Former Gençlerbirliği Spor Kulübü striker Stéphane Sessegnon will not feature for Benin as they take Gabon in an international friendly set for October 11 in Lisbon, Portugal.
Coach Michel Dussuyer has not named the 36-year old in his 23-man squad.
Sessegnon, who is Benin’s all-time top scorer with 24 goals and the most capped player with 84 caps, is currently searching for a new club after parting ways with the Turkish outfit Gençlerbirliği.
Former Squirrels coach Oumar Tchomogo asked the team not to rely so much on the decorated striker, saying it wouldn’t make sense to name the unattached player in the team.
Dussuyer has just done that picking Jordan Adéoti, Mama Seibou, Anaane Tidjani, Sessi D’Almeida, Rodrigue Kossi and Ahlinvi Matteo.
At the same time, centre forward Désiré Sègbè Azankpo, based in England, is conspicuously missing from the squad that is expected to gather up in camp next week.
The team includes two experienced goalkeepers, Fabien Farnolle and Saturnin Allagbé, while there is a return for Seidou Baraze and Emmanuel Imorou who ply their trade in France.
Benin will be using the friendly as part of their preparations for the upcoming back-to-back 2021 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers against Lesotho in November.
The Squirrels will be seeking to qualify for the African football showpiece for the fifth time as they have only made four appearances at the Nations Cup tournament in 2004, 2008, 2010 and 2014.
Full Squad
Goalkeepers: Fabien Farnolle (BB Erzurmuspor, Turkey), Saturnin Allagbe (Niort, France)
Defenders: Adenon Abdoul Khaled (US Avranches, France), Olivier Verdon (Ludogorets, Bulgaria), Yohan Roche (Rodez AF, France), Youssouf Assogba (Amiens, France), Cédric Hountondji (Clermont, France), Seidou Baraze (SC Schiltigheim, France), Emmanuel Imorou (Thonon Évian, France), Moïse Adilehou (NAC, Netherlands)
Midfielders: Jordan Adéoti (Sarpsborg 08 FF, Norway), Mama Seibou (SC Toulon, France), Anaane Tidjani (Menemen Spor, Turkey), Sessi D’Almeida (Valenciennes, France), Rodrigue Kossi (Club Africain, Tunisia) , Ahlinvi Matteo (Nîmes Olympique, France)
Forwards: Mickaël Poté (Bandirmaspor, Turkey), Steve Mounié (Brest, France), Jodel Dossou (Clermont, France), Marcellin Koukpo (CR Belouziad, Algeria), Cebio Soukou (Arminia Bielfield, Germany), David Djigla (Chamois Niortais, France), Charbel Gomez (Amiens SC, France)
