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Football superstars Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo were reportedly targeted in threats of major terrorist attacks during a World Cup, according to a leaked US police security document.
The document reportedly details multiple death threats and alleged plans for suicide attacks targeting star players and match officials during the tournament.
According to reports by British newspaper The Sun and Spanish website Informacion.es, Messi and the Argentina team faced some of the most serious threats.
Ahead of Argentina’s match against Jordan, a man reportedly called Dallas airport and threatened to attack the stadium with two accomplices armed with grenades and AR-15 rifles. The caller allegedly issued a direct threat to kill Messi.
A similar incident was reported before the Egypt-Argentina match. A suspected individual allegedly posted on X that he would enter the stadium in Atlanta with explosives strapped to his body and carry out a suicide attack against Messi.
Police also received a call claiming that three bombs had been placed in rubbish bins at the stadium during the match. The area was subsequently searched by bomb-disposal experts and specially trained dogs.
Portugal captain Cristiano Ronaldo was also reportedly among the targets. According to the leaked document, a FIFA employee alerted authorities after an unidentified person sought detailed information about Ronaldo’s hotel.
In another incident, a fan reportedly attempted to evade security and enter the hotel lift used by Ronaldo. During questioning, the individual said he had only wanted to take a selfie with the football star.
Match officials also faced threats from angry supporters. French referee François Letexier reportedly received more than 6,000 threatening messages on WhatsApp following decisions made during the Argentina-Egypt match. Video assistant referee (VAR) official Willy Delajod was also reportedly subjected to death threats from angry Egyptian supporters.
The leaked document further reportedly described death threats against players over their performances.
Norway’s Alexander Sørloth and Colombia’s Jhon Jader Durán were allegedly threatened after missing chances in a quarter-final against England. The threats were reportedly so serious that Colombian player Durán was reluctant to return home with the national team.
The incident has drawn comparisons with the 1994 killing of Colombian defender Andrés Escobar, who was murdered after scoring an own goal at the World Cup.
The reported security threats led authorities to impose exceptionally tight security measures around the tournament. England’s media centre was reportedly turned into a heavily fortified facility, with a three-layer security perimeter, anti-sniper protection and a no-fly zone to guard against potential drone attacks.
The incidents highlighted the increasingly complex security challenges surrounding major international sporting events, where globally recognised players, officials and large crowds can become potential targets for threats and attacks.
