Romaine Gandonou
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Romaine Yenido Gandonou | ||
| Date of birth | 13 November 2010 | ||
| Place of birth | Akpro-Missérété, Benin | ||
| Position | Forward | ||
| Team information | |||
Current team | Tambours FC | ||
| Number | 7 | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2022–2023 | Aigle Royal | ||
| 2023– | Tambours FC | 35 | (89) |
| International career‡ | |||
| Benin U15 | |||
| 2024– | Benin U17 | 13 | (15) |
| 2025– | Benin U20 | 8 | (17) |
| 2025– | Benin | 3 | (1) |
|
* Club domestic league appearances and goals as of 26 February 2026 ‡ National team caps and goals as of 4 July 2026 | |||
Romaine Yenido Gandonou (born 13 November 2010) is a Beninese footballer who plays as striker for Tambours FC in Benin's Division 1 Féminine and the Benin national football teams across all categories.
Early life
Born into a football-oriented environment, Gandonou began playing at a young age with her father, Victor Gandonou, a former player of Jeunesse Athlétique de Missérété.[1] She developed her early technical foundation through regular training within a supportive family environment.[1]
She initially engaged in multiple sports, notably athletics, which contributed to her speed and physical development. She later joined the Étoile FC Akpro-Missérété academy, where she competed in youth tournaments and developed her attacking profile.[1]
Club career
In 2021, Gandonou was selected following a talent identification campaign organised by Tambours FC. She was among the first recruits when the club launched its women's section.[2] She began her senior career in the second division with Aigle Royal, helping the team secure promotion to the top flight during the 2022–23 season. She later returned to Tambours FC the following season.
In the 2023–24 season in the Beninese Division 2 Féminine (D2), she became the top scorer with 53 goals in 14 matches, playing a decisive role in the team's promotion. In the following season, competing in la division 1 féminine (D1), she scored 19 goals in 15 matches, again finishing as the league's leading scorer.[3] and was later named best player and top scorer at the Trophées Footeuses 229, the main individual awards in Beninese women's football.[4]
Following her performances during the African qualification campaign for the 2026 FIFA U-20 Women's World Cup, Gandonou travelled to France in May 2026 to undergo a trial with Paris Saint-Germain.[5][6]
International career
Gandonou has progressed through the youth ranks of the Benin national teams, having represented the under-15, under-17 and under-20 sides before being called up to the senior national team.[7] She rose to prominence during the qualifying campaign for the 2026 FIFA U-20 Women's World Cup, in which she has scored 14 goals in six matches to finish as the competition's top scorer.[8][9]
Her qualifying campaign has included four goals in a 5–1 win over Guinea[10] and a hat-trick in a 4–0 victory against Egypt in Lomé, contributing to Benin's progression to the next round with a 5–0 aggregate score.[11] In the final round, she scored in both legs against the Ivory Coast to help Benin secure qualification for their first-ever FIFA women's tournament.[12]
In October 2025, at the age of 14, she received her first call-up to the senior national team (Les Amazones) for 2026 WAFCON qualifying matches against Nigeria.[13] On 28 February, she scored her first senior international goal, converting a penalty in the 60th minute against Ivory Coast in a 2–1 defeat, after coming on as a substitute around the hour mark.[14]
References
- 1 2 3 Aklozo, Roméo (15 February 2026). "Romaine Yenido GANDONOU, le talent forgé par le travail et l'héritage". lemiroirmagazine.com (in French). Retrieved 16 April 2026.
- ↑ Gnamesso, Ablam (26 February 2026). "Romaine Gandonou, 15 ans, machine à buts qui affole l'Europe". sportnewsafrica.com (in French). Retrieved 16 April 2026.
- ↑ "Bénin | Football Féminin : De la D2 à la D1, Romaine Gandonou, meilleure buteuse deux saisons de suite". sportsenplus.wordpress.com (in French). 18 July 2025. Retrieved 16 April 2026.
- ↑ Drofath, Adam (21 November 2025). "Championnat Féminin D1 : Qui Détrônera Romaine Gandonou aux Trophées Footeuses 229 ?". footeusesplus-africa.com (in French). Retrieved 16 April 2026.
- ↑ "Mercato : Romaine Gandonou en France, le rêve européen se rapproche". lemiroirmagazine (in French). 12 May 2026. Retrieved 13 May 2026.
- ↑ Donche, Henry (12 May 2026). "Bénin : à 15 ans, Romaine Gandonou affole déjà les recruteurs européens". beninwebtv.com. Retrieved 13 May 2026.
- ↑ Hemankpan, Jean-Paul (19 February 2026). "Bon à savoir sur Romaine Gandonou, la « Machine à Buts » des Amazones". carrefoot.com (in French). Retrieved 16 April 2026.
- ↑ Atika, Victorin (15 February 2026). "Romaine Yenido GANDONOU : l'ascension d'un talent façonné par l'effort". sportssearchlight.com (in French). Retrieved 16 April 2026.
- ↑ "Mondial U20 Féminin : Romaine Gandonou meilleure buteuse des éliminatoires". sportnewsafrica.com. 11 May 2026. Retrieved 13 May 2026.
- ↑ Tolo Kpadonou, Hilary Christelle (20 September 2025). "Éliminatoires Mondial U20 (F) : Le Bénin confortement porté par Romaine Gandonou, face à la Guinée". panafricafootball.com (in French). Retrieved 16 April 2026.
- ↑ Vianney, Juflor (13 February 2026). "Éliminatoires Mondial U20 : porté par Romaine Gandonou, les Amazones détruisent l'Égypte". lechampion.bj (in French). Retrieved 16 April 2026.
- ↑ Defly, Edinam Franck (11 May 2026). "Coupe du Monde Féminine U20 : Romaine Gandonou, l'attaquante du Bénin a survolé les éliminatoires". africatopsports.com (in French). Retrieved 13 May 2026.
- ↑ "Éliminatoires CAN Féminine 2026 : Le Bénin dévoile sa liste pour le choc face au Nigeria". megasportsmedia.com (in French). 10 October 2025. Retrieved 13 May 2026.
- ↑ Viwami, Geraud (28 February 2026). "Amazones : Gandonou buteuse en amical". bjfoot.com (in French). Retrieved 16 April 2026.