Certainly one of Benin’s best-known gamers is their captain, Steve Mounie.
The ahead performs for German Bundesliga facet FC Augsburg, however will even be recognized to Huddersfield City followers having performed for the membership between 2017-2020.
He is been a daily with the nationwide facet for greater than a decade however says he is by no means performed a recreation for them exterior of Africa.
“When the coach referred to as me and informed me about this recreation. We did not realize it was going to be the final recreation of Leo Messi,” Mounie informed BBC Sport.
“It was just like the cherry on high of the cake. It provides some extra values to this large occasion for Benin, and it may be a giant occasion for the world of soccer.”
Nevertheless, damage means Mounie will play no half within the recreation. As a substitute of staying at house recovering, nonetheless, he says this was not a second he may miss out on.
“I can’t play,” he mentioned. “I simply got here to hitch the crew, to assist the crew. And, I have to be sincere with this as a result of soccer is my ardour. I got here for myself.
“I even paid for my very own ticket to return right here.
“I would like to be on the bench, but when they inform me that I have to be within the stand, I will likely be within the stand. There is no such thing as a downside, however I wish to see the sport from a pitch view.”
The previous Premier League striker says, whereas the results of the pleasant is basically inconsequential, these gamers who’re chosen will know it is an excellent likelihood to reinforce their reputations and that of Beninese soccer.
“We’re a crew that may be very disciplined,” mentioned Mounie. “Now we have numerous younger expertise within the crew proper now which have good technical abilities. We’re all the time prepared to go ahead. We play urgent soccer, however after we can’t, we stick collectively and we combat.
“We’re a crew like a household, And I believe we are able to relate to this Argentina crew as a result of they really feel like they’re like a household too, which Messi is a father to.”
