Benin head coach Gernot Rohr has voiced his frustration after claiming his players were prevented from approaching Argentina’s squad to exchange shirts following Lionel Messi’s final international appearance.

Benin suffered a 3-0 defeat against the three-time World Cup champions in Tuesday’s friendly at the Estadio Monumental. Nicolas Otamendi, Nico Paz and Messi were all on target for Argentina.

However, the result was not Rohr’s only concern. The coach expressed disappointment over the post-match treatment of his players, alleging they were not permitted to approach their Argentine counterparts or swap jerseys.

Benin’s players had hoped to keep shirts as souvenirs from the memorable occasion, but their attempts were reportedly unsuccessful.

“We are very happy to make history, especially for a great football man like Lionel Messi, and to play this match at the Monumental. It was an extraordinary adventure for my young players,” Rohr told RMC’s Rothen s’enflamme programme.

Rohr Disappointed After Argentina Deny Benin Players Shirt Swaps and Messi Photo

Benin head coach Gernot Rohr has expressed his disappointment after his players were reportedly prevented from exchanging shirts with Argentina’s players following their friendly against the world champions.

Rohr revealed that the Benin squad had hoped to collect shirts and take photographs with Lionel Messi and his teammates, but their efforts were unsuccessful due to security restrictions.

“The only dark spot was that the Argentinians didn’t give anything to our players. Not even a photo with Messi,” Rohr said.

“We wanted to swap jerseys, but we didn’t get one. They wouldn’t even let us into their hallway, and security refused everyone.

“Our players came with their jerseys hoping to exchange them with Argentina’s players, not just Messi, but nobody agreed.”

Rohr explained that Benin had made several attempts to create a memorable moment for their players. Tijani, one of his players and a huge Messi fan, even presented the Argentine superstar with a red rose before the match, along with a gift from Benin.

“We knew it would be difficult. My player Tijani, who loves Messi, gave him a red rose before the match, along with an Amazon gift from Benin.

“We tried everything, including a bouquet featuring Benin’s national colours of red, yellow and green, but nothing worked.”

Rohr Finds Comfort in Scaloni’s Gesture

Despite the disappointment, Rohr eventually secured a special memento from the occasion thanks to Argentina head coach Lionel Scaloni.

The German coach revealed that he waited for more than 30 minutes after the final whistle before getting the opportunity to approach the Argentine camp.

Rohr then handed Scaloni a Messi shirt from 2018, which he had kept following Argentina’s match against Nigeria at that year’s FIFA World Cup. Scaloni signed the shirt and returned it to him.

“I was able to give my Messi shirt from 2018, which I had after the game against Nigeria at the World Cup, to the coach, Lionel Scaloni,” Rohr explained.

“He signed it and gave it back to me. I waited half an hour, but it was okay. It was an unforgettable evening.”

Rohr also highlighted the value of the experience for his squad, stressing that the result was less important than the opportunity to compete against top-level opposition.

“It was a fantastic experience, and there was no pressure. The result was not our main concern.

“For us, the most important thing was to learn and give our young players valuable international experience they could never have imagined having one day.”

Benin Turn Attention to AFCON Qualifying

Benin will now shift their focus to November’s Africa Cup of Nations qualifying double-header against the Central African Republic.

The Cheetahs have made a positive start to their Group F campaign, having defeated Mauritania and played out a draw against Burkina Faso. Those results leave the West African side top of the group with four points.

Benin will be determined to maintain their momentum and strengthen their chances of qualifying for the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations, which will be jointly hosted by Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda.