Gernot Rohr, the man who put Benin back on the map

History will remember Gernot Rohr as the coach who guided Benin to a fifth Africa Cup of Nations finals appearance, after 2004, 2008, 2010 and 2019.

A successful transition

After the memorable 2019 AFCON run in Egypt, where the Cheetahs, then known as the Squirrels, reached the quarter-finals, their best performance in the competition's history, Benin struggled to manage a generational transition. It took the arrival of Gernot Rohr to strike a perfect balance between the old generation and the new. Saturnin Allagbé, Olivier Verdon, Khaled Adenon and Stéphane Sessegnon were all key figures in his first months, but they gradually lost their places in the squad, up until the last of them retired.

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Gernot Rohr has also leaned heavily on young local players, with Abdoul Rachid Moumini the revelation, starting and scoring on his first cap against Senegal on 17 June 2023 (1-1). Others such as Dodo Dokou and Hassane Imourane have stepped up a level since his arrival and have become fixtures in the Cheetahs' XI. The establishment of Marcel Dandjinou as number 1 goalkeeper and Mohamed Tijani at the heart of the defence has also helped tighten up the back line, which finished the 2025 AFCON qualifiers with a clean sheet against Libya (0-0) in Tripoli on Monday.

Convincing results

It must be said that Benin have never been embarrassed, even in defeat under Gernot Rohr. The Cheetahs are increasingly feared and respected by opponents, even though they have not played in Cotonou for more than a year. Ivory Coast, their adopted home, has become a real fortress for Steve Mounié and his team-mates, who have beaten Rwanda twice there, as well as Nigeria and Libya. In all, Gernot Rohr has a record of 5 wins, 6 draws and 5 defeats in 16 games since taking charge of the Benin national team.

Less than two years after his arrival, the Franco-German coach has restored confidence to a side that was looking for another big achievement on the continent. With the Cheetahs qualifying for AFCON 2025, he enters Beninese football folklore. The icing on the cake would be to take Benin to the 2026 World Cup, something that has never happened in the country's history, if the Cheetahs, currently third in Group C on 7 points, level with the top two (Nigeria and Rwanda), keep up this good momentum in March 2025.