October 28 – Lionel Messi’s Argentina, the first country from South America to qualify for next year’s World Cup finals, have chosen Belo Horizonte as their training base camp well before the draw on December 6.
Argentina coach Alejandro Sabella won the 2009 Copa Libertadores in the city’s Mineirao stadium with Estudiantes and the state-of-the-art training location 20 kms away was voted the best such training facility in South America the following year.
The Mineirão Stadium – a newly renovated, 62,000 seater – will host six matches including a semi-final during next year’s tournament.
Camillo Fraga, Municipal Secretary for the World Cup, said: “Our team has worked exceptionally hard to ensure that Belo Horizonte is a footballing focal point.”
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