Former Super Eagles captain John Mikel Obi has rejected claims that FIFA is favoring Lionel Messi and Argentina at the 2026 World Cup.
Speaking on The Rest Is Football podcast, Mikel responded to remarks by his former Chelsea teammate, Joe Cole, who suggested that “the whole world wants Messi in the final” and hinted that Argentina could use questionable tactics to win.
Mikel pushed back, insisting Argentina’s progress in the tournament is based on merit. He noted that the defending champions topped their group, which earned them a more favorable path in the knockout stages.
“If teams had won their games, they wouldn’t be facing tougher opponents,” Mikel said. “Argentina did their job, won their matches, and ended up in a better position.”
He also attributed the bias narrative to supporters of Cristiano Ronaldo, adding: “This is coming from Ronaldo fans. I don’t agree with it. FIFA is not favoring Messi.”
The debate comes amid growing discussions around officiating and perceived advantages as Argentina advanced toward the latter stages of the tournament.
