A security error led to the release of passport numbers for every member of Argentina's squad for the pre-World Cup friendly against Iceland, media reports said. The identifiers were printed on the official team sheet and should have been obscured prior to distribution, but at Jordan-Hare Stadium in Alabama they were circulated without redaction.
The published list included the passport details of prominent players, among them Lionel Messi. Reuters has contacted the Argentinian Football Federation and FIFA for comment.
On the pitch, Argentina defeated Iceland 3-0 in front of an audience of more than 88,000 spectators. Messi, returning from a hamstring injury, was substituted on in the second half and scored within two minutes of entering the match. Earlier, Lautaro Martinez was fouled inside the penalty area after receiving a through-ball from Messi. Messi then calmly converted the resulting penalty to increase Argentina's lead to 2-0.
The penalty goal also moved Messi into a new national milestone: at 38 years and 11 months he became Argentina's oldest goalscorer, surpassing the previous record held by Angel Labruna by two months; Labruna's record had stood since 1957.
Argentina will begin their World Cup title defence with a Group J match against Algeria on Tuesday.
Context and implications
The immediate issue is the inadvertent exposure of sensitive identification data when the official team sheet was distributed without the expected redactions. The reports identify the location of the oversight as Jordan-Hare Stadium, where the document was made public rather than being edited to blur passport numbers.
On the sporting side, the game provided a competitive warm-up ahead of the tournament, confirming Messi's fitness after a hamstring problem and producing a clear 3-0 victory for Argentina.
Match details
- Final score: Argentina 3, Iceland 0
- Attendance: over 88,000
- Notable actions: Messi scored shortly after entering the second half; Lautaro Martinez was fouled leading to the penalty; Messi converted the penalty
- Record: Messi became Argentina's oldest goalscorer at 38 years, 11 months
- Upcoming: Argentina opens Group J against Algeria on Tuesday
Reporting note
Requests for comment on the passport data exposure were directed to the Argentinian Football Federation and to FIFA.