Benin changing nickname from Squirrels to Cheetahs will make side 'feared'

One Benin fan embraced the Squirrels nickname when the West Africans played at the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations

Benin's football side will be more intimidating to opponents once the team's nickname is changed from the Squirrels to the Cheetahs, according to former international Emmanuel Imorou.

The proposed switch is currently awaiting approval by the West African country's government.

"Calling us the Squirrels was not really scary for our opponents," Imorou told BBC Sport Africa,

"Cheetahs are feared but are also classy animals with some charisma."

The 33-year-old added: "I really like it. I didn't hear from my ex-team-mates yet, but I think that we have the same opinion on this."

Many of Africa's football sides draw their nicknames from the animal kingdom, with Cameroon's Indomitable Lions, Ivory Coast's Elephants and The Gambia's Scorpions among them.

Les Ecureuils, which translates into English as the Squirrels, was coined by Benin in the 1960s - apparently to reflect a small nation aiming to climb high.

Yet Benin, ranked 91st in the world, have never qualified for the World Cup and have only featured at the Nations Cup finals four times; in 2004, 2008, 2010 and 2019.

A change in nickname was previously considered in 2008 and also in 2018, when ex-Huddersfield Town striker Steve Mounie offered his own suggestion of the Pythons.

But now a switch looks set to finally happen, after re-elected Benin Football Federation president Mathurin de Chacus announced his intention for the side to become the Guepards (Cheetahs).

Imorou was part of the Benin squad which reached the quarter-finals at the 2019 Nations Cup, and says their nickname was discussed when he was playing.

"When we see our opponents being called the Lions or the Elephants, we thought it would be good to have a name that is a bit more scary," the former Chateauroux, Clermont and Caen left-back said.

Benin have lost their first two qualifiers for the 2023 Nations Cup, and Imorou hopes a rebrand could help an upturn in their fortunes.

"If you manage to come up with a new nice logo, one that emits what Cheetahs emit; class, fear and speed - those are the first things that come to my mind - we're off to a good start," he said.

"Saying that our opponents will get on the pitch with their legs shaking, I'm not so sure!"

Emmanuel Imorou (right) won 22 caps for Benin