Following Argentina’s World Cup qualifying match against Algeria, online claims surfaced alleging Algerian fans chanted insults against Lionel Messi, branding him an “enemy of Allah” and issuing threats. These claims quickly spread across social media platforms. However, fact-checkers have determined the audio circulating online is manipulated and does not reflect genuine fan reactions during the game. The audio originates from an older Arab protest chant directed at Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi, unrelated to Messi or the football match. This disinformation campaign emerged after Messi scored a hat-trick in the Algeria match and now holds the record for all-time top scorer in World Cup history. The incident highlights the potential for misinformation to spread rapidly during high-profile sporting events.