Lionel Messi and Co see the funny side of pitch invasion by Ronaldinho look-alike as Brazil fans boo Argentina at open training

Argentina’s training session on Wednesday was interrupted by what appeared to be a familiar face.

Lionel Messi and Co were preparing for their opening group game against Bosnia on Sunday when a fan looking remarkably like former Brazil star Ronaldinho ran on to the pitch.

The Argentines took the intrusion in good spirits but the supporter was dragged off the field by officials.

I know you! A fan and Ronaldinho look-alike invaded the pitch as Argentina trained at Belo Horizonte

Star struck: Messi enjoyed the lighter moment in the session as the fan is taken away by an official

Ronaldinho look-alike makes Messi laugh at Argentina training

Spot the difference: The Ronaldinho impersonator (left) and the real thing (right) look remarkably similar

 

 

More than a dozen fans invaded the pitch with one kneeling down in front of Messi and shining the Argentina captain's boots.

Messi laughed, received a hug from the fan and gave him his sweater before a security guard pulled him away.

Other fans ran off with one of the balls that the Argentines had used during the training session.

Meanwhile, the South Americans were given an early taste of what to expect from their Brazilian hosts at the World Cup when they were welcomed with jeers and whistles in Belo Horizonte.

Some 5,000 fans attended the session at the Belo Horizonte Independencia stadium with the locals giving their fierce rivals a noisy reception.

The decibel levels reached those of a competitive match when Argentina came out onto the pitch but the players, 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.

‘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, said.

‘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.

Respect: A fan polishes Messi's rght boot after invading the pitch as the World Cup second favourites trained

Comfortable: Messi is at ease with the invader as he give him a hug during the open training session

Aguero beats Messi and Di Maria at headers over a tennis net

Fanatical: Hundreds of supporters filled the ground as their team prepared for the group F opener against Bosnia

Breaking the line: A young Argentina supporter races to get closer to his idols

Match-like: It was almost like a fully-fledged game as the fans sang in support of their team

Know your enemy: The stands of Independencia Arena were dotted with yellow shirts of less-than-supportive Brazil fans who booed and jeered their rivals

Overhead smash: Real Madrid's Angel Di Maria shows his agility with a dose of soccer tennis in Brazil

Athletic: Now he's just showing off with a bicycle kick attempt to finish off a point

Perfect 10? No confusion as to who this supporter is backing all the way at Brazil 2014

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,’ said 27-year-old Brazil fan Luis Goncalves, who lives near the stadium.

Brazil kick off proceedings against Croatia in the tournament opener in Sao Paulo on Thursday.