AFCON 2025: Facing Egypt is motivation enough, not $300,000 bonus – Gernot Rohr

Benin head coach Gernot Rohr has played down reports suggesting that his players have been promised a hefty financial reward for defeating Egypt, insisting that the challenge of facing the Pharaohs in the Round of 16 of the Africa Cup of Nations is motivation enough.

Speaking at the pre-match press conference ahead of Monday’s highly anticipated clash in Morocco, Rohr said he was surprised by claims that each Benin player could receive up to $300,000 for reaching the quarter-finals.

He clarified that the reports did not originate from any official source within the Benin Football Federation, stressing that both the technical team and the players became aware of the story through the media.

The German tactician emphasised that coming up against a nation with Egypt’s pedigree carries its own incentive, describing a potential victory over the “Pharaohs” as a moral achievement that outweighs any financial reward due to its sporting and historical significance.

While acknowledging the difficulty of the encounter, Rohr maintained that Benin would approach the game with genuine ambition, noting that pre-match expectations rarely decide outcomes and that football often delivers surprises at such decisive stages of major tournaments.

In a related assessment, the Benin coach pointed out that Egypt may enjoy a physical edge, having rested several key players during the final round of group-stage matches. This, he contrasted with the heavy demands placed on his own squad in their previous fixture against Senegal.

The Round 16 encounter between Egypt and Benin will kick off at 16:00GMT on Monday, January 4.