Gernot Rohr Breaks Silence on How Benin Were Treated at Messi’s Farewell

• Benin coach Gernot Rohr has opened up that Argentina blocked his players from accessing Lionel Messi after his international farewell match
• Several Benin players had prepared shirts to exchange with Argentina's squad, but security prevented them from reaching the tunnel
• Rohr himself managed to secure a special souvenir involving a Messi shirt from the 2018 World Cup

Benin head coach Gernot Rohr has spoken publicly about his players' frustration after Argentina reportedly prevented them from taking photographs with Lionel Messi or exchanging shirts following the football icon's final international appearance.

Argentina beat Benin 3-0 at the Monumental Stadium in Buenos Aires, with Messi scoring a penalty and setting up two goals in an emotional send-off that brought his 22-year international career to a close.

How Benin players were treated by Argentina

Despite the occasion, Rohr told Rothens' enflamme on RMC that the post-match atmosphere fell short of what his players had hoped for.

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Benin angry over alleged poor treatment by Argentina during Messi farewell

"The only dark spot is that the Argentinians didn't give us anything. Not a photo of Messi, not a jersey. They didn't even let us into the tunnel; security was refusing everyone," the German coach said.

Watch the interview, as shared on X:

Rohr explained that a number of his players had specifically set aside their own jerseys ahead of the game, intending to swap them with Argentina's squad at full time. Those plans came to nothing.

The disappointment was particularly sharp given the effort Benin had made to honour Messi before kick-off.

Captain Sessi D'Almeida presented the Argentine legend with a statue, a rose, and a handwritten letter from the squad as a mark of respect ahead of his farewell.

Rohr's revelation substantiates earlier reports filed by investigative journalist Romain Molina.

Rohr secures his own Messi souvenir

The coach himself, however, left Buenos Aires with a cherished memento.

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Rohr gave Argentina manager Lionel Scaloni a Messi shirt from the 2018 World Cup, and Scaloni had the shirt signed by Messi before returning it to Rohr.

In spite of the post-match disappointment, Rohr said he regarded the overall experience as a genuinely special one for his squad, many of whom are young players unlikely to share a pitch with a figure of Messi's stature again.

The 3-0 scoreline mattered far less, he suggested, than the privilege of being present for such a historic occasion at one of world football's most iconic venues.

Why did Messi receive cards after his farewell?

In another publication, YEN.com.gh reported that referee Fernando Véjar presented Lionel Messi with the yellow and red cards he showed him during Argentina’s farewell match.

The Chilean referee gave the cards to Messi as a personal gesture to honour the Argentine superstar, rather than as disciplinary sanctions.

Source: YEN.com.gh