Corinthians Website Hacked With Fake Messi Signing
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The official website of Brazilian football club Corinthians was compromised by hackers, who posted a false announcement claiming the team had signed global football star Lionel Messi.
According to the fabricated post, Messi would join Corinthians in 2027, under a contract the club never actually made.
The attack, a form of website defacement, allowed the hackers to publish fake content directly on the club's official platform, giving it an appearance of legitimacy.
Corinthians moved swiftly to deny the report, confirming that its systems had suffered a cyberattack and that the information about Messi was entirely false.
The club stated it was working to restore full control over its website and strengthen its security measures to prevent further incidents.
News of the supposed signing spread rapidly across social media platforms before being debunked, generating confusion among fans and journalists alike.
Messi, regarded as one of the greatest players in football history, remains contracted to his current club and has no reported connection to Corinthians.
The incident highlights a growing trend of hackers targeting sports organizations' digital platforms to spread misinformation or cause reputational damage.
Corinthians has not yet disclosed details regarding the identity of those responsible for the breach or whether any other data was affected.
The club asked fans to rely only on its verified official channels for accurate information going forward.
Vocabulary7 words
- compromised
- broken into without permission; made unsafe
- contract
- an official agreement between people or companies
- defacement
- changing a website illegally to show false content
- legitimacy
- the quality of seeming real or official
- cyberattack
- an attack that targets computer systems
- security
- protection from danger or attack
- breach
- a break in protection or security
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Quiz
Answer key
1. A defacement that posted false content 2. Messi would sign with Corinthians in 2027 3. False
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Discussion questions
- What risks do organizations face when their official websites are hacked?
- Why might hackers choose to target sports clubs with fake announcements?
- How can fans and journalists verify whether online news is genuine?
- What measures could Corinthians take to prevent future cyberattacks?
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