Benin defender Tijani Mohamed has revealed that his side will not man-mark Lionel Messi when they face Argentina, admitting he would rather enjoy the occasion and watch one of football’s greatest players up close.
The friendly at Buenos Aires’ Monumental Stadium carries added significance as Messi prepares for what is expected to be his final appearance for Argentina on home soil.
Rather than focusing solely on stopping the Argentina captain, Mohamed said Benin’s players want to savour the opportunity to share the pitch with the legendary forward.
‘We won’t be marking Messi’
Speaking to C5N ahead of the match, Mohamed explained Benin’s unusual approach to dealing with Messi.
“We won’t be marking Messi. We’ll just enjoy this match. I’ll watch him and say: Messi, you are a legend,” he said.