Spotlight on Michel Boni, Brentford's rising star who chose Benin | OneFootball

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Of English nationality, he was also courted by France and Ivory Coast

Spotlight on Michel Boni, Brentford's rising star who chose Benin

Michel Boni is just 17 years old, and he’s just been called up by Gernot Rohr to join the Benin Cheetahs. An invitation that naturally draws attention to this young player still developing at Brentford.

Born in Milton Keynes (England) on March 28, 2008, Michel Boni is a product of two continents and several cultures. His father is Ivorian, his mother is Beninese. He grew up in England with a French passport. According to Football Insider, France, Ivory Coast, and Benin were all recently vying for the international signature of the young forward. It was Gernot Rohr, Benin's national team manager, who made the decisive call for the next Cheetahs training camp, with Benin now a 2025 AFCON Round of 16 qualifier.

For Michel Boni, this decision isn’t just administrative. It’s deeply personal. It’s about family. And it reflects the values his parents have instilled in him since childhood, according to his own words on Brentford FC’s official website:

A debut that’s turning heads

Michel Boni started out at Leicester City, the club that won the Premier League in 2016. But it’s at Brentford—a club renowned for its innovative approach to youth development—where he’s now thriving. His performances with the reserve team in the Premier League Cup speak for themselves: 4 goals in 7 matches is an outstanding start for a 17-year-old striker.

Standing 1.86 meters tall and skilled with both feet, the youngster represented by Game Changer FA is a rare profile: powerful, mobile, and clinical with either foot:

Drogba and Hamilton as role models

To understand Michel Boni, you have to look at the men he admires. Two icons inspire him: one on the football pitch, the other on the racetrack:

His admiration for Lewis Hamilton goes beyond football. It’s about something deeper: identity, pride, and the responsibility of being a young Black athlete in a sport still marked by inequality:

With friendlies lined up against Palestine and Guinea in Morocco during this March FIFA window, Michel Boni is set to experience his first moments with Benin. It’s the perfect opportunity for fans to discover this emerging talent.