German World Cup winner Thomas Muller has reignited debate over alleged refereeing bias towards Lionel Messi, claiming a referee booked him simply because the Argentina captain was standing next to him.
In a video circulating widely on social media, the Bayern Munich forward recounts an incident from Germany’s 4-0 victory over Argentina in the quarter-finals of the 2010 World Cup – and implies the referee’s decision was swayed by Messi’s presence.
“We were already ahead against Argentina, and Lionel Messi was standing right next to me,” Muller says in the clip.
“The ball bounced off the ground and then hit my hand, which was in this position (next to his body).”
“The referee immediately showed me a yellow card, and I think the reason is simply that Messi was standing next to me.”
Muller continues: “I felt that Messi was looking at him like he was saying: we are 2-0 down, please help us a little.”
The remarks have fuelled a fresh round of controversy around Messi and Argentina, coming on the heels of a World Cup 2026 campaign that was dogged by claims of favourable officiating.
Reference to 2010 World Cup clash
Muller was referring to the 2010 World Cup quarter-final in South Africa, a match in which Germany dismantled Argentina 4-0 in Cape Town.
That encounter, remembered as a statement performance by the Germans, has since become part of World Cup folklore. Muller opened the scoring early in the game before Germany added three more in a dominant display that sent Argentina home.
While the booking he recalls had no bearing on the outcome, Muller’s suggestion that the card was influenced by Messi’s status rather than the nature of the handball itself has reopened long-running discussions about how football’s biggest stars are treated by officials.
Messi, Argentina and 2026 refereeing row
Muller’s comments land against the backdrop of intense scrutiny of refereeing decisions involving Argentina at the 2026 World Cup.
Throughout the tournament, a series of key calls generated widespread debate among fans, pundits and sections of the media, with some arguing that contentious decisions consistently appeared to benefit the defending champions.
Multiple matches involving Argentina prompted criticism on social platforms and football phone-ins, with detractors alleging that marginal penalties, fouls and disciplinary decisions broke in favour of Lionel Scaloni’s side and aided their progress towards the final.
Others strongly rejected those accusations, insisting that all the disputed incidents could be justified under the Laws of the Game and pointing out that video assistant referee (VAR) protocols were followed in each case. According to that view, Argentina were treated no differently from any other leading nation, and suggestions of systemic bias were based more on emotion than evidence.
Star power and pressure on officials
Muller’s anecdote – light-hearted in tone but pointed in implication – feeds into a broader discussion about whether elite players such as Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo and others exert subconscious pressure on referees.
Former and current officials have often acknowledged that refereeing matches involving global superstars can bring added scrutiny and psychological strain, even when they deny any deliberate favouritism.
The video featuring Muller, one of Germany’s most experienced internationals and a veteran of several World Cups, is now being widely shared and dissected, with supporters on both sides of the Messi debate using his remarks to bolster their arguments.
While the specific incident he describes dates back more than a decade, its resurfacing – and Muller’s suggestion that “the reason is simply that Messi was standing next to me” – has ensured that questions over star influence on refereeing, and Argentina’s treatment in 2026, will remain a talking point well beyond the final whistle of the tournament.
