FIFA Day, March 2026: Gernot Rohr justifies Guinea and Palestine’s selections
The Benin national team coach, Gernot Rohr, justified the choices of Guinea and Palestine for the Leopards’ friendlies during the March 2026 international break. Two opponents with opposite profiles aimed at best preparing for the upcoming official fixtures.
SUMMARY
As the March international window approaches, Gernot Rohr wanted to clear up any ambiguity about the choice of opponents selected for Benin’s upcoming friendly matches. Guinea and Palestine will be on the menu, two opponents with distinctly different profiles.
The Franco-German coach recalled a reality often little known to the general public: not all federations have the same pull on the market for international matches. « We cannot always choose our opponents, because we are not a very large footballing nation that can afford this luxury. We choose among the proposals we receive,» he explained in remarks relayed by Africatosports.
Guinea, a high-level test
Regarding Guinea, Gernot Rohr sees it as a quality sparring partner. The Syli National is brimming with players who compete in major European leagues and, according to him, fuels a strong spirit of revenge after missing the last Africa Cup of Nations. An ideal opponent to gauge the current level of Benin’s squad and measure the progress achieved in recent months.
The second match against Palestine follows a different logic. The idea is to expose the Leopards to a less familiar style, drawn from another geographic region. « There will also be Palestine, a team we rarely have the opportunity to face. Playing against a national team from another region of the world is always interesting to gain new experiences», said the Leopards’ coach.
Beyond results, this gathering should help refine automatisms and broaden the team’s tactical repertoire. With just a few months to go before the next official fixtures, the Benin staff intends to multiply varied situations to best prepare its players.
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