With attention building around the upcoming FIFA World Cup and ongoing international friendlies, Lionel Messi and the Argentina squad have found themselves at the centre of an unexpected security issue.
Reports suggest that the players’ passport details were mistakenly exposed on an official team document ahead of their pre-World Cup friendly against Iceland. The unredacted information has raised serious concerns over data privacy and security, coming just days before Argentina begin their World Cup title defence.
How Were Messi And Argentina Players’ Passport Details Leaked Ahead of FIFA WC 2026?
A security lapse reportedly led to the exposure of passport details belonging to every member of the Argentina squad ahead of their pre-World Cup friendly against Iceland, including captain Lionel Messi, according to media reports. The sensitive information, which appeared on the official team sheet, was meant to be redacted before public release.
However, the details were circulated without any masking at Jordan-Hare Stadium in Alabama, resulting in the unintended leak. Reuters has reached out to both the Argentine Football Association and FIFA for clarification on the incident.
The leak reportedly impacted every Argentina player named for the match, covering both the starting lineup and substitutes. The incident occurred at a game attended by more than 88,000 fans at the stadium in Auburn, Alabama, where the unredacted documents were said to have been distributed.
Iceland’s squad was not affected, as their team sheet did not contain passport details. Following the incident, Reuters noted that it had reached out to FIFA and the Argentine Football Association for comment, though neither organisation had immediately responded regarding the apparent oversight.
Messi Scores as Argentina Beat Iceland Ahead of FIFA World Cup 2026
Argentina produced a dominant display on the field, easing to a 3-0 win over Iceland in their final warm-up ahead of the tournament, despite the off-field distraction surrounding the squad. The match drew a crowd of over 88,000, with the reigning champions wrapping up their preparations in convincing fashion.
Lionel Messi also made a strong return from a hamstring injury, starting on the bench before making a quick impact in the second half. Just minutes after coming on, his precise through-ball led to Lautaro Martínez being brought down inside the box, giving Argentina a penalty opportunity.
Messi stepped up and calmly converted the spot-kick, extending Argentina’s lead and marking a memorable comeback moment. The strike also saw him make history as Argentina’s oldest goalscorer at 38 years and 11 months, surpassing Ángel Labruna’s long-standing record set back in 1957. With momentum on their side, Argentina now shift focus to their World Cup campaign, where they will begin their title defence against Algeria in a Group J clash on Tuesday.
