Messi’s farewell had an ugly side: Benin denied even a photo with the legend

Lionel Messi's farewell from international football was supposed to be a night of celebration, emotion and gratitude. For Benin, however, the occasion felt very different.While 85,000 supporters inside the Monumental celebrated Argentina's greatest footballer with fireworks, music, tributes and one final Messi goal, members of the Benin delegation were left frustrated by what they felt was a lack of hospitality from the hosts.##LINKED_NEWS_69666##Benin coach Gernot Rohr told Radio Monte Carlo that his players were not allowed to take photographs with Messi or exchange shirts with their Argentina counterparts after the 3-0 defeat."My players tried everything, but nothing worked," Rohr said.The shirt exchange is understandable, given the circumstances. For an Argentina player, giving away the shirt worn during Messi's final international appearance would hardly be an easy decision.##LINKED_NEWS_69614##But Rohr's claim that Benin players were not even allowed to take a photograph with Leo paints a rather different picture."They gave us absolutely nothing, not even the chance to take a picture with Messi," the Benin coach said. "We also wanted to exchange shirts, but the players were not allowed to go into the corridor where the Argentinians were. Security wouldn't let them."My players were coming up to the barrier, hoping they could exchange shirts, but it didn't happen."Saturday, 14.30: (1.40) Arsenal (4.85) Leeds (8.20)For Benin, the match itself was still an extraordinary experience. Sharing the pitch with Messi on the night he brought down the curtain on his Argentina career was an occasion few of their players are likely to forget.But Rohr believes the visitors could have been made to feel more welcome. The German coach also revealed that he waited for more than half an hour after the final whistle in the hope that Argentina boss Lionel Scaloni could help him get Messi to sign an older shirt he had brought with him.Instead, the Benin delegation left Buenos Aires without the souvenirs they had hoped to take from one of the most significant nights in football history.