Situated next to Nigeria, the small west African country of Benin is generally used to being left in the shadows of its footballing powerhouse neighbor. However, the Cheetahs are about to have their own moment in the limelight. On Tuesday (Wednesday 00:00 BST), Benin will face Argentina in Buenos Aires for what will be Lionel Messi's final international match.
A specially designed Argentina kit has been created to mark the occasion, and the shirt worn by Messi could become one of the most expensive ever. This historic fixture will see the World Cup runners-up take on players who ply their trade in Finland, Switzerland's second tier, and the South African Premiership.
Key Players
One of Benin's best-known players is their captain, Steve Mounie. The forward plays for German Bundesliga side FC Augsburg, but will also be known to Huddersfield Town fans having played for the club between 2017-2020. Mounie has been a regular with the national side for more than a decade but says he's never played a game for them outside of Africa.
“"When the coach called me and told me about this game, we didn't know it was going to be the last game of Leo Messi. It was like the cherry on top of the cake. It adds some more values to this big event for Benin, and it's going to be a big event for the world of football," Mounie told BBC Sport.
However, injury means Mounie will play no part in the game. Instead of staying at home recovering, he says this was not a moment he could miss out on.
“"I cannot play. I just came to join the team, to support the team. And, I need to be honest with this because football is my passion. I came for myself. I even paid for my own ticket to come here. I would prefer to be on the bench, but if they tell me that I need to be in the stand, I will be in the stand. There is no problem, but I want to see the game from a pitch view."
