Lionel Messi receives terrifying threat after gunmen open fire in Rosario, Argentina

In the early hours of Thursday morning, two people opened fire at a supermarket owned by the family of Lionel Messi’s wife in Rosario, Argentina. While the crime was scary enough, the criminals left a message addressed to the captain of the Albiceleste. “Messi, we are waiting for you. Javkin is narc*, he won’t take care of you,” reads the text. The message mentions Pablo Javkin, mayor of the city of Rosario.

According to CNN reports, the establishment of Antonela Roccuzzo’s family, located in the western part of the city, received a total of 14 shots that thankfully hit the metal curtains. It’s believed the attackers fled on a motorcycle.

Javkin spoke to the media outside the scene and claimed the perpetrators were criminal gangs in the city. “It is very treacherous,” he said, saying it is “easy” for the gang to make the claim and “talk about the most famous person in the world.” He also criticized Argentina’s national police for failing to reign in drug-related crimes, per TMZ. Local police officials said it was likely an attempt to “attract attention,” as opposed to a threat.

The mayor said there was no persecution and asked to let the Roccuzzo family open the premises and work as normal. The Criminal Investigation Police is in charge of the inquiries about what happened.

The attack on the business premises of Roccuzzo’s family comes just a few days after Messi was named the best player in the world at The Best awards, which were presented on February 27 in Paris. Messi was accompanied by his wife and they looked radiant on the carpet.

So far, neither Messi nor his wife has commented on what happened in his native Rosario. Currently, ‘La Pulga’, his wife, and three children live in France.

However, ESPN reports that the Paris-Saint Germain forward usually spends Christmas holidays in Rosario, where he owns a house in a private complex.

The last time Lionel was in Rosario was last December when he celebrated the holidays with his loved ones after Argentina’s triumph at the Qatar 2022 World Cup.

Messi is expected to reappear with the Argentina national team in the coming weeks to play a couple of friendly matches in what will be his return to the courts after being crowned World Champions at the World Cup in Qatar.