From Diego Maradona to Lionel Messi: Top 5 Footballers Who Received Death Threats from Drug Cartels | Football News

NEW DELHI: Football is the most popular sport in the world, captivating millions with its excitement, passion and drama. For some footballers, however, the sport also has a dark side: life-threatening risks.
Over the years, a few top footballers have faced chilling threats, not from rival fans or on-field incidents, but from powerful and dangerous drug cartels.
While most footballers do not receive death threats, players who play in or come from countries with a high level of organised crime can sometimes be targeted because of their fame, wealth or influence.
In some countries, notably Colombia in the 1990s, drug cartels had a significant influence on football, using it to launder money. Athletes from these regions may be more susceptible to threats from criminal organizations.
Many footballers in countries like Brazil and Argentina have security teams to protect them and their families from threats, but their high profile makes them visible targets.
Let’s dive straight into five football stars who faced these terrifying threats and the circumstances that led to these terrifying moments.
5. Diego Maradona (Argentina) — A life intertwined with fame and the underworld
Diego Maradona, one of the most iconic footballers in history, was no stranger to the world of crime, especially when he played for Napoli in Italy.
Maradona’s battle with drug addiction became notorious and at one point his life was threatened by the Neapolitan Camorra Mafia.
The mafia, which had a lot of power in Naples, is said to have become involved with Maradona because of his cocaine addiction and influence in the city. He was threatened by the Neapolitan Camorra mafia because of his drug use and debts during his time in Napoli.
Although Maradona survived these perilous times, his relationship with criminals highlighted how vulnerable top athletes are to organised crime, especially when they are dealing with personal demons.
Maradona’s personal problems and connections with organised crime in Naples contributed to his tumultuous career, leaving him vulnerable to threats from the underworld.
His later years were filled with reflection on that turbulent time, although the constant threats and contacts left a lasting impression on his life.
4. Lionel Messi (Argentina) — A king without a safe castle?
Lionel Messi, one of the greatest footballers of all time, if not the greatest, has largely managed to stay out of controversy. In 2023, however, his name became entangled in a dangerous criminal world.
Gunmen opened fire at a grocery store owned by Messi’s in-laws in his hometown of Rosario, Argentina. Although no one was injured, a threatening note was left at the scene: “Messi, we are waiting for you.”
Rosario, once known for its soccer stars, has seen a rise in drug violence, with drug cartels expanding their control over the city. Messi’s hometown of Rosario has become a center of drug cartel violence, posing a threat to even its most famous resident.
Although Messi himself was not directly involved in criminal activity, the incident underlined that even international icons are not immune to threats from organised crime.
3. Angel of Mary (Argentina) — A champion winger being attacked off the field
Argentine winger Ángel Di María became the target of a chilling threat as his hometown of Rosario saw a wave of drug-related violence.
On the outskirts of town, a message was left at his family home warning him not to return to Rosario. It read ominously: “Tell your son Angel not to come back to Rosario or we will kill a family member.” The threat was accompanied by a reference to the provincial governor, Maximiliano Pullaro, with the warning: “We don’t leave paper notes. We leave bullets and dead people.”
This disturbing incident follows a similar threat made against Lionel Messi in 2023, when gunmen attacked a supermarket owned by Messi’s in-laws.
Di María, who currently plays for Benfica, has indicated that he would like to retire from his boyhood club Rosario Central, but the message casts a shadow over his future plans.
2. Salvador Cabanas (Paraguay) — From peak moments to being targeted at a bar
Salvador Cabañas was at the height of his career when he suffered a life-changing attack in 2010. The Paraguayan footballer, then a star striker for Club América in Mexico, was shot in the head at close range in a nightclub toilet.
The shooter was identified as José Jorge Balderas Garza, also known as “El JJ,” a figure with ties to the Mexican drug cartels.
This horrific event not only marked the end of Cabañas’ football career, but also became a symbol of the violent intersection between organised crime and football in Mexico.
The incident took place at the Bar Bar nightclub, a popular haunt for athletes, celebrities and drug lords. According to witnesses, a confrontation broke out when Garza questioned Cabañas about his recent lack of goals, leading to an argument that resulted in Garza pulling out a gun and shooting the footballer.
Despite the severity of the wound, Cabañas miraculously survived, although the bullet lodged in his brain. His recovery was remarkable, but his professional football career came to an abrupt end, sending the sport into shock.
Fourteen years after the attack, new details have emerged about what happened that night. According to crime journalist Carlos Jiménez, security footage and witness statements revealed that Garza felt provoked by Cabañas’ reaction and, in a show of force, shot him.
1. Andres Escobar (Colombia) — The own goal that led to a tragic ending
Perhaps the most tragic story in football history involves Colombian defender Andrés Escobar. After scoring an unfortunate own goal in the 1994 FIFA World Cup match against the United States, Escobar became the scapegoat for Colombia’s early elimination from the tournament.
Colombian football in the 1990s was heavily influenced by drug cartels, including Pablo Escobar’s Medellín cartel, which often used the sport to launder money. Colombia, under immense pressure to perform, were seen as outsiders in the competition.
Unfortunately, Escobar’s mistake was not forgiven in his home country. Just days after the team’s elimination, Escobar was shot dead in Medellín, allegedly as a result of a drug cartel member’s anger over losing money on bets.
The brutal murder, which was linked to Colombia’s notorious drug cartels, shocked the world and underscored the dangerous intersection between football and organised crime at the time.
Football has the power to unite people around the world, but for these five athletes it has also led to terrifying confrontations with organised crime.
Whether they were directly involved with cartels or simply targeted because of their fame, these footballers were not immune to the dangerous forces of the underworld.
The stories of Andrés Escobar, Lionel Messi, Salvador Cabañas, Ángel Di María and Diego Maradona are a sobering reminder of the risks that fame brings in a world where crime and sport sometimes collide.