Marca reports Messi targeted in death threats, bomb plot during 2026 World Cup per US police docs

Marca newspaper reports Lionel Messi received more death threats than any other player during the 2026 World Cup, based on their review of American police documents covering tournament security. The documents detailed a specific threat where an individual planned to storm the stadium during Argentina's group-stage match against Jordan, threatening to attack with homemade bombs and an AR-15 rifle while explicitly naming Messi as the murder target.

Prior to Argentina's subsequent match against Egypt, investigators uncovered worrying online messages prompting security concerns. During that Egyptian match, stadium officials conducted an actual bomb search after reports of explosives concealed in waste bins. Authorities deployed sniffer dogs to thoroughly scan the venue but ultimately found no explosives - determining the threat to be a false alarm after complete investigation.

While the threats were serious enough to warrant police investigation and stadium security measures, no successful attacks occurred against Messi or other players during the World Cup. The incidents underscore the persistent security risks at global sporting events while demonstrating how threat assessment and preventive protocols function when properly implemented.

SOURCE: https://dailypost.ng/2026/08/08/2026-world-cup-messi-target-of-assassination-attempts-in-us/