Argentine conglomerate Newsan promised to give out local brand Noblex televisions to the first 100 people who lined up on Wednesday outside its Buenos Aires office with paperwork in hand showing they had been denied a visa between January and June of this year to visit the United States.

"Give us your denied visa and take a free TV," an advertisement on Instagram said.

One of the lucky winners was Tomas Vageller, a 24-year-old professional videogame player.

"I went to get a visa because we all think it will be Messi's last World Cup," he said. "It's very sad I won't be able to see it, but well, I'm leaving with a gift."

In three-time World Cup winner ​Argentina, soccer fever has been unusually tempered days before the 2026 World Cup kicks off in North America - much less feverish than in 2022, which many saw as Argentina's last hope to win the tournament under Lionel Messi's leadership.