Ambassador reassures fans of safe World Cup after pro-ISIS Messi image

Argentina's ambassador to Russia told fans the 2018 World Cup will be safe after a disturbing picture of Lionel Messi was circulated by a pro-ISIS group.

The mocked-up image showed the Barcelona and Argentina star crying tears of blood behind bars, and served as a threat of terrorism at the sporting showpiece next summer in Russia.

"The image is very strong," Ricardo Lagorio told TyCSports, with translation from ESPN FC's Adriana Garcia. "The first thing I want to send is my support to Messi and his family because it's very unpleasant. He's the main person affected from this brutal and painful image.

"I have no doubt that the Russian government and the Russian (football) federation will fully guarantee the safety of the World Cup, of the fans and of the tourists. I would like to call for calm and to ask people that will come from all over the world to do so without concerns."

Argentina came close to not appearing at its first World Cup since it failed to qualify in 1970. A rare final-day victory in Ecuador secured its route to the competition in third place of a tight CONMEBOL qualification table, and Lagorio stressed that focus should now lie primarily with Argentina's World Cup preparations. La Albiceleste travels to Moscow to play a friendly with host Russia on Nov. 11.

"We had the Confederations Cup take place and it was safe and everything went well," Lagorio added. "I'm very optimistic that the government will take the necessary measures so that everything runs smoothly."