Benin goalkeeper Marcel Dandjinou has made it clear that his priority against Argentina will be stopping Lionel Messi and his teammates from finding the net.
Benin will face Argentina after midnight tomorrow in what will be a historic farewell match for Messi.
Dandjinou is expected to start in goal, with the 28-year-old tasked with keeping Messi and his Argentina teammates at bay at the Monumental.
The goalkeeper, who plays for Kruger United in the South African Premier Division, spoke to Spanish newspaper Marca just hours after arriving in Buenos Aires ahead of a match that is also significant for Benin.
The fixture has been surrounded by controversy following claims that Benin’s preparations were affected by a lack of necessary resources.
Dandjinou was asked about reports of problems at the hotel, including a lack of electricity and water, as well as difficulties with training. However, he dismissed the concerns.
“We did not face any problems. We are fine here in Buenos Aires. Why do you say that? The truth is that we have had good conditions.”
Speaking about the opportunity to face Messi, Dandjinou admitted that the match carries special meaning for him.
“For me, this match is not like any other match. I think it is an opportunity that will not come again, because it is Messi’s last match. It is a special match. But, look, we are here for Argentina and for Messi, but we must not forget that we represent our country too.”
The goalkeeper stressed that Benin will not simply be attending the occasion to witness Messi’s farewell.
“We are here to defend Benin. This is football: eleven players against eleven. We can win, or draw, or they can win, but it is football. We are not here to be tourists in Argentina; we are here to play and to compete. It will be a great day in our lives.”
Dandjinou also spoke about his admiration for the Argentina captain, describing Messi as a football legend whom he and his generation grew up watching.
“For me, Messi is one of football’s legends. We grew up watching him play. He is one of our favourite players. To be able to play against him now, on the same pitch, is incredible. I never imagined this would happen, but it will happen on Tuesday. For me, Leo is a legend, a true legend.”
The Benin goalkeeper was then asked about a hypothetical situation in which Messi had failed to score by the final minute and Argentina were awarded a penalty, with the forward standing over the spot. Would he deliberately allow Messi to score because it was his final match?
Dandjinou’s answer was immediate.
“No, no. I am a goalkeeper, and my job is to save the ball. Even if it is the final minute and a penalty is awarded, if Messi takes it, I will try to save it. It is that simple: it is football. Yes, we are here to celebrate Messi, but no one has asked us to give him a goal. And knowing Messi, there is no need to give him anything. If he wants to score, he has to do his best to achieve it.”
The goalkeeper was also asked whether Benin’s players had drawn lots to decide who would approach Messi for his shirt after the match.
“If you asked any player in my team, he would tell you he wants his shirt. So it would be great if they made a lot of shirts and gave one to each player. Because if only one of us goes to ask for the shirt, I do not think it will be easy: we all want one.”
For Dandjinou, being part of Messi’s farewell is an experience he expects to remember for the rest of his career.
“It would be a great honour for me to play, and that memory will remain engraved in my mind forever. During my career I will be able to say: I was there, in the last match of a legend, in Messi’s last match. It is incredible.”
Asked whether he considers Messi the greatest player of all time, Dandjinou placed him alongside another football icon.
“We grew up watching Messi and Cristiano. They taught us a lot about football. They have been competing for a long time. For me, Leo is one of the best players in this sport, indeed one of its kings.”