First the qualification for the upcoming Africa Cup, now the great chance for the World Cup: veteran coach Gernot Rohr has brought football dwarf Benin to life. If the “Squirrels” win their last two qualifying games, they will be at the World Cup in 2026.
Gernot Rohr still remembers his first game with Benin with a smile. It was in March 2023, an Africa Cup of Nations qualifier against Rwanda. “It was a crazy match. We were superior, but the ball just didn’t want to go into the goal. Suddenly a fan ran onto the pitch, grabbed the goalkeeper’s white towel and disappeared with it. My assistant explained to me that the towel had put a spell on us. And sure enough, five minutes later we scored the equalizer.”
Rohr in Africa: “Incredible luck”
Gernot Rohr and Africa – it’s a love that started late. In 2010, the now 72-year-old took over the Gabon team and led the “Panthers” to the quarter-finals of the 2012 Africa Cup. A drastic experience that left the Mannheim native deeply inspired: “Since I’ve been working as a trainer in Africa, I’ve become looser and more relaxed. This also has to do with the mentality of the people. They manage to enjoy life despite difficult conditions. I see myself as a trainer who is incredibly lucky to be able to work on this great continent.”
Talented: Humphrey Kegongo (l.) and Co. from Benin.
Joy in life and enormous enthusiasm for football – that’s also the case in little Benin. The country only has around 15 million inhabitants – it is sandwiched between Nigeria and Togo on the West African Gulf of Guinea. The national soccer team was never really able to draw attention to itself in the shadow of its big neighbors – until Rohr took over the team in February 2023.
There are still two wins left for the World Cup
The German-Frenchman, who lived in Bordeaux on the Atlantic coast for many years after his active football career (including Bayern Munich), did not take long to be persuaded to take his fifth job as a national coach in Africa. “We qualified for the Africa Cup of Nations and the 2026 World Cup is possible. That would be a nice end to my coaching career“, he says.
His team’s chances are great. Since rival South Africa had three points deducted by FIFA due to the use of an ineligible player, Benin has been tied with South Africa (both 14 points) at the top of Qualifying Group C. There are two more matches for Benin: First it will be in Rwanda on Friday (October 10th, 2025), then the team will travel to Nigeria for the last game.
Olaf Jansen, sports show, October 9th, 2025 10:04 a.m
Euphoria in Benin
In Benin everything is already prepared for a huge party, the fans are on cloud nine. It’s clear that Rohr is putting the brakes on the euphoria: “We are at the top of this group, but we mustn’t get carried away. No euphoria”warns Rohr. “The most difficult part lies ahead with the two away games.”
| country | games | Points | Goals |
|---|---|---|---|
1. Benin | 8 | 14 | +4 |
2. South Africa | 8 | 14 | +3 |
3. Nigeria | 8 | 11 | +2 |
4. Rwanda | 8 | 11 | 0 |
5. Lesotho | 8 | 9 | -3 |
6. Zimbabwe | 8 | 4 | -6 |
South Africa plays two parallel home games against Zimbabwe and Lesotho – which are easier to manage on paper. The qualification mode says: The first in the group travels directly to the World Cup, the second – if they are one of the four with the best points in all nine qualifying groups – has the chance to qualify through the playoffs.
Many players from the national league
What they particularly give credit to their coach in Benin: While many African national teams have increased their quality in recent years by specifically recruiting well-trained players with African roots in Europe, Rohr consciously took a different approach: He looked around the country and incorporated many young players from his own league.
He explains: “We had to make a change. We had many players over 30 years old, including five players who were well over 35 years old – including the two captains Stéphane Sessègnon and Khaled Adénon. The team had to be rejuvenated and that was my job.”
“Sexy Challenge”
Rohr didn’t necessarily expect that the young players without much international experience would perform so well: “We integrated a lot of U-20 players and quickly became one of the youngest teams in Africa. We also gave players from the domestic league a chance.”
He finds: “The boys work very well, but of course it took time. It was a big challenge, but that’s exactly what really appealed to me about this task.”
“You have to adapt”
Rohr is now revered as a hero in Benin. He seems to have found the right approach to players, managers and fans. His recipe? “As a coach, you have to adapt, but I have no problem with that at all. This goes from the culinary aspects of the courses to the music in the team bus – and that’s fun. You have to have tolerance and not try to introduce European standards.”
With a lot of empathy we will definitely go to the African Championships in Morocco in December. And then maybe go to the World Cup next summer? The next few days will show.