Argentine captain Lionel Messi was among the footballers singled out in a series of serious security threats during the recent FIFA World Cup 2026 that was co-hosted by Canada, Mexico and USA.
Citing a police dossier detailing incidents that they monitored during the tournament, a report claimed there were threats against players, officials and their families, with Messi reportedly facing some of the most specific threats recorded.
One threat involved a caller who allegedly told authorities that he and two other people were travelling to the stadium in Dallas carrying homemade bombs and an AR-15 rifle. The caller reportedly said the intended targets included police officers and players from both teams, while specifically naming Messi.
Another threat was linked to Argentina‘s match against Egypt on July 7.
A post on X reportedly claimed that the writer was about to enter Atlanta Stadium carrying four bombs and intended to kill Messi.
“I’m going to walk into the Atlanta stadium and blow up Messi with four bombs stuck in my body," read the chilling post.
Security teams responded to threats at the Atlanta venue, with explosives specialists, dog handlers and K-9 units conducting searches after another caller claimed that three bombs had been placed inside garbage bins at the stadium during the match.
The security operation for the tournament involved a joint network headed by the FBI and the IPCC (Centre for International Police Cooperation). Its work included monitoring terror-related alerts, stalking incidents and threats of violence involving players and their relatives.
However, Messi was not the only major football figure to come under scrutiny.
Portugal’s Cristiano Ronaldo was reportedly subjected to repeated incidents involving people attempting to obtain information about his whereabouts and accommodation.
On June 14, a FIFA employee alerted authorities after noticing a man seeking details about where the Portugal captain was staying. Houston police later arrested a man at the hotel where Ronaldo and the Portuguese squad were staying.
A separate incident occurred in Toronto, where another man was detained after allegedly trying to enter a lift with Ronaldo.
The man reportedly told police that his intention was simply to take a selfie with the football icon.
French referee François Letexier was also among those targeted during the tournament, with the dossier stating that he received more than 6,000 threatening WhatsApp messages.
The incidents formed part of a wider security operation during the World Cup, with authorities tracking threats and suspicious behaviour involving some of the tournament’s highest-profile players and officials.