Gunmen Leave Threatening Message to Lionel Messi During Grocery Store Attack

Gunmen left a threatening message to soccer superstar Lionel Messi after attacking a grocery store owned by his wife’s family in Rosario, Argentina, according to ESPN. 14 shots were reportedly fired at the shutters and front door of the store called Unico on Thursday morning by two individuals on a motorbike. Nobody was hurt in the shooting.

Rosario police said the attackers left a threatening note that was written on a piece of cardboard that said:  “Messi, we are waiting for you. Javkin is a drug dealer. He is not going to look after you.” Pablo Javkin is the mayor of Rosario, and after the incident, Javkin spoke to reporters about the increased violence in the city. 

“Where are the ones who need to take care of us?” Javkin said, per the Associated Press. “It’s clear that those who have the weapons and have the possibility of investigating the criminals aren’t doing it, and it’s very easy for any gang to carry out something like this.”

In a tweet, Javkin wrote: “Rosario is 300km [from Buenos Aires], it is near. We want to get all the resources against crime that Argentina has to take care of us, to protect this city that gives the country glory and science, countryside and art, federalism and union.” An investigation is underway, and neither Messi nor his wife has not commented on the incident.

This comes a few days after Messi was named Best FIFA Men’s Player in 2022 after leading Argentina to a World Cup title in December. And with the World Cup win, Messi has accomplished everything a soccer player can achieve. “I told them (my family) that it was over after so much time, so much suffering because there were times when I suffered a lot with the national team,” Messi said in an interview with Andreas Kusnetzoff, per Football Espana. “Many disappointments, always having been so close and never happening. I received criticism of from all sides for a long time and I know that my family suffered the same as me or more.”

“They always wanted to show me that they were fine, that they were strong. But I know that inside they were suffering a lot, not only because it didn’t happen, but because of the harsh things they said towards me, which went beyond football. That was what really bothered me and hurt me. It was like closing the circle. We won the Copa America, we won the World Cup, that’s it. There’s nothing left, it’s over.”