Benin’s Tijani Says No Special Plan in Place to Stop Messi
Benin defender Tijani has confirmed there will be no tailored strategy to stop Lionel Messi when his side face Argentina in Buenos Aires, with the 29-year-old instead framing the Estadio Monumental exhibition as an occasion to savour.
Benin abandon a Messi-specific plan
Tijani, a former Rayo Vallecano centre-back, said Benin have not been instructed to assign a tight marker to Argentina’s captain. The visitors, ranked 89th in the world, accept the scale of the task against one of international football’s leading sides.
Speaking before the team’s official training session, Tijani made clear that Benin will not rely on a deep defensive setup designed solely around Messi.
- Benin will not use a dedicated man-marker on Messi.
- The match will be played at Estadio Monumental in Buenos Aires.
- The fixture is an exhibition game against the South American champions.
- Benin view the occasion as valuable preparation for Africa Cup of Nations qualifying.
“God of football” praise for Argentina captain
Tijani described Messi as the world’s best player and said Benin’s players intend to enjoy sharing the pitch with him rather than attempting to build their entire game around containing him.
“Messi is God for me,” Tijani said. “He is the best player in the world.”
Benin’s team doctor joined the praise during the interview, calling Messi both the best in the world and the “God of football”.
Argentina’s final Messi occasion
The Buenos Aires match is set to close Messi’s international career before he returns to Inter Miami, where he is due to continue through the end of the 2028 campaign.
Argentina coach Lionel Scaloni will then face a major rebuild as the national team moves into its next tournament cycle without the midfielder who has shaped its play for so long.
What happens next
Argentina host Benin at the Monumental, with Messi expected to take centre stage in his farewell international appearance. For Benin, the focus is on using the meeting with elite opposition as a test ahead of their forthcoming AFCON qualifiers.
