Benin national football team

Benin's first official game was played at home against Nigeria on November 8, 1959 and resulted in a 1-0 loss. The match was played while the country was still a dependent of France, prior to its independence on 1st August 1960. Benin has been affiliated with FIFA since 1962 and has been a member of the Confederation of African Football since 1969.

Benin qualified for the first time in its history for the final phase of the African Cup of Nations in 2004. The Beninese were eliminated in the first round, after losing three times (against South Africa, Morocco and Nigeria). Against Nigeria, Moussa Latoundji scored his country's first goal in a CAN finals.

In 2008, Benin qualified for the second CAN in its history. Benin was again eliminated in the first round having lost all three matches (against Mali, Ivory Coast and Nigeria). Benin scored only one goal during the tournament during its 4-1 defeat against Ivory Coast, scored by Razak Omotoyossi.

In 2010, Benin's football championship was suspended after the Benin Football Federation's president, Anjorin Moucharaf 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]

During the 2010 World Cup qualifiers, Benin finished at the top of their group in the second round. Benin had started with a defeat in 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 participation in the 2010 Africa Cup of Nations, where Benin drew against Mozambique to win the first point in its history at the CAN. Benin then lost their other two matches against Nigeria and Egypt to finish third in the group and fail to progress to the next round.

In the second round of the 2014 World Cup qualifiers, Benin was placed in Group H with Algeria, Mali and Rwanda. Benin finished third in this group where only the first qualified for the third round of qualifying.

The following players were called up for the 2022 FIFA World Cup qualification (CAF) matches.[4]

• Match dates: 11 November 2021 & 14 November 2021
• Opposition:  Madagascar &  DR Congo
• Caps and goals correct as of: 11 November 2021, after the match against  Madagascar.

No.	Pos.	Player	Date of birth (age)	Caps	Goals	Club
1	1GK	Fabien Farnolle	(1985-02-05) 5 February 1985	31	0	BB Erzurumspor
16	1GK	Saturnin Allagbé	(1993-11-22) 22 November 1993	30	0	Valenciennes
39	1GK	Jamie Wabuinka	(2002-04-17) 17 April 2002	14	0	Viborg FF
2	2DF	Youssouf Assogba	(2001-08-21) 21 August 2001	15	0	Boulogne
3	2DF	Khaled Adénon	(1985-07-28) 28 July 1985	75	2	Avranches
4	2DF	Cédric Hountondji	(1994-01-19) 19 January 1994	18	0	Clermont
5	2DF	Yohan Roche	(1997-07-07) 7 July 1997	5	1	Adanaspor
6	2DF	Olivier Verdon	(1995-10-05) 5 October 1995	26	0	Ludogorets Razgrad
12	2DF	David Kiki	(1993-11-25) 25 November 1993	30	0	Arda Kardzhali
13	2DF	Moïse Adiléhou	(1995-11-01) 1 November 1995	10	1	NAC Breda
	2DF	Melvyn Doremus	(1996-10-29) 29 October 1996	5	0	FC Chambly
15	2DF	Junior Olaitan		0	0
14	2DF	Abdou Bourou	(2000-10-13) 13 October 2000	1	0	ASKO Kara
	2DF	Djalilou Ouorou	(1997-07-18) 18 July 1997	3	0	Les Buffles
7	3MF	Mattéo Ahlinvi	(1999-07-02) 2 July 1999	7	0	Dijon
8	3MF	Jordan Adéoti	(1989-03-12) 12 March 1989	43	1	Annecy
18	3MF	Jérôme Bonou	(1994-01-27) 27 January 1994	6	0	Djoliba
	3MF	Sessi D'Almeida	(1995-11-20) 20 November 1995	19	1	Valenciennes
20	3MF	Jodel Dossou	(1992-03-17) 17 March 1992	41	6	Clermont
21	3MF	Rodrigue Kossi	(2000-07-11) 11 July 2000	7	0	Club Africain
9	4FW	Steve Mounié	(1994-09-29) 29 September 1994	36	11	Brest
10	4FW	Mickaël Poté	(1984-09-24) 24 September 1984	67	10	Bandırmaspor
11	4FW	Tidjani Anaane	(1997-03-27) 27 March 1997	8	0	Menemenspor
19	4FW	Désiré Segbé Azankpo	(1993-05-06) 6 May 1993	14	0	Dunkerque
22	4FW	Charbel Gomez	(2001-01-27) 27 January 2001	16	0	Amiens
24	4FW	Marcellin Koukpo	(1995-04-06) 6 April 1995	14	2	CS Constantine

The following players have been called up for Benin in the last 12 months.[5]

Pos.	Player	Date of birth (age)	Caps	Goals	Club	Latest call-up
GK	Chérif Dine Akakpo	(1997-12-01) 1 December 1997	2	0	Les Buffles	v.  Zambia, 8 June 2021
GK	Marcel Dandjinou	(1998-06-25) 25 June 1998	0	0	JDR Stars	v.  Sierra Leone, 30 March 2021
DF	Séidou Barazé	(1990-10-20) 20 October 1990	24	0	Schiltigheim	v.  Sierra Leone, 30 March 2021
DF	Emmanuel Imorou	(1988-09-16) 16 September 1988	22	0	Évian	v.  Sierra Leone, 30 March 2021
MF	Djiman Koukou	(1990-11-14) 14 November 1990	42	1	Les Herbiers VF	v.  Sierra Leone, 15 June 2021
MF	Stéphane Sessègnon	(1984-06-01) 1 June 1984	83	24	Free agent	v.  Sierra Leone, 30 March 2021
FW	Cebio Soukou	(1992-10-02) 2 October 1992	17	2	SV Sandhausen	v.  DR Congo, 6 September 2021
FW	Jacques Bessan	(1993-09-15) 15 September 1993	9	1	Olympique Béja	v.  Sierra Leone, 30 March 2021
FW	Cebio Soukou	(1992-10-02) 2 October 1992	17	2	SV Sandhausen	v.  DR Congo, 6 September 2021

|- |FW !Rudy Gestede | (1988-09-10) 10 September 1988 | 0 | 0 | Esteghlal |v.  Sierra Leone, 4 December 2021 |}