]() |
DF | Youssouf Assogba | 21 August 2001 | 20 | 0 | ![]() |
v. ![]() |
DF | Tamimou Ouorou | 3 May 2003 | 1 | 0 | ![]() |
v. ![]() |
MF | Lenny Pirringuel | 2 March 2004 | 1 | 0 | ![]() |
v. ![]() |
MF | Cebio Soukou | 2 October 1992 | 24 | 4 | ![]() |
v. ![]() |
MF | Rodrigue Kossi | 11 July 2000 | 12 | 0 | ![]() |
v. ![]() |
FW | Charbel Gomez | 27 January 2001 | 18 | 0 | ![]() |
v. ![]() |
FW | Steve Traoré | 18 February 1998 | 3 | 0 | ![]() |
v. ![]() |
FW | Stéphane Sessègnon | 1 June 1984 | 89 | 24 | ![]() |
v. ![]() |
FW | Marcellin Koukpo | 6 April 1995 | 20 | 2 | ![]() |
v. ![]() |
Player records
[edit]- As of 10 June 2024[8]
- Players in bold are still active with Benin.
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/5/56/St%C3%A9phane_Sess%C3%A8gnon.jpg/200px-St%C3%A9phane_Sess%C3%A8gnon.jpg)
Rank | Player | Caps | Goals | Career |
---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Stéphane Sessègnon | 89 | 24 | 2004–present |
2 | Khaled Adénon | 85 | 2 | 2006–present |
3 | Mickaël Poté | 69 | 10 | 2008–2022 |
4 | Jodel Dossou | 63 | 10 | 2013–present |
5 | Damien Chrysostome | 58 | 0 | 2002–2011 |
6 | Jocelyn Ahouéya | 55 | 3 | 2003–2013 |
Razak Omotoyossi | 55 | 21 | 2004–2016 | |
8 | Steve Mounié | 53 | 17 | 2015–present |
9 | Romuald Boco | 52 | 1 | 2004–2013 |
10 | Séïdath Tchomogo | 51 | 6 | 2003–2014 |
Rank | Player | Goals | Caps | Ratio | Career |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Stéphane Sessègnon | 24 | 89 | 0.27 | 2004–present |
2 | Razak Omotoyossi | 21 | 55 | 0.38 | 2004–2016 |
3 | Steve Mounié | 17 | 53 | 0.32 | 2015–present |
4 | Oumar Tchomogo | 15 | 34 | 0.44 | 1995–2008 |
5 | Jodel Dossou | 10 | 63 | 0.16 | 2013–present |
Mickaël Poté | 10 | 69 | 0.14 | 2008–2022 | |
7 | Moussa Latoundji | 6 | 21 | 0.29 | 1993–2004 |
Mouritala Ogunbiyi | 6 | 47 | 0.13 | 1998–2019 | |
Séïdath Tchomogo | 6 | 51 | 0.12 | 2003–2014 | |
10 | Léon Bessan | 5 | 20 | 0.25 | 1995–2007 |
Anicet Adjamossi | 5 | 48 | 0.1 | 2002–2013 |
Competitive record
[edit]FIFA World Cup
[edit]FIFA World Cup record | Qualification record | ||||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Year | Round | Position | Pld | W | D* | L | GF | GA | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | |
![]() ![]() |
Not a FIFA member; part of France | Not a FIFA member; part of France | |||||||||||||
as ![]() |
as ![]() | ||||||||||||||
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Not a FIFA member | Not a FIFA member | |||||||||||||
![]() ![]() |
Did not enter | Did not enter | |||||||||||||
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Did not qualify | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 10 | ||||||||
as ![]() ![]() |
as ![]() ![]() | ||||||||||||||
![]() ![]() |
Did not enter | Did not enter | |||||||||||||
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Did not qualify | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 6 | ||||||||
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Did not enter | Did not enter | |||||||||||||
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Did not qualify | 6 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 3 | 19 | ||||||||
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Did not enter | Did not enter | |||||||||||||
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Did not qualify | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | ||||||||
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12 | 2 | 3 | 7 | 13 | 26 | |||||||||
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12 | 7 | 1 | 4 | 18 | 14 | |||||||||
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6 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 8 | 9 | |||||||||
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2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | |||||||||
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6 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 5 | 4 | |||||||||
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To be determined | 4 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 3 | ||||||||
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To be determined | ||||||||||||||
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Total | − | 0/15 | − | − | − | − | − | − | 54 | 18 | 8 | 28 | 55 | 96 |
Africa Cup of Nations
[edit]Africa Cup of Nations record | ||||||||
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Year | Round | Position | Pld | W | D* | L | GF | GA |
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Part of ![]() | |||||||
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Not affiliated to CAF | |||||||
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Did not enter | |||||||
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Did not qualify | |||||||
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Withdrew | |||||||
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Did not enter | |||||||
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Did not qualify | |||||||
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Did not enter | |||||||
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Did not qualify | |||||||
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Withdrew | |||||||
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Did not qualify | |||||||
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Group stage | 16th | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 8 |
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Did not qualify | |||||||
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Group stage | 15th | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 7 |
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Group stage | 14th | 3 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 5 |
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Did not qualify | |||||||
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Quarter-finals | 8th | 5 | 0 | 4 | 1 | 3 | 4 |
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Did not qualify | |||||||
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To be determined | |||||||
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Total | Quarter-finals | 4/34 | 14 | 0 | 5 | 9 | 7 | 24 |
West African Nations Cup[edit]
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WAFU Nations Cup[edit]
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References
[edit]- ^ "The FIFA/Coca-Cola Men's World Ranking". FIFA. 18 July 2024. Retrieved 18 July 2024.
- ^ Elo rankings change compared to one year ago. "World Football Elo Ratings". eloratings.net. 15 July 2024. Retrieved 15 July 2024.
- ^ Kobo, Kingsley. "Fifa back detained Benin FA boss Anjorin Moucharaf". Goal. Archived from the original on 2021-11-09. Retrieved 2021-11-09.
- ^ "Benin löst Nationalelf auf". Archived from the original on 2011-06-04. Retrieved 2010-02-10.
- ^ "Bénin: Les Ecureuils et Michel DUSSUYER sanctionnés" (in French). Fédération Béninoise de Football. Archived from the original on 11 February 2010. Retrieved 21 July 2015.
- ^ "Benin coach Michel Dussuyer 'unaware' of sacking". BBC Sport. 9 February 2010. Archived from the original on 23 January 2023. Retrieved 21 July 2015.
- ^ "La liste" (in French). Benin Football Federation. 27 May 2024.
- ^ Mamrud, Roberto. "Benin – Record International Players". RSSSF. Archived from the original on 7 July 2018. Retrieved 12 November 2017.
External links
[edit]![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/4/4a/Commons-logo.svg/30px-Commons-logo.svg.png)
- Football au Bénin (in French)
- Benin at CAF
- Benin at FIFA
- Le miroir du football béninois! (in French)