Sessi D’Almeida Neftci Scout Report
Sessi D’Almeida
Quick Answer
Sessi D’Almeida came through the Bordeaux academy in France and played for Barnsley, Blackpool and Yeovil Town in England, Valenciennes and Pau again in France, and Apollon Limassol in Cyprus before joining Neftci on 5 June 2025, an experienced defensive midfielder with 50 caps for the Benin national team. His biggest strength is a long, consistent run in the Benin national team; the key watch point is how settled he becomes at 30 in the latest stop of a career spanning several countries and leagues.
Player Info Card
| Full name | Sessi D’Almeida |
| Date of birth | 20 November 1995 |
| Age | 30 |
| Place of birth | Bordeaux, France |
| Nationality | Benin |
| Primary position | Defensive Midfield |
| Shirt number | 6 |
| Current club | Neftci (5 June 2025 (from Apollon Limassol)) |
| Contract status | Two-year deal with a third-year option |
Career History
| Period | Club | Note |
|---|---|---|
| 2013-2015 | Bordeaux B | France — 33 appearances, 1 goal |
| 2014-2015 | Bordeaux | France Ligue 1 — 2 appearances, debut 12 December 2013 in the UEFA Europa League |
| 2015-2016 | PSG Academy | France — 16 appearances |
| 2016-2017 | Barnsley | England — 3 appearances |
| 2017-2018 | Blackpool | England — 23 appearances |
| 2018-2019 | Yeovil Town | England — 35 appearances, 1 goal |
| 2019-2022 | Valenciennes | France — 55 appearances, 1 goal |
| 2022 | CD Tondela (loan) | Portugal — 8 appearances |
| 2022-2024 | Pau | France — 68 appearances, 1 goal |
| 2024-2025 | Apollon Limassol | Cyprus — 29 appearances |
| 2025-present | Neftci | Azerbaijan Premier League — 21 appearances |
Born in Bordeaux, D’Almeida came through Bordeaux’s academy and made his debut on 12 December 2013 in the UEFA Europa League against Maccabi Tel Aviv, with his Ligue 1 debut following on 23 August 2014. Over his career he played for Barnsley, Blackpool and Yeovil Town in England, Valenciennes and Pau again in France, had a loan spell at CD Tondela in Portugal, and played for Apollon Limassol in Cyprus. He signed a two-year deal with Neftci, with a third-year option, on 5 June 2025, making 21 appearances at the club. He made his senior Benin debut in 2015 against Equatorial Guinea, appeared at the 2019 and 2025 Africa Cup of Nations, and has earned 50 caps; his sole international goal came on 16 October 2018 against Algeria.
Playing Style & Assessment
D’Almeida offers a defensive-midfield profile shaped by his multi-country experience, taking on a ball-winning and structuring role in the middle of the park.
Strengths
- Broad national-team experience — 50 caps for Benin and two Africa Cup of Nations appearances point to familiarity with top-level pressure.
- Multi-country adaptation — Having played in France, England, Portugal, Cyprus and Azerbaijan points to broad adaptation capacity.
- Regular minutes at Neftci — Making 21 appearances in his first season points to a settled squad role.
Development Areas
- Age — At 30, physical durability is an area requiring careful management.
- Limited attacking output — Low goal and assist numbers throughout a long career show his direct attacking contribution has been limited.
- Stability question — Frequent club and country changes throughout his career show a long-term core role at one club has been limited.
Level Projection
Verdict: An experienced defensive midfielder with broad national-team experience and a multi-country career; could be assessed as a rotation or experience signing for mid-to-upper-table Süper Lig sides looking for ball-winning and structure.
Sporting Director’s Note
| Current level | Süper Lig experience/rotation defensive midfielder |
| Primary role | Defensive Midfield |
| Transfer cost | Data insufficient |
| Key strength | Broad national-team experience |
| Key risk | Age |
| Scout verdict | Track for a while longer |
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is Sessi D’Almeida? An experienced defensive midfielder with 50 caps for Benin who played in France, England, Portugal and Cyprus before joining Neftci in 2025.
How many national-team caps does Sessi D’Almeida have? 50 caps for Benin, including appearances at the 2019 and 2025 Africa Cup of Nations.
Sources & Methodology
This profile was compiled by cross-referencing Transfermarkt, the club’s official profile page, Wikipedia and accessible football data platforms. Tactical commentary and the level projection are GegenSports editorial assessments.
- Wikipedia — Sessi D’Almeida
- AfricaSoccer.com — Sessi D’Almeida Neftci transfer news
- Transfermarkt — Sessi D’Almeida transfer history
