2026 World Cup: Messi target of assassination attempts in US

It has emerged that Argentina captain, Lionel Messi, received more death threats than any other player during the 2026 World Cup.

This was revealed in a review carried out by Spanish newspaper, Marca, on a large-scale American police report on the tournament.

The report contained all the security threats faced by both the FBI and the IPCC during the World Cup.

It claimed that one man threatened to storm the stadium during the group-stage clash between Jordan and Argentina with two others, armed with homemade bombs and an AR-15 rifle.

In that phone call, Messi was named as a specific target. The intention was to murder the Argentine superstar.

Ahead of the match between Argentina and Egypt, investigators also discovered worrying messages online.

During the same game, officials carried out an actual search for bombs inside the stadium. They were said to have been hidden in certain bins.

After a thorough search of the stadium with sniffer dogs, it ultimately turned out to be a false alarm.