Ronaldo Stalked, Messi Targeted by Death Threats at 2026 World Cup: "I'll Blow Up Messi!"

Lionel Messi, captain of the silver-medal-winning Argentina squad, was the most targeted individual at the 2026 World Cup. Prior to Argentina's 3-1 group stage match against Jordan in Dallas, an unknown caller threatened to storm the stadium with two accomplices, allegedly armed with homemade bombs and an AR-15 rifle. The caller specifically named Lionel Messi as the primary target.

Death threats resurfaced before Argentina's 3-2 Round of 16 clash with Egypt in Atlanta. "I will enter the stadium and blow up Messi with four bombs strapped to my body," one suspect posted on social media. The British tabloid Daily Star ran a front-page story on Saturday featuring Messi with the bold headline: "Bomb Plot Against Messi."

"During the same match, police received another call claiming three bombs were hidden in trash cans in the stands. After a thorough search of the stadium with bomb-sniffing dogs, it was determined to be a false alarm," reported Marca on its website.

Portuguese superstar Cristiano Ronaldo also faced security concerns. According to a FIFA police report, the FBI was alerted to a suspicious individual requesting details about Ronaldo's accommodation. Two days later, Houston police tracked down and arrested the same man at the hotel where the Portuguese team was staying. Another individual was arrested in Toronto for a similar incident after attempting to force his way into an elevator with Ronaldo, claiming he only wanted a selfie.

Referees also received death threats. French referee François Letexier received over 6,000 hateful messages on his personal WhatsApp account after officiating the controversial Argentina-Egypt match. The same happened to the VAR referee for that game, Willy Delajod. Due to the threats, security for their homes and families in France had to be increased.