Benin head coach Gernot Rohr has criticised the treatment of his players after their international friendly against Argentina, saying they were denied the opportunity to take photographs with Lionel Messi and exchange shirts with the world champions.
Argentina defeated Benin 3-0 at the Monumental Stadium in Buenos Aires on Tuesday in Messi’s final appearance for the national team.
Speaking on RMC radio’s Rothen s’enflamme on Wednesday, Rohr said the Benin players attempted to meet Messi and other Argentine players after the match but were prevented from doing so by security personnel.
“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,” he said.
“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,” he added.
The Benin delegation also tried to present Messi with a bouquet of flowers in the country’s national colours, but Rohr said the gesture did not lead to a meeting with the Argentine captain.
“We offered a bouquet of flowers in Benin’s colours, yellow, red and green, but that didn’t work,” the German 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,” he said.
Messi marked his farewell after a 21-year international career with Argentina with a goal and two assists, setting up Nicolás Otamendi and Nico Paz before converting a penalty as Argentina secured the victory.
He ended his Argentina career as the country’s most capped player and leading goalscorer, with 208 appearances and 126 goals.
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