Police report reveals: man wanted to murder Lionel Messi in a brutal manner during the World Cup

Lionel Messi received more death threats than any other footballer during the 2026 World Cup. That is according to Marca, which reviewed a large-scale American police report on the global finals tournament.

The Spanish sports newspaper says the American police report lists all the security threats faced by both the FBI and the IPCC during the World Cup won by Spain.

Marca also reveals a series of bizarre details. One man is said to have threatened to storm the stadium during the group-stage match 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 instead found worrying messages online. “I am going into the Atlanta Stadium and blowing Messi up with four bombs strapped to my body,” a suspect wrote on social media.

During the same match, 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.

Cristiano Ronaldo

Marca says several people were also arrested for threatening Cristiano Ronaldo. FIFA alerted the FBI after one suspicious man kept pressing for details about his whereabouts, and officers then arrested him.

Two days later, Houston police tracked down the same man and arrested him at the hotel where the Portugal team were staying. In Toronto, another person was arrested in a similar incident after trying to get into a lift with Ronaldo, claiming he only wanted to take a selfie with him.

Referees

The referees at the World Cup also received many death threats. Frenchman François Letexier received more than 6,000 hate messages after refereeing the controversial match between Argentina and Egypt. Authorities then gave his home and family in France extra protection.