Benin: Premier League Nations
Continuing our alphabetical world tour, next up is Benin. A small West African nation, Benin have had just three players wave their flag in the Premier League, the first of whom was…
First Player – Stèphane Sességnon (Sunderland, West Brom; 2011-16)
Lightning fast and with an eye for goal, versatile forward Stèphane Sességnon became the first Beninese player in the Premier League when he joined Sunderland from PSG in 2011.
He spent two and a half years at the Stadium of Light, before becoming West Brom’s record transfer. He spent a further three seasons at the Hawthorns before returning to France with Montpellier.
Records
- Most Appearances – Stèphane Sességnon (169)
- First appearance – Stèphane Sességnon (SUNDERLAND 2-4 Chelsea, February 1st 2011)
- Most goals – Stèphane Sességnon (25)
- First goal – Stèphane Sességnon (SUNDERLAND 4-2 Wigan, April 23rd 2011)
Other players
The most recent Beninese to play in the Premier League was Steve Mounie, who was relegated with Huddersfield Town in 2019. Before that, Rudy Gestede was relegated with Middlesbrough in 2017, having previously suffered the drop with Aston Villa and Cardiff.
All three Beninese Premier League players were strikers.
Trivia
- Including Benin, all eight nations to have had exactly three players represent them in the Premier League are in Africa or the Caribbean.
- Of all the countries to have had more than two players appear in the Premier League, Benin are the only country to have had 100% of their players score a goal.
- Rudy Gestede has played in three different Premier League seasons, for three different clubs, and been relegated each time. He has a win percentage of 4% (two wins from 51 appearances)