Benin captain Steve Mounié has paid tribute to English Premier League cult hero Stephane Sessegnon, the country's 'GOAT' footballer, as the West African nation embark on a decisive week in their footballing history.
The Stallions, now under the leadership of former Nigeria head coach Gernot Rohr, had two landmarks in their target at the ongoing Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco: to win the country's first ever game at the AFCON, and to advance to the knockouts for the second time. They've already done both: a 1-0 win over Botswana sealing their progress into the round-of-16.
The last time they advanced to the knockouts, in 2019, they became the first team to reach an AFCON quarterfinal without 'winning' a match: they qualified to the knockouts as a best third place finisher after three draws in the group stage shocked Morocco 4-1 on penalties (1-1 after extra time).
This new generation, led by veteran Mounie, are looking to write a new chapter for the country -- formerly one of Africa's minnows -- but the on-loan Alanyaspor striker insisted that the current crop wouldn't be where they are today without Sessegnon's example.
"Stephane is the absolute legend of Benin football, and many young Beninois wanted to play for Benin because of him," Mounie told ESPN. "I remember when I met him, when I was at Perpignan and he was at Paris Saint-Germain. We took a photo that day, but I never realised that later I would meet up with him with the national team," the striker recalled. "I showed him the photo!"
The 41-year-old Sessegnon, who retired in 2023, represented the national side for 19 years, and was present in 2010 when they took their first point at the Nations Cup. When he left the international scene two years ago, he departed as the country's record caps holder and goalscorer, having also become the first Beninois player to feature in the Premier League when he signed for Sunderland in 2011.
"He was a great player for Benin, an exceptional talent," Mounie added. "We miss him for Benin, and he know what he achieved will never be replicated."
Nonetheless, Mounie is playing his part in some history of his own at the ongoing tournament, registering the assist for Yohan Roche on Saturday as Benin defeated Botswana to claim their first ever Nations Cup victory at the 16th attempt.
Having first qualified for the tournament in 2004, Benin drew one match and lost eight across their first three appearances, and then came the four draws en-route the 2019 quarterfinals, where they lost to Senegal.
Now, having finally won a fixture at the tournament, they can set their sights on returning to the knockouts, with Mounie, who followed his hero to the Premier League with Huddersfield Town in 2017, only two goals behind Sessegnon in the country's all-time scoring charts.
Now 31, he's one of the squad's elder statesmen, and is relishing his role as the spearhead of Benin's quest for the latter stages.
"What's changed? I would say maturity, my status at the heart of the team, [I have] a totally different role [these days]," he added. "I carry the team, and my role Is different.
"Back in the day we had Stephane to push us, he was the leader, and I was just a regular player in the squad," Mounie concluded. "Nowadays, I have a lot more responsibility."
Before the Botswana game, the strike vowed that Benin would "break the bad dynamic" of their failure to win an AFCON match and take that subsequent "serene mindset" into the final group game against giants Senegal.
Now they're here, and already with progress guaranteed as one of the best third-placed teams at least, expect Benin's history-writing campaign to go on a little longer yet.