‘I look for the screen even if we have to stand’: Benin fans enjoy being Lionel Messi’s final opponents

Soccer – International Friendly – Argentina vs. Benin – Estadio Monumental, Buenos Aires, Argentina – October 6, 2026. Argentina’s Lionel Messi reacts For soccer fans in Benin, Tuesday’s game against Argentina was less about the result and more about witnessing Lionel Messi’s final international appearance.Benin lost 3-0 in Buenos Aires in front of more than 80,000 spectators, but the scoreline was almost an afterthought on a night when one of the world’s greatest players said goodbye to international football.In Cotonou, screens were placed in restaurants and bars in different neighborhoods to allow fans to watch the historic event. The match started at midnight local time in Benin, but that did not stop fans from looking for a place to watch.“We are looking for the screen, even if we have to stand,” said one young worker, quoted by the AFP news agency.There were a few chants of “Go Benin” during the national anthems, but the fans watching in Benin mostly focused on the 39-year-old Messi, knowing they were watching a special moment in world football.“It’s an honor that Benin is the last team Messi faces,” said Sylvestre Dagbedji, 34, a security guard and self-proclaimed Messi fan.“We will always remember that it was against Benin that he retired from international football,” he added.Seated nearby, Armand Folly, 27, a motorcycle taxi driver, said: “It will be difficult for us Beninese. Messi is a great player. I am so proud of him for his career.”During the match, the fans cheered the Cheetahs whenever they tried to break through the Argentine defence. But the biggest cheers were reserved for Messi, with fans applauding every time the former Barcelona forward and eight-time Ballon d’Or winner received the ball.“I’m sad because Messi won’t play anymore. He was excellent at Barca, I don’t know who will be able to play like him again,” said craftsman Toussain Kpadonou, who watched with about a hundred people in front of a giant screen.The final international appearance of a player who has been a part of the football world for two decades was also watched with joy by younger fans.“Messi is a soccer god, the best player in the world. He has performed so well throughout his career from Barca to Inter Miami,” said 17-year-old Destin Avere, quoted by AFP.In the 71st minute, Messi won the penalty, having already scored two assists. When he found the back of the net, the Benin crowd erupted.By then, Benin’s defeat had been forgotten. All the fans could think about was Messi.