A confidential security file, published by international media, has revealed the dark behind-the-scenes of the last World Cup that took place in Mexico, the US and Canada, where Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo appear to have been among the targets of serious threats.
According to the English tabloid “The Sun”, which refers to documents published by “Informacion.es”, the American authorities have recorded dozens of alerts during the tournament, including threats with weapons, claims of bombs in stadiums and attempts to approach football stars. Argentina captain Lionel Messi was one of the main targets. Before the two Argentina matches, the police received alerts of armed people and threats of explosive attacks in stadiums, forcing the activation of anti-explosive units and strict security checks.
Portugal captain Cristiano Ronaldo was also involved in the security reports after a person asked for information about his whereabouts, while a fan managed to enter the hotel where the Portuguese was staying and tried to approach him in the elevator. He was immediately stopped by police.
The pressure did not spare the referees either. French referee Francois Letexier received over 6,000 threatening messages after an Argentina match, while other FIFA officials and footballers were the subject of threats and hate campaigns on social media.
The World Cup was reportedly accompanied by a massive security operation, with extraordinary measures to protect players, fans and officials. Documents show that, after the spectacle on the pitch, authorities faced a high number of threats, making this one of the most fortified editions in World Cup history.