Benin coach Gernot Rohr criticises Argentina treatment after Messi farewell

Benin coach Gernot Rohr says his players were left disappointed after Argentina prevented them from taking photos with Lionel Messi or exchanging shirts following their 3-0 defeat in Buenos Aires.

Argentina beat Benin at the packed Monumental Stadium on Tuesday in what was Messi’s final appearance for the national team, with more than 85,000 fans present for the occasion.

Rohr said his players had hoped to collect souvenirs from a historic night, particularly because of the opportunity to share the pitch with one of football’s greatest players.

“The only shame is that the Argentines gave us nothing,” he said. “No photo with Messi, no shirt. They didn’t even let us into the tunnel, nor even the dressing room.”

Security restrictions frustrated Benin players

Rohr said several Benin players attempted to exchange shirts with their Argentine counterparts but were unable to reach the opposition dressing room because of security arrangements.

“Some players came to swap shirts, so we knew it would be difficult. We tried everything, but we got nothing,” he added.

The German coach was able to secure one personal memento from the occasion.

Rohr said he gave Argentina coach Lionel Scaloni an Argentina shirt from 2018, which Scaloni subsequently had signed by Messi before returning it to him.

A historic night for Benin

Despite the disappointment, Rohr said the experience of playing Argentina at the Monumental remained valuable for his squad, particularly for his younger players.

The match formed part of Benin’s October international schedule, but the occasion was dominated by Messi’s farewell to international football.

Rohr had acknowledged before the game that the attention would inevitably be focused on Argentina’s captain, while insisting that Benin would approach the match competitively.

For the Benin players, the occasion offered a rare opportunity to test themselves against the reigning South American football power in front of a huge crowd.

Messi signs off with goals and assists

Messi scored from the penalty spot and set up goals for Nicolas Otamendi and Nico Paz as Argentina secured a 3-0 victory.

The match brought the curtain down on a 21-year international career in which Messi made 208 appearances and scored 126 goals for Argentina.

For Benin, the result was secondary to an experience that Rohr believes his players will remember for years, even though their attempts to exchange shirts and take photographs with Argentina’s stars came to nothing.

Despite leaving Buenos Aires without the souvenirs many of his players had hoped to collect, Rohr described the trip as a memorable opportunity for the African side.