Argentina got an early taste of what to
expect from their Brazilian hosts at the
World Cup when they were welcomed
with jeers and whistles in their first open
practice session on Wednesday.
Some 5 000 fans attended the session in
Belo Horizonte's Independencia stadium
with the locals giving their fierce rivals a
noisy reception ahead of the tournament
start on Thursday.
The decibel levels reached those of a
competitive match when Argentina came
out onto the pitch but the players,
including Lionel Messi and Angel Di
Maria, kept their cool and briefly waved
to their own fans in the crowd before
turning their focus to their training.
Argentina, who along with Brazil are the
South American favourites to lift the
trophy, kick off their tournament against
Bosnia on Sunday.
"The team down there on the pitch will
bring the World Cup back home,"
Sebastian Suner from Rosario, who was draped in an
Argentine flag, told Reuters.
"Listen to the boos. It can't get any sweeter than lifting
the trophy in Brazil in a month's time," the 22-year-old
said with a grin.
Tight security was in place with streets around the
venue closed and helicopters hovering over the
stadium, which hosted World Cup matches at the 1950
tournament including England's shock loss to the
United States.
Argentina also play Iran and Nigeria in Group F.
"Let them come here and train. They will find out
sooner or later that we are the kings in this
tournament," 27-year-old Brazil fan Luis Goncalves,
who lives near the stadium, told Reuters.
A fan bearing the resemblance of Ronaldinho is
escorted off the field while talking to Lionel Messi of
Argentina after an open training session.
Brazil kick off proceedings against Croatia in the
tournament opener today.
SOURCE - Supersport.com
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