Benin national football team
The Benin national football team, (French: Équipe nationale de Football du Benin) nicknamed "Les Écureuils (The Squirrels)", represents Benin in men's international association football and is controlled by the Benin Football Federation. They were known as the Dahomey national football team until 1975, when Republic of Dahomey became Benin. They have never qualified for the World Cup, but have reached four African Nations Cup in recent years, never placing in the top 2 in the group stage – 2004, 2008, 2010 and 2019. In 2019, they reached the knockouts as the third most successful third place  team, before making the quarter-finals with a shock win over Morocco, but later lost to Senegal. On 8 February 2010 after the preliminary competition from the 2010 Africa Cup of Nations in Angola, the Benin Football Federation dissolved the national team, coach Henri Dussuyer and his complete staff were fired. On May 9, 2016, Benin was suspended from FIFA, The team represents both FIFA and Confederation of African Football (CAF). History. The beginnings. Benin's first official game was played at home against Nigeria on November 8, 1959 and resulted in a 1-0 loss. The match was played  while the country was still a dependent of France, prior to its independence on 1st August 1960. Benin has been affiliated with FIFA since 1962 and has been a member of the Confederation of African Football since 1969. 2004–2010. Benin qualified for the first time in its history for the final phase of the African Cup of Nations in 2004. The Beninese were eliminated in the first round, after losing three times (against South Africa, Morocco and Nigeria). Against Nigeria, Moussa Latoundji scored his country's first goal in a CAN finals. In 2008, Benin qualified for the second CAN  in its history. Benin was again eliminated in the first round having lost all three matches (against Mali, Ivory Coast and Nigeria). Benin scored only one goal during the tournament during its 4-1 defeat against Ivory Coast, scored by Razak Omotoyossi. In 2010, Benin's football championship was suspended after the Benin Football Federation's president, Anjorin Moucharaf arrested. Members of the BFF decried the imprisonment, saying that Moucharaf had been unjustly accused of fraud, leading to 12 of the 15 board members resigning in protest. During the 2010 World Cup qualifiers, Benin finished at the top of their  group in the second round. Benin had started with a defeat in Angola but went on to win the next four matches and ensure their qualification before the final day. In the third round of the qualifiers, Benin finished second in their group, three points behind Ghana. Despite not qualifying for the 2010 FIFA World Cup, Benin's second place finish ensured their participation in the 2010 Africa Cup of Nations, where Benin drew against Mozambique to win the first point in its history at the CAN. Benin then lost their other two matches against Nigeria and Egypt to finish  third in the group and fail to progress to the next round. 2012–present. In the second round of the 2014 World Cup qualifiers, Benin was placed in Group H with Algeria, Mali and Rwanda. Benin finished third in this group where only the first qualified for the third round of qualifying. Results and fixtures. The following is a list of match results in the last 12 months, as well as any future matches that have been scheduled. Players. Current squad. The following players were called up for the friendlies against Liberia, Zambia and Togo on 24, 27 and 29  March 2022. "Caps and goals correct as of 29 March 2022, after the match against Togo." Recent call-ups. The following players have been called up for Benin in the last 12 months.