Egypt continue their journey in the 35th edition of the Africa Cup of Nations, currently being held in Morocco, as they prepare to face Benin on Monday, January 5, in the Round of 16. The match will be played at Adrar Stadium in Agadir and marks the second meeting between the two sides in AFCON finals, following their group-stage encounter in the 2019 tournament, where Egypt secured a 2–0 victory.
Nicknamed “The Squirrels,” Benin are making their fifth appearance at the Africa Cup of Nations. The Beninese Football Federation was founded in 1962 and joined both FIFA and CAF shortly afterward. According to the December FIFA rankings, Benin sit 20th in Africa and 92nd globally with 1,255.73 points, while their best-ever global ranking was 59th in late 2009 and early 2010.
Benin qualified for the current tournament after finishing second in their qualification group alongside Nigeria, Rwanda, and Libya, collecting eight points from two wins, two draws, and two losses. They scored seven goals and conceded the same number, with Andreas Hountondji and Steve Mounié emerging as the team’s top scorers in qualifying, each netting twice.
The team is currently coached by experienced German manager Gernot Rohr, who has been in charge since February 2023. Under his leadership, Benin have played 26 matches, recording seven wins, nine draws, and ten defeats, while scoring 28 goals and conceding 32.
Benin’s final AFCON squad includes 28 players, 26 of whom are professionals, with 17 playing in Europe. The squad’s total market value is estimated at €13.65 million, and the average age of the team is 26 years.
In the group stage of the current tournament, Benin finished third, advancing to the knockout rounds for only the second time in their AFCON history. They secured a crucial 1–0 victory over Botswana through a goal by Jodel Dossou, while suffering defeats against DR Congo and Senegal.
Historically, Benin have played 14 matches at the Africa Cup of Nations. Their best performance came in Egypt 2019, when they advanced from the group stage for the first time, eliminated Morocco on penalties in the Round of 16, and were narrowly beaten 1–0 by Senegal in the quarterfinals. Prior to that, they had exited early in their first three appearances.
Across all AFCON tournaments, Benin have scored seven goals and conceded 24. Their heaviest defeat was a 4–0 loss to Morocco in the 2004 edition, while their most productive tournament in terms of goals was the 2019 edition, where they scored three times.
As Egypt prepare for the knockout clash, Benin enter the match aiming to repeat their 2019 heroics, while the Pharaohs look to reaffirm their dominance and continue their pursuit of a long-awaited continental title.
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