Benin’s head coach, Gernot Rohr, remains optimistic about his team’s prospects ahead of the 2024 Africa Cup of Nations, despite their outsider status in the competition.
Rohr is focused on achieving an honourable performance, with his sights set on advancing from the group stage, even if his team is drawn into a tough group.
The goal, when you compete, is always to win,” Rohr said in a recent interview.
We want to do well, even if we are in pot three or four… It will depend on the FIFA and CAF rankings.
We will necessarily face teams that are, on paper, better than us.
Rohr is realistic about Benin’s chances but is confident in his team’s ability to progress to the knockout stages.
We won’t be favourites, but we would like to get out of the group,” he added. “To do that, you need to finish in the top two or be one of the three or four best third-placed teams.
Looking back at their 2019 campaign, where Benin secured a place in the knockout rounds despite not winning a match, Rohr emphasized the importance of progression.
In 2019, we didn’t win a single match, only on penalties. But we had three draws to get to this position.
We’re going to do everything we can to get out of the group this time.”
For Rohr, success will be built on a foundation of qualities that go beyond skill.
You need fighting spirit, a sense of sacrifice for the group and the country, solidarity, determination, efficiency, rigor, and discipline,” he explained. “It’s a lot, but we are demanding, and that will come through if we want to progress.
With Rohr’s leadership and Benin’s determination, the team hopes to make a strong impression in the tournament.
