A newly released report from US police has laid bare the scale of security threats uncovered during this summer’s World Cup, with the FBI and international police cooperation bodies working to neutralise multiple plots throughout the tournament.

The findings reveal just how much went on behind the scenes to keep players, officials and fans safe across the seven-week competition, with several credible threats requiring urgent intervention from law enforcement.

Among the most alarming was a series of threats targeting one of the sport’s biggest global icons, who received more threats than any other player across the entire tournament.

A host of other big names were also caught up in separate security scares, alongside members of the officiating team.

Lionel Messi Targeted by Multiple Bomb Threats

REUTERS/Agustin Marcarian

Marca have reported the dossier cites Lionel Messi as the player who received the most threats during the tournament. Before Argentina’s group-stage clash with Jordan, a man called Dallas airport claiming he and two others planned to breach the stadium armed with homemade bombs and an AR-15 rifle, explicitly naming Messi as the target.

Further threats emerged ahead of Argentina’s last-16 tie with Egypt. One suspect wrote on social media:

Police also received a separate call claiming three bombs had been planted in bins around the stadium, though a full search using explosive detection dogs found nothing, with the threat later confirmed as a hoax.

Cristiano Ronaldo and Match Officials also Targeted

Reuters/Troy Taormina

Cristiano Ronaldo faced his own security scare at Portugal’s team hotel. FIFA alerted the FBI after a “suspicious man” requested details about Ronaldo’s accommodation, with Houston police locating and arresting him inside the hotel two days later.

A separate individual was arrested in Toronto after attempting to enter a lift with Ronaldo, claiming he only wanted a photo.

Match officials weren’t spared either. French referee Francois Letexier received more than 6,000 hateful messages on his personal WhatsApp following the contentious Argentina-Egypt fixture, with VAR official Willy Delajod subjected to similar abuse. Both had security around their homes and families in France reinforced as a precaution.

Tottenham are said to have been offered Galatasaray superstar Victor Osimhen, but signing him would come at the cost of an existing player. It has been a busy summer for the North London club so far, with a club-record spend already achieved, and the spending is not done yet.

Roberto De Zerbi has been handed more than £235million to sign a host of players, with the defence and midfield addressed with the signings of Jan Paul van Hecke, Sandro Tonali, Mateus Fernandes and others. But attention has now turned to the attack, and a winger signing is next. Manchester City’s Savinho may be the priority, but when a winger is snapped up, it’s not out of the question that a striker is also signed, providing there are exits.

Tottenham offered Victor Osimhen transfer

via Reuters

According to TeamTalk, Osimhen has been offered to Tottenham as the forward looks to land a move to the Premier League this summer. The forward has only been with Galatasaray for a year since his €75million move from Napoli, but he could already be on the move, with his representatives reportedly shopping around English clubs.

But Galatasaray will likely want to make all of their investment back and more, and there is also the question of Osimhen’s wages, which are currently reported as being around £309,000 per week, which works out at £247,000-per-week after local tax.

“He’s fast, tall, a clinical finisher, and extremely effective in the air. He truly is a top-class player.” – Gary Lineker on Victor Osimhen

That wage will only be affordable for Tottenham if they sacrifice one of their existing strikers, meaning one of Richarlison or Dominic Solanke will have to leave the club. Neither are close to leaving at this stage, so the Osimhen deal is not one Tottenham will be rushing into. A winger transfer remains their priority at this stage, and if they can get a winger who can also play as a striker, they may not bother signing a striker at all.

How Osimhen’s goal record compares to Tottenham strikers

• Richarlison: 27 goals in 102 league games (Spurs)
• Dominic Solanke: 12 goals in 42 league games (Spurs)
• Victor Osimhen: 41 goals in 52 league games (Galatasaray)

Osimhen a ‘truly top-class’ player

Gary Lineker once apologised to Osimhen for underrating his abilities. “I want to apologize to Victor Osimhen,” he said. “I used to say he sometimes got lost on the pitch, but things are totally different now. I shouldn’t have made those kinds of comments, that’s on me. “He’s fast, tall, a clinical finisher, and extremely effective in the air. He truly is a top-class player.”

Meanwhile, Rio Ferdinand once said of Osimhen while telling Man Utd to sign him: “He’s never played in the Premier League, but I think he can score anywhere.”

Osimhen has 15 goals in 22 league games for Galatasaray since joining permanently, while he scored 65 in 108 league games for Napoli, and it is those sorts of returns that have helped him establish himself as one of the best goalscorers in the game.

Middlesbrough got their Carabao Cup campaign off to a winning start with a narrow 1-0 victory over Wrexham at the Riverside, courtesy of a second-half goal from Will Lankshear, though it was what happened with Lankshear moments after his strike that really caught the eye.

It was a solid, if unspectacular, opening round performance for Boro, who will have been pleased to get their first taste of victory against a fellow promotion favourite, in what was their first competitive match since their playoff final heartbreak against Hull.

But it wasn’t just the result that had fans talking come full-time. A moment during the closing stages ended up stealing the headlines entirely, as Middlesbrough were left playing with ten men for a brief spell, in what turned out to be a landmark moment.

Middlesbrough Forced to Play with Ten Men Against Wrexham

via Reuters

20 minutes after the Tottenham loanee’s goal on the hour mark, his number appeared on the fourth official’s board, with his manager deciding to bring on Fin Cartwright in his place. However, his manner of leaving the pitch shortly after ended up generating just as much attention as the strike itself.

The 21-year-old took longer than the permitted 10 seconds to make his way off the field, triggering a brand-new rule that saw Middlesbrough temporarily reduced to ten players.

See the new rule come into force below:

It marked the first time the regulation had been enforced in the competition, catching plenty of fans and pundits off guard in the process.

New Substitution Rule Explained

The rule itself stems from a change to the global Laws of the Game published by IFAB (the International Football Association Board) ahead of the 2026/27 season, and has since been confirmed for use across English football, including the Premier League, EFL, National League and WSL. It’s designed to minimise delays and keep matches moving.

Should a player exceed that limit, the substitution cannot be cancelled, and the player originally earmarked to come on cannot be changed either. However, the replacement will only be permitted to enter the pitch at the first stoppage after a full minute has elapsed, meaning the team in question is left playing a man short in the interim.

In previous seasons, delays during substitutions were far more common and often seen as a time-wasting tactic, but several other tweaks have been introduced for the new campaign as part of the push to reduce time-wasting and improve the flow of matches.