Messi farewell: Rohr fumes after Benin players denied photos, shirts
by Hassan Muaz · The Eagle OnlineBenin head coach Gernot Rohr has criticised the treatment his players received after Tuesday’s friendly against Argentina, claiming they were prevented from taking photographs with Lionel Messi and exchanging shirts with the Argentine players.
Argentina defeated Benin 3-0 at the Monumental Stadium in Buenos Aires in what marked Messi’s final appearance for the national team.
The 39-year-old scored from the penalty spot and provided two assists, setting up Nicolás Otamendi and Nico Paz as Argentina secured victory.
Messi later described the occasion as the “saddest day” of his career as he brought his 21-year international career to an end.
Rohr, however, said his players were unable to enjoy the post-match occasion because security personnel restricted their access to the Argentina squad.
Speaking on RMC radio’s Rothen s’enflamme on Wednesday, the former Nigeria coach said: “Yes, it was extremely difficult. We tried.
“The only shame is that the Argentines gave us nothing. No photo with Messi, no shirt. They didn’t even let us into the tunnel, nor even the dressing room.”
According to Rohr, some Argentina players attempted to exchange shirts with their Benin counterparts, but the interaction was stopped by security.
He added: “Security refused to let anyone in. Some players came to swap shirts, so we knew it would be difficult. We tried everything, but we got nothing.”
The Benin delegation also attempted to present Messi with flowers in the country’s colours, but Rohr said the gesture did not result in a meeting with the Argentina captain.
The German said: “We offered a bouquet of flowers in Benin’s colours, yellow, red and green, but that didn’t work.”
Rohr said he eventually managed to obtain a signed Messi shirt through Argentina coach Lionel Scaloni.
He said: “However, I gave Messi’s 2018 shirt to coach Scaloni, who got him to sign it for me and then returned it to me, but that was all.”
Messi’s farewell to international football was an emotional one, with the Argentina captain addressing supporters inside the Monumental after the victory.
He said: “It was a huge source of pride for me to defend this jersey for more than 20 years.
“Not coming anymore is going to be deeply painful. I swear I’d like to play for the rest of my life, because playing for the Argentina national team is the most beautiful thing that can happen to you.”
Following the match, Messi also paid tribute to his late father, Jorge Messi, and Argentina legend Diego Maradona.
In an Instagram tribute to his father, who died in August aged 68, Messi wrote: “You don’t know how much we missed you last night…”
He also said of Maradona: “I don’t want to forget Diego, who put our country where it deserved to be.”
Messi ended his Argentina career as the country’s most-capped player and leading goalscorer, with 208 appearances and 126 goals.
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