A police report has uncovered a plot to assassinate Argentine football icon, Lionel Messi, during the 2026 FIFA World Cup hosted by the United States, Mexico and Canada, according to Spanish newspaper MARCA.
According to the report, several suspects allegedly threatened to detonate explosives and storm stadiums where Messi was playing.
MARCA reported on Saturday that Messi received more threats than any other player at the tournament, including a suicide bomb threat lodged just before Argentina’s Round of 16 clash with Egypt.
One suspect allegedly wrote on social media, “I’m going to blow up Messi with four bombs strapped to my body.”
The message triggered a full sweep of the Atlanta stadium by sniffer dogs after investigators received separate reports that explosives had been hidden inside bins around the venue, MARCA said.
The search reportedly turned up nothing, and officials later confirmed the alert was a false alarm.
Another threat, according to the report, surfaced ahead of Argentina’s group-stage fixture against Jordan.
A man is said to have called Dallas airport to announce that he and two accomplices were heading to the stadium armed with homemade bombs and an AR-15 rifle, with Messi specifically named as their target.
MARCA also disclosed that Portuguese forward, Cristiano Ronaldo, was not spared. Several individuals were reportedly arrested during the tournament over separate threats made against him.
Security agencies, including the FBI, worked alongside international police partners throughout the World Cup to track and neutralise threats against high-profile players, MARCA added.