Is Lionel Messi Dead? How a Fake News Video Sparked a Death Hoax

Lionel Messi is one of the most famous and talented footballers in the world. The Argentine star has won numerous awards and trophies, including a record eight Ballon dOrs and a record six European Golden Shoes. He has also led his national team to victory in the 2021 Copa Amrica and the 2022 FIFA World

Lionel Messi is one of the most famous and talented footballers in the world. The Argentine star has won numerous awards and trophies, including a record eight Ballon d’Ors and a record six European Golden Shoes. He has also led his national team to victory in the 2021 Copa América and the 2022 FIFA World Cup. However, in September 2023, a shocking video circulated on social media, claiming that Messi had died in a car accident. Is this true? Or is this another case of a celebrity death hoax? Here is the truth behind the rumor.

The Origin of the Rumor

The rumor of Messi’s death started when a TikTok user posted a video of a YouTuber named IShowSpeed reacting to the news of Messi’s passing. The video showed a screenshot of a fake website that looked like CBS News, with the headline “Lionel Messi dies in a car accident”. The video also showed some photos of Messi and his family, and the YouTuber expressed his sadness and disbelief.

The video quickly went viral, and many people believed that it was true. They started sharing the video with hashtags like #RIPMessi and #MessiIsDead. Some fans even posted tributes and condolences on Messi’s official social media accounts.

The Truth Behind the Rumor

However, the rumor of Messi’s death was completely false and baseless. The website that was shown in the video was not the real CBS News, but a fake one that tried to impersonate it. The URL of the website was different from the official one, and the web page later disappeared.

Messi himself debunked the death hoax on his verified Instagram account. He posted a photo of himself smiling and holding a football, with the caption “I’m alive and well”. He also thanked his fans for their love and support, and assured them that he was doing fine.

Messi’s club, Inter Miami, also confirmed that Messi was alive and well. They posted a statement on their official website, saying that the rumor was “a malicious and irresponsible act of fake news”. They also said that they would take legal action against the perpetrators of the hoax.

Messi is Not the First Celebrity to Fall Victim to a Death Hoax

Messi is not the first celebrity to be falsely reported dead online. There have been many other cases of death hoaxes involving famous people, such as Steve Harvey, Tina Turner, Betty White, and Morgan Freeman. Some of these hoaxes are done for fun, while others are done for malicious purposes, such as spreading malware or phishing scams.

Death hoaxes can be very upsetting and harmful to the celebrities and their families, as well as their fans. They can also spread misinformation and confusion, and erode the trust in the media. Therefore, it is important to always verify the source and the credibility of any news before believing or sharing it.

How to Report Fake News Posts

If you come across a social media post that may be promoting fake news, we would ask you to report it immediately. To do so, follow the steps mentioned below:

  • If you wish to do it on Twitter, follow the steps below:
    • Navigate to the Tweet you’d like to report.
    • Tap the icon located at the top of the Tweet.
    • Select Report Tweet.
  • To report on Facebook, do the following:
    • Go to the post you want to report.
    • Tap in the top right of the post.
    • Tap Find Support or Report Post.
    • To give feedback, tap the option that best describes how this post goes against Community Standards.
    • Tap Next.
    • Click submit
  • To report on Instagram, follow these steps:
    • Click on the three dots on the top right of the post
    • Select Report
  • To report on TikTok, follow the steps below:
    • Select the video you want to report
    • Click on the arrow that appears in the bottom right corner of the video
    • Select ‘Report’ from the options that appears
    • Choose ‘Misleading’ from the options

Conclusion

Lionel Messi is a well-known and respected footballer, who plays for Inter Miami and the Argentina national team. He is considered to be one of the greatest players of all time, and has won many awards and trophies. In September 2023, a rumor circulated online that he had died in a car accident, but it was quickly proven to be false. Messi is alive and well, and still playing football. He is not the first celebrity to fall victim to a death hoax, and he probably won’t be the last. Therefore, it is important to always check the facts before believing or spreading any news.

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