German star Thomas Müller has stirred controversy once again after hinting that Lionel Messi's presence on the pitch can sometimes influence referees' decisions, while speaking about one particular moment involving the Argentina captain.
In a video now circulating on social media, Müller suggested Messi enjoyed refereeing bias, reigniting the debate in the wake of the 2026 World Cup.
Müller said in the video: "We were already leading against Argentina, and Lionel Messi was standing right next to me. The ball bounced off the ground and then struck my hand, which was in this position (next to his body)."
He added: "The referee immediately showed me a yellow card, and I think the reason is simply that Messi was standing beside me."
"I felt that Messi looked at him as if to say, we're behind (2-0), please help us a little," he continued.
The moment Müller describes came in Germany's quarter-final against Argentina at the 2010 World Cup, a game the Germans won 4-0.
His remarks tap into the storm that followed Argentina throughout the 2026 World Cup. Fans and media argued long and hard over a string of refereeing calls that many felt favoured the Albiceleste.
Match after match brought the same accusations. Critics claimed controversial decisions smoothed Argentina's route to the final. Others pushed back, insisting every incident was a matter of interpretation under the laws of the game.