FOOTBALL fans panicked after Lionel Messi was the victim of another online death hoax.
It has been reported for months that football legend Lionel Messi was fatally killed in a car crash.
Why is ‘Lionel Messi dead’ trending?
The clip showed internet sensation and YouTuber IShowSpeed reacting to the news of his alleged death.
This is untrue and the footballer is alive and well.
Lionel Messi, 36, was the victim of a death hoax which has become more common and affected other celebrities such as Tom Holland, Dwayne Johnson and more.
Messi later debunked the hoax by posting a video and a series of photos celebrating the first anniversary of Argentina’s World Cup victory.
He also later uploaded a photo of himself on Instagram to promote the year-end sale at The Messi Store and also show that he is very much alive.
What have Lionel Messi fans said?
Many Messi fans believed the hoax to be true and left RIP messages on their socials.
YouTuber and streamer IShowSpeed reacted to the news of Lionel Messi’s death in one of his streams which is watched by thousands.
One fan commented under the video: “Respect Lionel Messi.”
And another said: “Messi died, he was my favourite soccer player.
“I wish his family luck, amen.”
However, others quickly commented “fake news” and saw the hoax for what it was.
A Messi fan wrote: “It’s fake Messi is still alive have a good day.”
While another user jokingly said: “Let’s gather here, those of us who thought Messi was really dead.”
When did ‘Lionel Messi dead’ start trending
Many people shared IShowSpeeds video reacting to the news of Messi’s alleged death with hashtags such as “RIP Messi”.
The video itself claims the footballer had died in a tragic car crash.
Pictures started circulating on social media of Messi’s alleged wrecked car.
However, the photos are said to be from a car crash in Victoria, Australia in 2009.
Another car wreck was posted online but this was also debunked and believed to be a car accident from 2012.
However, posts from as recently as December 31, 2023, are still being uploaded mourning the footballer’s death.
Who is Lionel Messi?
Born in June 1987, Lionel Messi is recognised as one of the greatest footballers to ever kick a ball.
He is currently one of the most successful footballers after winning the World Cup with Argentina last year.
Aged 36, the Argentinian currently has the most Ballon d’Ors when he won his record eighth in 2023.
Messi has won a total of 44 trophies throughout his career and has an estimated net worth of $650million.
Messi spent the majority of his career at Barcelona where he joined the academy at just 13 years old.
He went on to make his professional debut aged 17 where he would later win 35 trophies with the club including four Champions League.
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