'I don't idolise Messi': Benin captain insists he looks up to no one

Benin captain Steve Mounie has struck an unusually candid note ahead of Wednesday's friendly against Argentina, insisting he holds no personal reverence for Lionel Messi despite travelling to Buenos Aires specifically to witness the forward's international farewell.

"I don't consider anyone my idol. I don't consider Lionel Messi my idol either," Mounie told African outlet Mega Sports Media, speaking just hours before Messi plays his final match in Argentina colours at a sold out Estadio Monumental.

The 32 year old, ruled out of the match itself through injury, explained the philosophy that has shaped his approach throughout a long career facing elite opposition across Europe. "I'm passionate about football and I love watching good players play, I observe how incredibly well they play," he said.

He added that admiration has never translated into the kind of fandom common among opponents of football's biggest names. "When I played against great players, I never asked for a jersey," Mounie said, distancing himself from any notion of starstruck reverence towards the opponents.

Despite that detachment, the Benin captain was clear eyed about the significance of the occasion itself, and why he had made the journey despite being unable to feature on the pitch. "I came for that, to see what he is going to do," he said of Messi.

"He should enjoy this moment as a footballer and as someone who has done so much for football over many years. He deserves a moment to enjoy it," Mounie added, before turning briefly to his own side's approach, describing Benin simply as "a very disciplined team."

Not every member of the Benin squad shares his measured distance, however. Defender Mohamed Tijani, spotted shopping for souvenirs in downtown Buenos Aires, offered a starkly different outlook when asked how he intended to mark Messi on the pitch.

"You don't mark Messi. We're going to enjoy this match. There's no special plan to defend against Messi, you just have to enjoy it," Tijani said, after Benin's team doctor had described Messi simply as "the God of football," a label the defender was happy to echo himself.

Tijani went further still, revealing his hope of swapping shirts with Messi after full time. "I'd be happy if he gives me the shirt. I'm going to ask him," he said, adding a direct message for the Argentina captain, "Messi, I love you very much. Can you give me your shirt?"

While Benin embrace the occasion, Lionel Scaloni is preparing to reunite several key figures from Argentina's most successful recent period around Messi for his farewell, with Rodrigo De Paul and Nicolas Otamendi among the recalls to a squad also expected to include Emiliano Martinez, Cristian Romero and Julian Alvarez.

The match kicks off on Wednesday at 5am Bangladesh time at the Monumental, bringing the curtain down on Messi's international career on home soil, in front of a crowd that has driven unprecedented demand for tickets across the country.