Big security breach sees Messi, Argentina's World Cup squad's passport details leaked

Lionel Messi and the entire Argentina squad were caught up in a major security breach after their passport details were reportedly leaked ahead of the team's pre-World Cup friendly against Iceland.The sensitive information was allegedly circulated on an official team sheet without being properly redacted, raising concerns over player privacy and data security just days before Argentina begin their title defence.According to a report by The Independent, passport numbers belonging to every member of Argentina's squad were included on the official team sheet released before the match. The information should have been blurred before being distributed to the media and the public, but was reportedly shared without redaction at Jordan-Hare Stadium in Alabama.The leak affected all players listed for the fixture, including both the starting XI and substitutes. More than 88,000 fans attended the match at the stadium in Auburn, Alabama, where the documents were reportedly made available.Iceland's players avoided a similar issue, with their team sheet not including passport numbers.Reuters reported that it had contacted both FIFA and the Argentine Football Association for comment following the incident. Neither organisation immediately responded to requests regarding the apparent oversight.MESSI MARKS RETURNDespite the off-field controversy, Argentina delivered a commanding performance on the pitch, securing a comfortable 3-0 victory over Iceland in their final warm-up fixture before the tournament.The match also marked Messi's return from a hamstring injury.

The 38-year-old started on the bench but made an immediate impact after entering the game in the second half.Within two minutes of coming on, Messi found the back of the net after Lautaro Martinez was brought down inside the penalty area following a precise through-ball from the Argentine captain. Messi calmly converted the resulting spot-kick to double Argentina's advantage.RECORD-BREAKING GOALThe goal also saw Messi make history. At 38 years and 11 months, he became Argentina's oldest-ever goalscorer, surpassing the record previously held by Angel Labruna. Labruna had set the mark in 1957 and remained the country's oldest scorer for nearly seven decades.Argentina will now turn their attention to the FIFA World Cup, where they are set to begin their campaign with a Group J clash against Algeria on Tuesday.

While the reigning champions will be encouraged by their strong performance against Iceland, questions remain over how such sensitive personal information was allowed to be released so publicly in the lead-up to one of football's biggest events.- EndsPublished By: Amar PanickerPublished On: Jun 10, 2026 18:52 IST