Benin’s players join Messi’s last tango

Benin’s players are joining Lionel Messi’s last tango. Their national team has arrived in Argentina, and some of its players took the opportunity to buy souvenirs in Buenos Aires.

The meeting is set for Wednesday at 01:00, when Lionel Messi is due to play his final match with Argentina at the Monumental. Benin will be the opponent, but attention is expected to focus above all on the number 10’s last touches. The account of the match describes the Beninese side as competing in a distinctly lower category.

Asked what Messi meant to him, Tijani called him “the best in the world”. The doctor accompanying him described Messi as “the god of football”. A Benin defender also summed up the approach to facing the star: “You don’t have to defend Messi. You just have to enjoy him.”

The admiration is not confined to the stands: Messi’s opponents feel it too. The match matters to Benin, but the chance to watch Messi in action gives the occasion an added significance.