The little African country all set for Messi’s huge night

Among Benin’s best-known gamers is their captain, Steve Mounie.

The forward plays for German Bundesliga side FC Augsburg, however will likewise be understood to Huddersfield Town fans having actually bet the club in between 2017-2020.

He’s been a routine with the nationwide side for more than a years however states he’s never ever played a video game for them beyond Africa.

“When the coach called me and told me about this game. We didn’t know it was going to be the last game of Leo Messi,” Mounie informed BBC Sport.

“It was like the cherry on top of the cake. It adds some more values to this big event for Benin, and it’s going to be a big event for the world of football.”

Injury suggests Mounie will play no part in the video game. Rather of remaining at home recuperating, nevertheless, he states this was not a minute he might lose out on.

“I cannot play,” he stated. “I just came to join the team, to support the team. And, I need to be honest with this because football is my passion. I came for myself.

“I even spent for my own ticket to come here.

“I would prefer to be on the bench, but if they tell me that I need to be in the stand, I will be in the stand. There is no problem, but I want to see the game from a pitch view.”

The previous Premier League striker states, while the outcome of the friendly is mostly insignificant, those gamers who are picked will understand it’s an excellent opportunity to improve their track records which of Beninese football.

“We are a team that is very disciplined,” stated Mounie. “We have a lot of young talent in the team right now that have good technical skills. We are always willing to go forward. We play pressing football, but when we cannot, we stick together and we fight.

“We are a group like a household, And I believe we can connect to this Argentina group due to the fact that they seem like they resemble a household too, which Messi is a daddy to.”

Argentina heated up for the component versus Benin by beating fellow west African side Burkina Faso 7-0.

Lots of will be forecasting a comparable scoreline this video game – and it’s not likely Messi will play the complete 90 minutes.

A most likely circumstance is that, with Argentina a couple of objectives to the great, Messi will be replaced in the 2nd half, permitting the sold-out crowd at Estadio Monumental to state goodbye to their nation’s biggest sports star.

As soon as the last whistle does go – do not be amazed if there’s a rush towards the World Cup-winning captain.

“To acquire a Messi match-worn t-shirt is exceptionally hard due to the fact that everyone understands how important they are,” said Doug Bierton, founder of Classic Football Shirts.

“Every gamer on the pitch is looking to switch with him. It’s the very first time a legend has actually bailed out with a scandal sheet t-shirt.”

Bierton, whose private collection of iconic football shirts reaches into the thousands, says the last match-worn Messi shirt would be collector’s dream.

He ranks it in the same category as Diego Maradona’s shirt worn when he scored his ‘Hand of God’ goal against England at the 1986 World Cup. A jersey which sold for £7.1m in an auction in May 2022.

Another item considered in that realm is Zinedine Zidane’s shirt from the last time he played for France – which ended in a red card after being sent off for headbutting Italy’s Marco Materazzi in the 2006 World Cup final.

The fact Messi’s shirt is being worn in a friendly – yet considered in such high regard – is perhaps testament to the belief he is the greatest footballer ever.

So Bierton predicts it won’t be just Benin players who will be after the jersey.

“I’m sure a few of his team-mates will be too, he’s buddies with [Rodrigo] De Paul,” he said. “He’ll most likely be after it. Does he get a present, a retirement present?

“The kit man will be after it. Who knows? I’m literally going to watch the match just to see who he swaps shirts with.”