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Despite Robbing Cristiano Ronaldo and Johan Cruyff, Thief Doesn’t Want to Rob Lionel Messi ‘Out of Respect’

Published 11/06/2023, 10:43 AM EST

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USA Today via Reuters

In the world of soccer, we often hear stories about remarkable goals, incredible talents, and triumphs. However, this story is entirely different. It is about a criminal who decided to put his illegal actions on hold out of respect for a legendary soccer icon, Lionel Messi. In a shocking revelation, a thief stated that he passed up the opportunity to rob Messi’s house just because he had a substantial amount of respect for the Argentine star.

Though he admitted to conducting robberies at Cristiano Ronaldo and Johan Cruyff’s places, the thief deliberately spared the 8x Ballon d’Or winner. Let’s uncover the surprising details and reasons behind this unique decision to refrain from robbing the Argentine soccer icon. 

Astonishing reason to spare Lionel Messi revealed by a thief!

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‘Alberto,’ the leader of the Albania-Kosovo gang, sat down with Carlos Quilez for an exclusive interview on El Espanol’s podcast. Alberto, who is currently on the run and evading authorities, spoke candidly about the break-ins and robberies at the soccer stars’ homes. Often the orchestrator of these high-profile robberies, Alberto boldly revealed, of turning down multiple opportunities to rob Lionel Messi’s residence. The reason for this is complete respect for the Argentine.

As reported by AS Diario, Alberto stated, “I stopped people several times who wanted to rob Messi’s house, people who asked me, but I can’t stop everyone… This time, I could, and I’m very proud of that.” Alberto brought attention to the persistent practice of targeting high-profile individuals during their club engagements.

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He stated further, admitting that there had been multiple opportunities to rob Messi’s parents’ home. But despite the temptations, he chose not to get involved, as he holds a deep respect for Messi. “Not long ago, almost a year ago, it seems, there were others who offered, although it wasn’t his house, it was that of his parents, Messi’s family. Messi was in Paris at this point. I went to see it because I know him very well, and I know the area very well, and I didn’t want to, out of respect for Messi, I didn’t do it because I care about him, period,” Alberto added.

USA Today via Reuters

Alberto’s decision to spare Messi’s property, based on the Argentine’s respect, is a testament to the heavy influence that Lionel Messi commands. It seems that even the Argentine’s stature leaves the criminals awestruck.

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Cruyff and Cristiano Ronaldo targeted by the thieves

Though Lionel Messi was fortunately spared, former Barcelona legend Johan Cruyff did not get lucky. In 2012, the burglars targeted Cruyff’s residence and managed to steal valuables costing around $21,000 from his house. The Portuguese superstar Cristiano Ronaldo was also robbed, as they stole a signed Juventus jersey and other valued items from his home in Funchal, Portugal.

Even during their unlawful pursuits, these criminals find themselves engrossed in the sports stars’ influence. As the world watches Messi’s journey, on and off the pitch, it’s clear that his influence knows no bounds.

WATCH THIS STORY: Soccer Stars Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo Make a Huge Assist for Esports Space

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Written by:

Sahil Sharma

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Sahil Sharma is a soccer writer at EssentiallySports. He's been a fan since childhood, but his love for the sport truly took off when Real Madrid won their record 10th UEFA Champions League title in 2014. That famous La Decima triumph turned him into a hardcore Madridista.
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Edited by:

Jacob Gijy