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Twenty-one years after Lionel Messi helped Argentina beat Nigeria in the Under-20 World Cup final, another African side will be on the pitch for the final match of his international career.<\/b><\/p>\n
Benin face Argentina at the Monumental Stadium in Buenos Aires on Tuesday in a farewell match for the 39-year-old.<\/p>\n
For Benin assistant coach Tunde Adelakun, there is a neat symmetry to the occasion.<\/p>\n
“Africa has been at the heart of Messi’s remarkable career,” he told BBC Sport Africa.<\/p>\n
“I was physically there when they beat Nigeria in the final, where he was the most valuable player in that tournament.<\/p>\n
“It’s an absolute pleasure that, when he is drawing the curtain on his international career, Benin will be part of that.”<\/p>\n
Messi announced his international retirement on 31 August after Argentina’s defeat by Spain in the 2026 World Cup final.<\/p>\n
Argentina’s most-capped player and record goalscorer has scored 125 times in 207 senior internationals.<\/p>\n
The Argentine Football Association has organised Tuesday’s match as a farewell for its captain, with members of the 2022 World Cup-winning squad also invited to the celebrations.<\/p>\n
For Benin, ranked 93rd in the world and yet to qualify for a World Cup, the invitation came as a surprise.<\/p>\n
“Everybody was absolutely ecstatic,” Adelakun says.<\/p>\n
“It came at a time when we were right in the middle of preparation for two very important qualifying games for the Africa Cup of Nations.”<\/p>\n
Benin drew 1-1 away to Burkina Faso before beating Mauritania 2-1 in their opening two qualifiers.<\/p>\n
Head coach Gernot Rohr says his side will enjoy “a bit of a party with Messi”, but has stressed that they are not travelling to Buenos Aires simply to make up the numbers.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
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