From Diego Maradona to Lionel Messi: The five football players who received death threats from drug cartels | Football news

NEW DELHI: football is the most popular sport in the world and thrills millions with its excitement, passion and drama. But for some footballers, the game also has a dark side – life-threatening risks.
Over the years, some top footballers have faced gruesome threats, not from rival fans or incidents on the pitch, but from powerful and dangerous Drug cartels.
While most footballers do not face death threats, players from countries with high levels of organised crime can sometimes become targets of attacks due to their fame, wealth or influence.
In some countries, notably Colombia in the 1990s, drug cartels had a major influence on football and used it for money laundering. Athletes from these regions may be more vulnerable to threats from criminal organizations.
Many footballers in countries such as Brazil and Argentina have security teams to protect them and their families from threats, but their high-profile status makes them visible targets.
Without further ado, let's delve into the stories of five football stars who faced these horrific threats and the circumstances that led to these horrific moments.
5. Diego Maradona (Argentina) – A life between fame and the underworld
Diego Maradona, one of the most famous football players in history, was no stranger to the world of crime, especially during his time playing for Napoli in Italy.
Maradona's battle with drug addiction became notorious, and at one point his life was allegedly threatened by the Neapolitans. Camorra Mafia.
The mafia, which is powerful in Naples, is said to have come into contact with them because of Maradona's cocaine addiction and his influence in the city. Due to his drug use and debts during his time with Naples, he was threatened by the Neapolitan Camorra mafia.
Although Maradona survived these dangerous times, his relationships with crime highlighted how vulnerable high-profile athletes are to organized crime, especially when they are battling personal demons.
Maradona's personal problems and his links to organized crime in Naples contributed to his turbulent career and made him vulnerable to underworld threats.
In his later years he reflected much on this turbulent time, but the constant threats and connections left a lasting mark 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 managed to stay out of controversy so far. But in 2023, his name was thrust into the dangerous world of the underworld.
Gunmen opened fire on a supermarket owned by Messi's in-laws in his hometown of Rosario, Argentina. Although no one was injured, a threatening message 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 as the cartels expand their control over the city. Messi's hometown of Rosario has become a center of drug cartel violence, posing a threat even to its most famous resident.
Although Messi himself was not directly involved in criminal activities, the incident underlined that even world stars are not immune to the threat of organized crime.
3. Angel Di Maria (Argentina) – A champion winger who was targeted off the field
Argentine winger Ángel Di María found himself at the centre of a terrifying threat amid a wave of drug-related violence in his hometown of Rosario.
On the outskirts of the city, a note was left at his parents' house warning him not to return to Rosario. The message read: “Tell your son Angel not to return to Rosario because if he does, we will kill a family member.” The threat was delivered along with a mention of the provincial governor, Maximiliano Pullaro, along with the warning: “We don't leave notes. We leave bullets and dead people.”
This disturbing event followed a similar threat against Lionel Messi in 2023, when armed men raided a supermarket owned by Messi's in-laws.
Di María, who currently plays for Benfica, expressed his desire to end his career at his boyhood club Rosario Central, but this news casts a shadow over his future plans.
2. Salvador Cabanas (Paraguay) – From the summit enjoyment to the finish in the bar
Salvador Cabañas was at the peak 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 the toilet of a nightclub.
The shooter was identified as José Jorge Balderas Garza, also known as “El JJ,” a figure linked to the Mexican drug cartels.
This horrific event not only ended Cabañas' football career, but also became a symbol of the violent intersection between organized crime and football in Mexico.
The incident occurred at the Bar Bar nightclub, a venue frequented by athletes, celebrities and drug lords alike. According to witnesses, a confrontation occurred when Garza questioned Cabañas about his recent goal drought, sparking an argument that led to Garza pulling out a gun and shooting the footballer.
Despite the severity of the injury, Cabañas miraculously survived, although the bullet lodged in his brain. His recovery was remarkable, but his career as a professional footballer ended abruptly and the sport was in shock.
Fourteen years after the attack, new details have emerged about what happened that night. According to crime journalist Carlos Jiménez, surveillance footage and witness statements showed that Garza felt provoked by Cabaña's reaction and shot him in a show of force.
1. Andres Escobar (Colombia) – The own goal that led to the tragic end
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 USA, Escobar became the scapegoat for Colombia's early exit 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 enormous pressure to perform, were considered underdogs in the competition.
Unfortunately, Escobar's mistake was not forgiven in his home country. Just days after his team's elimination, Escobar was shot dead in Medellín. This was reportedly the result of a drug cartel member's anger over lost money on bets.
The brutal murder, linked to the notorious Colombian drug cartels, shocked the world and underlined the dangerous intersection between football and organized crime at the time.
Football has the power to unite people all over the world. But for these five athletes, it also led to horrific encounters with organized crime.
Whether they were directly involved in 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 come with fame in a world where crime and sport sometimes collide.