Marcel Dandjinou dares Messi to miss a penalty on FIFA day

Benin goalkeeper Marcel Dandjinou (photo Archives, DR) has publicly challenged Lionel Messi ahead of Wednesday’s FIFA day match in Argentina, where the 2022 World Cup champions will face the Benin ‘Guépards’. Messi is set to play his final international game, and Dandjinou vows to stop any shot, even a penalty.

A FIFA day clash in Argentina

The encounter is slated for Wednesday as part of the FIFA day programme, pitting the Benin national side, known as the Guépards, against the reigning World Cup champions, Argentina. The fixture will be played on Argentine soil.

Lionel Messi, the Argentine legend, will use the game to cap off his international career, confirming it will be his last appearance for the national team. Facing Benin adds a unique note to his farewell.

‘I am a goalkeeper, and my role is to stop shots,’ Dandjinou said. ‘Even if it is the last minute and there is a penalty, if Messi takes it, I will try to stop it. It is as simple as that: it is football.’ He added that while the event celebrates Messi, no one is obliged to hand him a goal.

Dandjinou insists he will not be intimidated by the Argentine star’s reputation. He pledged to use all his talent to keep the Pulga from scoring, underscoring the pride of the Beninese side.

The match offers the Guépards a historic platform to test themselves against the world’s best, while providing Messi a final stage to showcase his legacy before departing the international arena.