Now Reading: Messi faced bomb threats at World Cup, FBI report reveals
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Messi faced bomb threats at World Cup, FBI report reveals
Lionel Messi was the primary target of multiple bomb threats during the FIFA World Cup 2026, according to an FBI-linked report in Informacion. One man calling himself Dallas airport said he was…
The Story in Brief
Lionel Messi was the primary target of multiple bomb threats during the FIFA World Cup 2026, according to an FBI-linked report in Informacion. One man calling himself Dallas airport said he was heading to the Argentina-Jordan match with homemade bombs and an AR-15, threatening to attack police and players, especially Messi. Another X user claimed he would enter Atlanta Stadium and "blow up Messi with four bombs." Explosive experts and dogs searched the venue. A separate caller later said he had left three bombs in trash cans.
The report also named Cristiano Ronaldo the most harassed player. A person seeking Ronaldo's accommodation was arrested at his hotel in Houston after a FIFA employee flagged him. A fan who tried to enter an elevator with Ronaldo in Canada was also arrested but said he only wanted a selfie. French referee Francois Letexier received about 6,000 threatening WhatsApp messages during the tournament.
The Indian Opinion
Fans who cross the line from adoration to stalking or threatening behaviour deserve no sympathy, but the scale of threats against Messi and Letexier shows how high-profile tournaments have become security nightmares. The Indian Opinion wonders why organisers did not publicise these threats earlier to deter copycats. The real test will be whether host nations now share threat intelligence transparently before the next tournament or keep it classified until a crisis hits.
Sources (2): timesnownews.com, sports.ndtv.com
This story was synthesised by AI from the 2 sources linked above.
Updated: this story now draws on 2 sources.
