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From Bomb Threats Against Messi to a Ronaldo Hotel Breach, a Secret Dossier Reveals How Close the World Cup Came to Being a Catastrophe
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The Mary Sue
From bomb threats targeting Lionel Messi to a stalker breaching Cristiano Ronaldo’s hotel, a leaked police dossier has exposed just how close the 2026 FIFA World Cup came to disaster.
Messi wasn’t the only global icon in the crosshairsCristiano Ronaldo’s World Cup experience was marred by two separate security incidents.
: A leaked police dossier has revealed multiple serious security threats during the World Cup, with Lionel Messi reportedly singled out in several of them.
Their penalty shootout loss to Switzerland denied them a quarter-final clash with Argentina, a match that could have rewritten their World Cup story.
From ISIS-linked threats in 2017–18, to threats in 2018, the 2023 Rosario attack, and serious threats ahead of the 2026 World Cup.