AFP, JERUSALEM: Tickets for an Israel-Argentina friendly in Jerusalem next month with Barcelona star Lionel Messi expected in the line-up sold out within 20 minutes, the Israeli company handling sales said.

The Le'an agency said on its website that nearly 100,000 fans applied for 20,000 tickets when they went on general sale Sunday evening. “No sporting event has ever caused such hysteria in Israel,” it wrote.

Prices ranged from 44 shekels (about $12, 10 euros) for children and soldiers to 825 shekels in the VIP area. Another 5,000 places went to supporters of the Israeli national team in a pre-sale reserved for them and over 4,000 tickets were to be distributed to children from needy families.