“Pig’s Head Threat Forces Angel Di Maria to Abandon Argentina Return”

Argentine soccer star Angel Di Maria has announced he will not be returning to Rosario, his hometown, due to safety concerns following a disturbing threat involving a pig’s head. The 36-year-old, who celebrated World Cup success with Argentina in 2022, had planned to finish his career with his boyhood club, Rosario Central. However, a recent incident involving a pig’s head and a bullet sent to his sister’s business has altered his plans.

Di Maria revealed the threat in an interview with TV station Rosario3: “A box with a pig’s head and a bullet in the forehead was sent to my sister’s business, along with a note saying that if I returned to Rosario Central, the next head would be my daughter Pia’s.” He emphasized that his family’s safety is his top priority, stating, “I am not going to return to Rosario in this way. They touched my family and I am not going to allow that.”

This incident is part of a broader pattern of threats faced by high-profile South American footballers. In March, Di Maria received another threat in the form of a note warning against joining any Rosario-based club, reflecting a troubling rise in gang-related crime in the city.

Santa Fe Governor Maximiliano Pullaro mentioned that protocols are in place to ensure the safety of public figures. However, Di Maria criticized these assurances, stating, “It is disrespectful to talk about security and protocols for me when people from Rosario cannot go out to work or wait for the bus without the risk of being robbed or killed.”

The situation in Rosario mirrors broader issues in South American football, with other players also experiencing threats and criminal actions. Notably, gunmen targeted a shop belonging to the family of Lionel Messi’s wife last year, and Luis Diaz’s father was kidnapped in Colombia in October before being released after 12 days.