Benin played the role of the “poor relative” in Lionel Messi’s farewell match with the Argentine national team. The assistant coach of the African team, Tunde Adelakun, voiced complaints about the treatment his team received.
“What left a bad impression on me was the Argentine team’s blatant and provocative refusal to have any contact with my team after the match ended. The handshakes at the end of the game were rushed and impersonal. Any attempt by our players to approach the man they had come to honor was met with a particularly hostile response from the security personnel on the field,” he said, adding:
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“Someone suggested that our team line up and applaud him as he passed by. The speed with which the security guards broke up the small group of players that had formed was striking—it was as if my own players were gangsters in the middle of a riot! In the end, Messi took a wide detour and, deliberately avoiding the crowd of Benin players that had gathered, headed toward the center of the field. That was very unbecoming of a man who is adored by many and who, in the eyes of many young Africans, was considered infallible.”
*photo source: AP
