Messi Farewell: Rohr unhappy as Argentina snub Benin players

Benin head coach Gernot Rohr has criticised Argentina for what he described as poor treatment of his team after their international friendly in which Lionel Messi made his final appearance for the national team.

Argentina defeated Benin 3-0 in front of a packed stadium as fans celebrated Messi’s farewell.

However, Rohr said Benin players were disappointed after they were unable to meet Messi or exchange shirts with Argentina players after the match.

Speaking on French radio programme Rothen s’enflamme, Rohr said the situation was difficult for his players.

“Yes, it was extremely difficult. We tried. The only shame is that the Argentines gave us nothing. No photo with Messi, no shirt.”

He added that Benin officials and players were not allowed into the tunnel or Argentina’s dressing room.

“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,” Rohr said.

The Benin coach also revealed that his team tried to present Messi with a bouquet of flowers in Benin’s colours of yellow, red and green, but the attempt was unsuccessful.

Rohr said he eventually managed to get something from the occasion after giving Argentina coach Lionel Scaloni a Messi shirt from 2018.

“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,” he said.