Word spread that Leo was in the vicinity and hundreds of fans gathered outside the Don Julio restaurant for a glimpse of the man who brought the World Cup to Argentina in December.
Earlier, Messi's World Cup-winning team mate Emiliano Martinez won the Lev Yashin award for the world's best goalkeeper.
Some of Argentina's most passionate fans can be found in towns and cities across football-crazy Kerala.
Argentina began their 2018 World Cup campaign with a 1-1 draw against Iceland -- a game in which Messi missed a penalty -- and finished second in their group before being knocked out by eventual winners France in the last 16.
One of the rising stars of the men's tour, Fonseca shocked ninth seed Andrey Rublev on his Grand Slam main draw debut at the Australian Open in January and became the youngest Brazilian to win an ATP tournament at the Argentina Open the following month.
Argentina dominated the opening stages and earned the penalty when Di Maria was fouled by Ousmane Dembele, with Messi sending France keeper Hugo Lloris the wrong way to move to the top of the goalscoring charts in Qatar.
"To say I'll be happy for Argentina (if they win), that will not be true, it would be a lie, I will not be a hypocrite," Ronaldo said in an interview with the Spanish daily Marca.
Sumit Nagal progressed to the pre-quarterfinals after a hard-fought win over local favourite Renzo Olivo.
Argentina-born Pope Francis, who died on Monday, is being honoured at his local hometown soccer club in Buenos Aires, San Lorenzo de Almagro, where the football-loving head of the Roman Catholic Church remained a member during his 12-year papacy.
French Open champion Gauff is in line for a clash with fellow American Jessica Pegula.
Pochettino, who is well aware of Messi's game-changing abilities having worked with the 35-year-old last season, said he was still the best player in the world.
Argentina look set to keep Julian Alvarez in attack for Sunday's World Cup final
Lionel Messi has surpassed Diego Maradona as the greatest player of all time, Argentina's World Cup winning coach Lionel Scaloni said.
Lionel Messi's second-half goal gave Argentina a 1-0 home win over Ecuador on Thursday to get their 2026 World Cup qualifying campaign off on the right foot.
The intricate play and tight triangles Croatia were attempting only had to falter in a tiny way, and when they did Argentina were ready to pounce.
The victory lifted Brazil to second in South American qualifying with 21 points, four behind leaders Argentina and one ahead of Uruguay in third, both of whom have a game in hand and will clash on Friday.
Here is what you need to know about their route to the final
IMAGES from the FIFA World Cup semi-final between Argentina and Croatia played at Lusail Stadium on Tuesday.
The Argentines suffered one of the biggest shocks in World Cup history
The Aston Villa 'keeper saved three penalties in the 2021 Copa America semi-final and Argentina went on to lift the trophy. Now he's stopped two more in a World Cup quarter-final and this could just be a good omen for Messi!
For 15 years, Messi and Ronaldo battled like no others. Now, Messi shares what made their rivalry so special.
India women lose 0-2 to Belgium, suffer sixth straight defeat in European leg
'We both played high level but I stayed so calm and I really enjoyed the battle.'
Lehecka struck eight aces and converted four of eight break chances to secure the first Top 3 win of his career.
World leaders and tens of thousands of faithful gathered at St Peter's Square in the Vatican City on Saturday to honor Pope Francis in a poignant farewell.
They looked on course to clinch all three points on offer but Govers Blake scored in the dying minutes for Australia as the two sides split points.
This was India's second consecutive defeat to the same opponents as they had lost 2-3 on Friday.
World Cup winner Argentina topped the FIFA rankings on Thursday for the first time in six years.
Hundreds of thousands of Argentines poured into the sunlit streets of Buenos Aires on Sunday
Argentina and Mexico fans lit up the World Cup on Saturday with their vast and vociferous followings creating a thunderous atmosphere in and around Qatar's Lusail Stadium.
India had earlier lost 1-2 against the Netherlands on Saturday.
Veteran striker Girelli, 33, replaced 16-year-old midfielder Giulia Dragoni in the 83rd minute and needed only four minutes to make an impact
Brazil, who are fifth in the CONMEBOL table with 18 points from 12 games, host Colombia on March 21 and visit Argentina five days later in a match that could see Neymar come up against former Barcelona and Paris St Germain teammate Lionel Messi.
Many flocked to Buenos Aires's tattoo parlors to commission designs depicting Lionel Messi.
From their glory days at Barcelona to reuniting at Inter Miami, Lionel Messi and Luis Suarez have now brought their enduring partnership into a new chapter, co-founding Deportivo LSM, a club set to compete in professional Uruguayan football.
Argentine, somehow, were ready for an emotional, nail-biting encounter, having already gone through a dress rehearsal in the same stadium against the Netherlands in the quarter-finals.
Lionel Messi drew level with Diego Maradona's number of World Cup goals and appearances on Saturday, but the current No. 10 knows that only winning the trophy at long last will earn him the same eternal love of his fellow Argentines.
IMAGES from the FIFA World Cup quarter-final played between Argentina and The Netherlands on Friday.
Argentina won the 2021 Copa America but despite always being one of the World Cup favourites they have not lifted football's most precious trophy in the last 36 years.
Images from the opening day's action in the FIH men's Hockey World Cup in Odisha.
