Security agencies uncovered several threats against football stars during the World Cup in the United States, including an alleged plot to attack Argentina captain Lionel Messi with bombs, according to reports based on FBI and International Police Cooperation Center (IPCC) records.

The security reports, revealed by Spanish newspaper Informacion.es and cited by the Daily Mirror among other media, showed that Messi received the highest number of threats during the tournament.

In one incident, a man allegedly posted a threat on X ahead of Argentina’s match against Egypt on July 7, saying he planned to enter Atlanta stadium and attack Messi with explosives.

In another incident, a man reportedly called Dallas airport claiming that he and two others were heading to a stadium with homemade bombs and an AR-15 rifle. He allegedly said they intended to target police officers and players from both teams, specifically mentioning Messi.

Security authorities also searched the Atlanta stadium after another man called police during a match and claimed he had planted three bombs in litter bins. Explosives specialists and K-9 units were deployed to search the venue.

According to the dossier, Messi faced the highest number of threats during the competition, while Portugal captain Cristiano Ronaldo was subjected to the most harassment.

On June 14, a FIFA employee reported a suspicious man seeking information about Ronaldo’s hotel accommodation. Houston police identified and arrested the man two days later at the hotel where the Portugal team was staying.

A similar incident occurred in Toronto, where another man was arrested after allegedly attempting to enter an elevator with Ronaldo. He reportedly told police that he only wanted to take a selfie with the football star.

Ronaldo was also targeted in Miami, where a man allegedly attempted to gain access to him. During Portugal’s match against Croatia, another man wearing a Ronaldo shirt ran onto the pitch.

The reports also said referee François Letexier, who officiated the Argentina-Egypt match, received more than 6,000 threats on his personal WhatsApp account. His family in France was reportedly placed under police protection following the threats.