By Enitan Abdultawab
Lionel Messi was reportedly the target of multiple bomb threats during the 2026 FIFA World Cup in the United States, Mexico and Canada, according to Spanish newspaper MARCA.
A police report cited by the publication revealed that security agencies investigated several alleged threats against the Argentine captain, including one made shortly before Argentina’s Round of 16 match against Egypt.
One suspect reportedly posted a threat on social media, stating, “I’m going to blow up Messi with four bombs strapped to my body.”
The threat prompted security officials to conduct a search of the Atlanta stadium with sniffer dogs after investigators received separate reports that explosives had been placed in bins around the venue.
However, the search reportedly yielded no explosives, and officials later determined that the alert was a false alarm.
Another threat allegedly emerged before Argentina’s group-stage game against Jordan. According to the report, a man called Dallas airport and claimed that he and two accomplices were travelling to the stadium with homemade bombs and an AR-15 rifle, specifically naming Messi as their target.
MARCA reported that Messi received more threats than any other player during the tournament.
Portugal captain Cristiano Ronaldo was also reportedly targeted, with several people arrested over separate threats against him during the competition.
The report added that the FBI and other international law enforcement agencies worked together throughout the World Cup to monitor and respond to threats involving high-profile players.
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