Benin Hilariously Surrenders Before Facing 'God' Messi, Confessing They Have 'No Plan' for His Farewell Clash

Benin will face Argentina on Tuesday evening in what will be Lionel Messi's final appearance for La Albiceleste, and center back Mohamed Tijani hilariously laid out his team's game plan heading into the match: there isn't one. He admitted there was simply no way to prepare for someone like Messi, whom he referred to as "God."

Tijani and his Benin teammates were spotted by Argentine media browsing the streets of Buenos Aires. After showing off an Albiceleste-themed yerba mate cup he had picked up for his children, Tijani opened up about Messi's farewell match in a refreshingly candid interview with outlet C5N.

"F---, he's the best in the world," Tijani said when asked what Messi means to him. The conversation then turned to how the No. 89-ranked Benin side planned to handle Messi defensively in his send-off match, drawing an even more entertaining response.

"We shouldn't mark Messi," Tijani admitted. "We are going to enjoy this match. There's no special plan to defend against Messi, we just have to enjoy this game, and that's it."

"I'm going to look at him like this," Tijani added with a laugh. "Messi, you are the God. To me, he's the best in the world, like I'm telling you."

Not wanting to be outdone by Tijani's enthusiasm, Benin's team doctor jumped into the interview to exclaim: "He's the best in the world! He's the God of football!"

Argentina vs. Benin: Details of Lionel Messi's Farewell Match

Excitement continues to build across Argentina, as an entire nation gears up to say goodbye to Messi in a moment that will be etched into La Albiceleste's history forever.

Numerous tributes have gone viral on social media in the days leading up to the match. In Messi's hometown of Rosario, a giant Argentina No. 10 shirt was displayed at one of the city's iconic landmarks, with "Thank You" written in place of Messi's name.

🥹 🩵 ¡EL HOMENAJE PARA MESSI EN ROSARIO!

La enorme playera que pusieron en Argentina para agradecer a su ídolo.

(vía rosariolaciudad) pic.twitter.com/nqKFXR5rzW

Several tributes are planned before and after the match against Benin. Messi will be joined by his family, his current teammates, and the players from Argentina's 2022 World Cup-winning squad—with the exception of a few absentees.

Kickoff is scheduled for 8 p.m. local time (7 p.m. ET), with live musical performances set to take place before, during halftime, and after the game.

Tickets sold out almost immediately, meaning River Plate's Estadio Monumental will be filled to its 85,000-seat capacity. A Fan Fest has also been set up at a Buenos Aires university for those unable to obtain tickets, giving fans a place to gather and share in the historic occasion.

Argentina will don a special jersey dedicated exclusively to Messi for this one-time occasion. Following the final whistle, a video tribute will be shown on the stadium's big screens.

Everything is in place for Messi's final bow with Argentina — a defining moment for the nation and for world football alike.