Benin Republic head coach Gernot Rohr expressed his disappointment following his team’s heavy 4-0 loss to Nigeria’s Super Eagles in Uyo on Tuesday.
Despite leading their group at one point, the defeat saw the Cheetahs miss out on both World Cup qualification and playoff.
Rohr’s team had been leading the Group C table going into their final game of the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifying series. However, they finished in third place, missing out on a place at the World Cup and failing to secure a spot in the playoffs.
Rohr insisted that they will continue to build for the future after their failure to qualify for the global tournament.
“We’re disappointed because our dream was to play at the World Cup,” Rohr said in a media interaction after the game. “That is my initial reaction—big disappointment. However, we have a young team, and we will continue to build.”
“I am proud of my team because they performed very well despite the numerous challenges we faced during the World Cup qualifiers.”
