Gunmen leave Argentine soccer star Lionel Messi a menacing message

02.03.2023 - 19:59 cbc.ca

Gunmen left a threatening message Thursday for Argentine soccer superstar Lionel Messi and opened fire at a supermarket owned by his in-laws in Argentina's third-largest city of Buenos Aires, police said.

Nobody was injured in the early morning attack, and it was unclear why assailants would target Messi or the Unico supermarket in Rosario, owned by the family of his wife, Antonella Roccuzzo.

The city's mayor, Pablo Javkin, lashed out at federal authorities over what he called their failure to curb a surge in drug-related violence in Rosario, located about 300 kilometres northwest of the capital of Buenos Aires.

Police said two men on a motorcycle fired at least a dozen shots into an Unico branch in the early hours, and left a message on a piece of carboard that read, "Messi, we're waiting for you.

Message Lionel Messi Argentina Buenos Aires

Lionel Messi and his Argentina teammates will make a triumphant return in their homeland on Thursday when they play their first match since winning the World Cup in Qatar. More than 1.5 million fans applied for 63,000 available tickets for the match against Central American minnows Panama at the Monumental stadium in Buenos Aires. Football-mad Argentines were out in even larger numbers following the Albiceleste's dramatic penalty shoot-out victory over France in December. An estimated five million people thronged the streets of Buenos Aires a few days later for the trophy parade.

Messi mania in Argentina as soccer star mobbed at restaurant

BUENOS AIRES: A steakhouse in the trendy Buenos Aires neighborhood of Palermo was mobbed by hundreds of frenzied soccer fans late Monday night when word spread that Lionel Messi was inside having dinner.

Watch: Lionel Messi Mobbed While Leaving Restaurant, Fans Throng Streets For Argentine GOAT

Wherever Lionel Messi goes, fans follow. That was literally the case as the Argentine forward went to eat at a restaurant. Messi was busy with his club teammates at Paris Saint-Germain in France but would now be lining up with his Argentine teammates in the international break. However, the 35-year-old thought of taking some time out for himself ahead of the international duty but little did he know of the herd of people that will follow him. As Messi went with his family to eat at a restaurant, fans thronged streets to get a glimpse of their GOAT.

Lionel Messi could leave PSG with future 'more uncertain than ever' after Champions League failures

Lionel Messi's future at Paris Saint-Germain is 'more uncertain than ever' with the club having doubts over wehther to extend his contract, according to reports in France.

'Gives you more' - ex Arsenal star issues verdict on Cristiano Ronaldo vs Lionel Messi debate

Former Arsenal defender Lauren believes Lionel Messi is better than former Manchester United star Cristiano Ronaldo.

Watch: Cristiano Ronaldo Fumes After Young Fan Shouts 'Lionel Messi Is Way Better'

The comparisons between Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi has dominated conversations between football fans in the past decade. However, in the past one year, the debate has somewhat become lopsided with Messi guiding Argentina to the FIFA World Cup title and Ronaldo losing favour in Manchester United and joining Saudi Arabia's Al-Nassr. Ronaldo was greeted by Messi chants from the rival club supporters in Saudi Arabia and another such incident happened following his team's win over Al Baten. Ronaldo was walking through the tunnel when a young fan shouted in front of him that Messi is way better. In a video doing the rounds of social media, Ronaldo was seen ignoring the fan before shouting "And that was the easy game" to the people around him.