Gala Event Turns Violent
A celebratory evening in Marseille ended in the hospital for Mexican footballer and social media influencer Mercedes Roa. In the early hours of Monday, December 9, 2025, Roa was assaulted in the city center following a star-studded gala football match at the Stade Vélodrome.
Defending a Friend Leads to Attack
Roa, a content creator with nearly 12 million TikTok followers and 2.3 million on Instagram, was in Marseille as a guest for “The Universe League” event. After the match, which featured legends like Zinédine Zidane and Franck Ribéry, her group was waiting for a taxi near the Opéra district around 6 a.m. when a friend was attacked.
Roa and another friend, a French footballer, intervened to defend him. During the altercation with four assailants, they managed to subdue two of them but sustained blows in return.
Quick Police Response and Official Condemnation
Municipal police intervened promptly. Roa and her Mexican friend, who sustained minor injuries, were treated by firefighters at the scene. Three suspects were arrested and taken into custody.
Marseille Mayor Benoît Payan publicly condemned the attack on social media platform X, stating: “I offer my full support to Mercedes Roa and her friends, victims of this unacceptable assault. Thank you to our municipal police for the rapid arrest of the attackers. Justice must be served as quickly as possible.”
A High-Profile Visitor
Mercedes Roa is a prominent figure in football media and was also recently present at the draw for the upcoming FIFA World Cup. The incident has cast a shadow over her visit to the French port city, known for its passionate football culture.
