Colombian soccer star James Rodriguez receiving death threats, mother says
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}BARCELONA, SPAIN - SEPTEMBER 18: James Rodriguez of Real Madrid CF looks on during the La Liga match between RCD Espanyol and Real Madrid CF at the RCDE stadium on September 18, 2016 in Barcelona, Spain. (Photo by David Ramos/Getty Images) (2016 Getty Images)
Colombian soccer star James Rodriguez has allegedly received death threats via Twitter, according to his mother.
Pilar Rubio shared photo of a box containing a gun and bullets with a handwritten note that she said was sent to her private Twitter account.
“What is this?” Rubio asked on Twitter when she shared the image. “People are crazy, they write me a message that it’s better to see him dead.”
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}She said she and her 25-year-old son received those threats after the Real Madrid star pulled out of the Colombian squad for its 2018 World Cup qualifying matches against Paraguay and Uruguay after an injury to his left calf.
“I am traveling to your house armed, Say good-bye to everything you love,” one of the messages she shared said. Another read, “Want to see how James would look dead?”
While Rubio’s account was private, the image has been shared widely online. Twitter has since closed the accounts involved down.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}The handwritten note in the image reads, “James Rodriguez, Legión Holk is watching you.” The messages were sent by the account @FrekeMan.
Legión Holk is a collective that has been behind several acts of cyber-piracy and aggressive messaging toward public figures in Colombia, Argentina, Chile, Spain, Mexico and Venezuela.
Rodriguez’s father, ex-soccer player Wilson Rodríguez, told Caracol Radio in Colombia that he doesn’t know all the details about the alleged threats and that they probably started with fans. He said they are waiting to hear from authorities.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}The soccer player has not spoken out about the threats, however he posted a photo of himself back in Madrid at the gym.
“Working to return better,” he said in the tweet.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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