Lionel Messi has sparked debate after appearing to reject a Benin player’s attempt to take a selfie following his Argentina farewell, but the moment happened while the emotional star was surrounded by opposition players.
Messi faces fan criticism after awkward moment with Benin player in Argentina farewell
Lionel Messi has faced criticism from some football fans after an awkward moment involving a Benin player following his final appearance for Argentina.
Messi ended his legendary international career as Argentina beat Benin 3-0 at the Monumental.
After the final whistle, several Benin players approached the Argentina captain hoping to shake hands, exchange shirts or take photographs.
However, one particular moment quickly went viral.
A Benin player appeared to move towards Messi with his phone ready for a selfie, but Messi did not stop and continued walking.
Awkward selfie moment goes viral
Video from the aftermath of the match showed Messi surrounded by several Benin players.
One player moved close to him while holding up his phone, apparently hoping to take a selfie.
Messi appeared uncomfortable with the situation and did not stop for the photograph.
Another Benin player then stepped in and moved his teammate away, giving Messi more space.
The short clip quickly spread across social media.
Some fans criticise Messi
The video divided opinion online.
Some supporters argued that Messi could have stopped for a few seconds and allowed the Benin player to take the photo.
For many players, facing Messi in his final international match was a once-in-a-lifetime experience.
That led some social media users to describe Messi’s reaction as cold or disappointing.
Others questioned whether the moment matched the humble image usually associated with the Argentina legend.
Important clarification over the criticism
However, the situation needs important context.
There is no evidence that Argentina supporters inside the Monumental turned against Messi because of the incident.
The criticism mainly came from some social media users after the video began circulating online.
Inside the stadium, Messi continued to receive huge support throughout the night.
Messi was surrounded after final whistle
The moment also happened during an extremely emotional period for Messi.
He had just completed the final match of a 21-year international career.
Several Benin players immediately surrounded him after the final whistle, with many hoping for photographs or personal moments with the football legend.
Messi was also trying to spend his final minutes on the pitch with Argentina teammates, family members and supporters.
For that reason, some fans defended his reaction.
Messi did not reject the entire Benin team
Another important detail is that Messi did interact with Benin’s players during the night.
He shook hands, exchanged words and showed respect to the opposition during the match and the farewell ceremony.
Benin players also joined the emotional tribute when play was stopped in the 10th minute.
The viral clip therefore appears to show Messi rejecting one specific selfie attempt, rather than refusing to interact with the entire Benin team.
Why the moment became so controversial
The incident attracted extra attention because of the importance of the night.
This was Messi’s final Argentina appearance after more than two decades with the national team.
Almost every moment involving him was being filmed and shared around the world.
That meant even a few seconds of uncomfortable interaction were enough to create a major online debate.
Messi still receives huge love at Monumental
Despite the online criticism, the reaction from Argentina supporters throughout the evening was overwhelmingly positive.
More than 80,000 fans filled the Monumental to say goodbye to their legendary No.10.
The game was stopped in the 10th minute so supporters could stand and applaud him.
Messi’s name was repeatedly sung around the stadium before, during and after the match.
One final great performance
The controversy came after another brilliant Messi performance.
Argentina defeated Benin 3-0 in his final international match.
Messi was directly involved in all three goals.
He provided two assists and scored from the penalty spot.
It was a fitting football goodbye after 208 appearances for Argentina.
Emotions were already extremely high
Messi had also been visibly emotional throughout the evening.
He was moved during the pre-match ceremonies and later struggled with his emotions while speaking to supporters after the final whistle.
The Argentina legend admitted that saying goodbye to the national team was extremely difficult.
That emotional context is one reason many supporters believe the viral clip should not be judged too harshly.
One short moment creates big debate
Messi’s farewell was largely a celebration of one of football’s greatest international careers.
But the selfie incident added a small controversy to an otherwise emotional night.
Some fans believe Messi should have stopped for the Benin player.
Others believe he was entitled to protect his space during one of the most personal moments of his career.
What is clear is that Messi did not face anger from the Monumental crowd. The criticism came mainly online after one short clip was shared around the world.
