Benin goalkeeper Marcel Dandjinou vows to deny Lionel Messi a goal in farewell match

Benin goalkeeper Marcel Dandjinou has warned Lionel Messi that he will not make things easy for the Argentine superstar when the two nations meet in a highly anticipated international friendly at the Monumental Stadium.

Argentina are set to face Benin in what is being billed as Messi’s farewell appearance for the national team, creating a special occasion for the home supporters and the Argentine football fraternity.

While Dandjinou admits the opportunity to face Messi is a dream moment, the Benin goalkeeper insists his responsibility remains to defend his country and compete for a positive result.

“The Argentina match for me is not like any other match. This is something that only happens once in our careers because it is Messi’s last match. It is a special match. We are here for Argentina and Messi, but we must not forget that we are also representing our country. We are here to defend Benin,” Dandjinou told Marca.

The goalkeeper stressed that Benin will not travel to Argentina simply to participate in Messi’s farewell celebrations.

“This is football, 11 players against 11 players. We can win or draw, and they can win, but this is football. We are not here to visit Argentina for tourism but to play and compete. It will be a great day in our lives,” he added.

Dandjinou also expressed his admiration for Messi, admitting that the chance to share the pitch with a player he grew up watching is difficult to comprehend.

“Messi is one of the kings of football. We grew up watching him play. He is one of our favorite players. The ability to play against him on the same pitch is unbelievable. I never imagined it could happen, but it will. For me, Messi is a true legend,” he said.

“No, I am a goalkeeper and my job is to save. Even if it is the last moment and there is a penalty, and if Messi takes it, I will try to save it. It is that simple, it is football,” he declared.

“We are here to celebrate Messi, but no one told us that we have to give him a goal. It is not necessary to give him anything either. If they want to score, they will have to do their best to do so,” he added.