The Benin national football team, known as the "Les Écureuils" (The Squirrels), represents the West African nation in international football under the Fédération Béninoise de Football. Based in Cotonou, the team plays its home matches at the Stade de l'Amitié. For much of its history, Benin was considered an underdog in African football. However, the modern era has seen a significant rise, culminating in a historic achievement: qualifying for the Africa Cup of Nations in 2019 for the first time in nearly a decade, and then remarkably advancing to the quarter-finals, their best-ever performance. That team, organized and resilient, captured the imagination of the continent. Players like Stéphane Sessègnon have been key figures. The current squad continues to build on that success, aiming to become regular participants at the AFCON and to challenge for World Cup qualification. The fanbase is growing in enthusiasm, rallying behind a team that has shown that with determination, even the smallest squirrels can climb the tallest trees in African football.