Benin goalkeeper Marcel Dandjinou vows to deny Lionel Messi in Argentina farewell

Benin goalkeeper Marcel Dandjinou says he will attempt to stop Lionel Messi from scoring when his side face Argentina in what is expected to be the forward’s final match.

Benin are due to meet Argentina after midnight tomorrow in a historic farewell for Messi at the Monumental. The fixture is listed as an international friendly on 6 October 2026, with a 20:00 kick-off.

Dandjinou, 28, is expected to start in goal for Benin and will be tasked with keeping out Messi and his Argentina team-mates. He plays for South African Premier Division club Kruger United.

The goalkeeper spoke to Marca shortly after arriving in Buenos Aires for a match that has also become significant for Benin. There had been controversy around claims the team’s preparations had been affected by inadequate facilities, including reported shortages of light and water at their hotel and problems during training.

Dandjinou rejected those claims, saying: “We have not had any problems. We are fine here in Buenos Aires. Why do you say that? The truth is that we have had good conditions.”

He acknowledged the importance of facing Messi, but insisted Benin would not simply be there to mark the occasion.

“For me, this match is not like any other,” he said. “I think it is an opportunity that does not come around again, because it is Messi’s last match. It is a special game. But look, we are here for Argentina and for Messi, while also remembering that we represent our country.”

He added: “We are here to defend Benin. This is football: 11 players against 11. We can win, draw, or they can win, but it is football. We are not here to be tourists in Argentina; we are here to play and compete. It will be a great day in our lives.”

Dandjinou said sharing the pitch with Messi would be difficult to imagine, given how long he had watched him play.

“For me, Messi is one of the legends of football,” he said. “We grew up watching him. He is one of our favourite players. To be able to play against him now, on the same pitch, is unbelievable. I never imagined this would happen, but it will happen on Tuesday. For me, Leo is a legend, a real legend.”

Asked whether he would allow Messi to score a late penalty in his final game, Dandjinou was clear.

“No, no,” he said. “I am a goalkeeper and my job is to save shots. Even if it is the last minute and Argentina are awarded a penalty, if Messi takes it, I will try to save it. It is as simple as that: it is football. Yes, we are here to celebrate Messi, but nobody asked us to give him a goal. Knowing Messi, there is no need to give him anything. If he wants to score, he must do everything possible to achieve it.”

On reports Benin’s players had drawn lots to decide who would ask for Messi’s shirt, he said every player wanted one. “It would be great if they made lots of shirts and gave one to each player,” he added.

Dandjinou described the match as a memory that would stay with him forever and called Messi one of the best players in the sport, alongside Cristiano Ronaldo. “They have taught us a lot about football,” he said. “For me, Leo is one of the best players in this sport, one of its kings.”