Messi faced most threats at 2026 World Cup including suicide plot: report

Argentina captain Lionel Messi was allegedly targeted by terrorist attacks during the recently concluded Fifa World Cup with some informants warning of an assassination plot against the soccer star.

The 39-year-old is on a list of players who encountered attempted attacks during the tournament. According to a Spanish newspaper, several cases of bomb threats, stalking and online abuses were reported.

Notably, one of the critical situations unfolded ahead of Argentina’s June 18 match against Jordan in Texas when a man claimed to be the leader along with two others were carrying homemade bombs aimed at targeting the groups involved.

The reports further showed that the police received a call from a man stating that he placed three bombs in three trash cans in the stadium in another threat.

The major structural changes led to a detailed search by explosives and K-9 units during and after the match.

Similarly, Ronaldo was targeted the most throughout the tournament with one man being arrested for requiring details for his quarters in Houston with a fan who tried to get into the elevator with him in Canada.

These incidents were reportedly tracked by the FBI in coordination with the International Police Cooperation Center (IPCC). Nonetheless, federal agencies and law enforcement authorities of the involved states monitored alerts, threats against players and other serious security incidents.