CORNERFLICK
Argentina’s younger players said Lionel Messi’s international farewell has left a heavy mood around the camp after the 3-0 win over Benin at the Monumental.
What the players said
Enzo Fernandez summed up the dressing-room feeling in one line: "We will miss him a lot."
Franco Mastantuono spoke about standing alongside the player he grew up watching. "I was very excited, because since I was a child he has been my role model. I tried to look strong, even though I was sad," he said.
Mastantuono also described Messi as a constant reference point in his career. "He was always my standard-bearer and my inspiration," he said.
Lisandro Martinez said the build-up to Messi’s last home appearance had brought tension into the squad. "We played with a lot of anxiety. It felt like this moment was never going to arrive, but today it did," he said.
He added that the squad are still coming to terms with Messi’s absence from the next national-team fixture.
Argentina look ahead without their captain
Martinez said Argentina will try to make sure Messi enjoys the closing stages of his international run. "We try to make him enjoy these moments as much as possible, because they pass very quickly," he said.
Argentina now move into the next international window without their captain and number 10, with Martinez, Fernandez and Mastantuono part of the younger group expected to carry on the national-team cycle.