Benin were reportedly extremely unhappy with their treatment following Lionel Messi’s final Argentina match, with new claims emerging about payments, shirt exchanges and access to the home team after the game.

Benin Furious After Controversial Treatment at Messi’s Argentina Farewell

Lionel Messi’s emotional Argentina farewell has been hit by another controversy after Benin were reportedly left extremely unhappy with how they were treated during the event.

Argentina defeated Benin 3-0 at the Monumental in what was Messi’s final appearance for his national team.

More than 85,000 supporters watched the historic night as Messi scored from the penalty spot and provided two assists.

However, while Argentina celebrated the end of a legendary international career, reports suggest the mood inside the Benin camp was very different.

New claims suggest the visitors were angry about several issues involving money, shirt exchanges, photos and access to Argentina’s players after the match.

Benin reportedly furious after Messi farewell

The latest information comes from investigative journalist Romain Molina.

According to Molina, members of the Benin delegation were extremely unhappy with the way they were treated during Messi’s farewell event.

The African side had travelled to Buenos Aires to take part in one of the most high-profile international friendlies of the year.

But according to the report, Benin felt they received very little in return for their participation in the special occasion.

No bonus or share of match revenue

One of the biggest claims involves the financial side of the event.

Benin reportedly did not receive a bonus payment following the friendly.

It was also claimed that the visitors did not receive a share of the revenue generated by the match.

The Monumental was packed with more than 85,000 supporters for Messi’s farewell, making the event a major commercial occasion.

The reported financial situation is understood to have been one of the reasons for frustration inside the Benin delegation.

Players reportedly unable to exchange shirts

Another surprising claim concerns one of football’s most common post-match traditions.

According to Molina’s report, Benin players were not allowed to exchange shirts with Argentina’s stars after the final whistle.

For many of the visiting players, the match represented a rare opportunity to face Messi and several world-famous Argentina internationals.

Being unable to take home a shirt from such a historic night reportedly added to their disappointment.

Claims over photos and dressing-room access

The controversy did not end there.

Reports also claimed that Benin players were restricted from taking photos with Argentina players after the match.

They were also reportedly not allowed to enter Argentina’s dressing room.

Those restrictions are said to have increased the feeling inside the Benin camp that they had been treated as outsiders during an event they had helped make possible.

However, these specific post-match claims have not been independently confirmed by the Argentine Football Association.

For that reason, they should currently be treated as allegations attributed to Molina rather than confirmed facts.

Problems had already started before the match

Benin’s frustration is particularly important because the team had already faced several difficulties before the game.

The squad reportedly endured a journey of around 23 to 25 hours before reaching Argentina.

There were also reports of hotel problems, including issues with hot water and facilities available to the players.

The team’s early training conditions were also questioned, while several members of the squad arrived later than planned.

Many of those problems were eventually improved, but they had already created an uncomfortable build-up to Messi’s farewell.

Historic night for Messi

On the pitch, the evening belonged to Messi.

Argentina secured a comfortable 3-0 victory, while their legendary No.10 played a major role in all three goals.

Messi scored once from the penalty spot and provided two assists as supporters inside the Monumental celebrated his final international appearance.

It brought an emotional end to a 21-year Argentina career that included a World Cup, two Copa América titles and the Finalissima.

Messi finished his international career with 126 goals in 208 appearances.

Celebration followed by controversy

For Argentina supporters, the night was designed to celebrate one of the greatest players in football history.

There were emotional tributes throughout the event as Messi said goodbye to the national team after more than two decades.

But the allegations involving Benin have now created an uncomfortable story around the farewell.

Instead of the discussion focusing only on Messi’s final performance, questions are now being asked about how Argentina’s opponents were treated.

Benin had warned they were not tourists

Before the match, Benin had already made it clear that they did not see themselves as simple guests at Messi’s celebration.

Goalkeeper Marcel Dandjinou said his team had not travelled to Argentina to be tourists and wanted to compete seriously against the world champions.

Benin eventually lost 3-0, but they were part of a match that attracted huge international attention.

That makes the reported frustration after the game even more significant.

AFA yet to officially answer the claims

At this stage, there has been no major official response from the Argentine Football Association confirming the reported restrictions.

There has also been no detailed public statement confirming the financial arrangements between Argentina and Benin for the friendly.

That means some important questions remain unanswered.

The strongest claims currently come from Molina’s reporting and should remain clearly attributed to him unless further confirmation appears.

Another unwanted controversy around Messi farewell

The latest allegations add another layer of controversy to an event that had already faced criticism over Benin’s difficult preparation.

Messi’s final Argentina match was supposed to provide the perfect ending to one of international football’s greatest careers.

On the pitch, it largely did.

Argentina won, Messi produced one final brilliant performance and tens of thousands of supporters were able to say goodbye to their captain.

But for Benin, the experience reportedly ended with anger rather than celebration.

Unless AFA or the Benin Football Federation provides further clarification, questions over money, access and the treatment of the visiting team are likely to remain part of the story surrounding Messi’s historic farewell.