Threats Against Messi During World Cup, Report

A police report has revealed a plan to kill Argentine football star Lionel Messi during the 2026 FIFA World Cup in the United States, Mexico, and Canada, as reported by Spanish newspaper MARCA.

The report says several suspects threatened to use explosives and storm stadiums where Messi would be playing.

On Saturday, MARCA noted that Messi received more threats than any other player at the tournament. This included a suicide bomb threat before Argentina's Round of 16 match against Egypt.

One suspect reportedly posted on social media, "I’m going to blow up Messi with four bombs strapped to my body."

This message led to a thorough search of the Atlanta stadium by sniffer dogs. Investigators got separate tips that explosives were hidden in bins around the venue, according to MARCA.

The search found nothing, and officials later said the alert was a false alarm.

Another threat came out before Argentina's group-stage match against Jordan. A man allegedly called Dallas airport to say he and two accomplices were going to the stadium with homemade bombs and an AR-15 rifle. Messi was specifically mentioned as their target.

MARCA also mentioned that Cristiano Ronaldo was also a target. Several people were arrested during the tournament for making separate threats against him.

Security agencies, including the FBI, worked with international police throughout the World Cup to track and deal with threats against famous players, MARCA added.