Messi mania gives sleepy little town a rude awakening

BRONNITSY, Russia - Lionel Messi's arrival in Bronnitsy, a quiet town with 20,000 residents some 50 km southeast of Moscow, has brought an unprecedented level of attention to a place most renowned for its Russian Orthodox cathedral.

But as the euphoric shouts echoing around a temporary stand suggest, its selection as Argentina's base has transformed it into one of the epicenters of the World Cup.

Flags bearing Messi's face hang over barriers, while a giant mural of the Barcelona superstar towers above the people of Bronnitsy as they come to terms with the intense spotlight now fixated on their hometown.