Ronaldo fans bullsh*t — Mikel Obi addresses claims FIFA is helping Messi win World Cup

Former Chelsea midfielder John Mikel Obi has dismissed suggestions that FIFA is actively manipulating the 2026 World Cup to favour Argentina captain Lionel Messi.

The Super Eagles legend criticised the conspiracy theories ahead of England’s anticipated semi-final clash against the defending champions at the Atlanta Stadium on Wednesday, July 15.

The debate originated during a recent episode of the Rest is Football Podcast. Former England international Joe Cole, who won the 2009/10 Premier League title alongside Mikel at Chelsea, featured as a fellow guest and expressed concerns regarding a subconscious bias from the governing body.

“I think FIFA wants Messi to get to the final,” Cole stated.

Cole suggested England manager Gareth Southgate should cultivate a “siege mentality” to counter the anticipated antics from Lionel Scaloni’s side, specifically naming Rodrigo De Paul as a physical threat to Jude Bellingham.

He drew a direct historical parallel to the 1998 World Cup in France, referencing the infamous incident where Diego Simeone provoked David Beckham into a red card during Argentina’s Round of 16 penalty shootout victory over England.

“We know that, like in ’98 with Simeone, when Beckham touched his calf, he’s supposed to be a real tough man,” Cole added. “He’s gone rolling around, got him sent off.”

Cole’s concerns reflect a growing sentiment among a section of the football fanbase regarding Argentina’s path to the semi-finals.

The South American side have benefited from several debated refereeing decisions during the knockout stages in North America.

During their 3-2 comeback victory over Egypt in the Round of 16, a disputed VAR decision to disallow an Egyptian goal drew international criticism.

The scrutiny intensified during their 3-1 quarter-final win over Switzerland, where Swiss forward Breel Embolo was shown a controversial red card.

Despite the noise, Mikel rejected the notion of any foul play from FIFA. The former Super Eagles captain identified supporters of Portugal forward Cristiano Ronaldo as the primary architects of the narrative.

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“No, I’m not buying into that bullshit,” Mikel stated on the podcast. “This is all the Ronaldo fans coming up with all this crap.”

Mikel, a self-proclaimed admirer of Messi, exposed the logical gap in the conspiracy theories by highlighting Argentina’s undisputed on-pitch success.

He pointed out that Argentina successfully secured a more favourable knockout draw by topping Group J with a perfect nine points following group-stage victories over Algeria, Austria, and Jordan.

“Argentina did their job,” Mikel explained. “They won their games, and they got into the easier group.”

While acknowledging the surrounding controversy, Mikel insisted the eight-time Ballon d’Or winner is simply delivering on the biggest stage.

Although Messi failed to score against Switzerland, he provided a crucial 10th-minute assist for Alexis Mac Allister to help Argentina reach consecutive World Cup semi-finals.

“FIFA are not favouring Messi,” Mikel concluded. “Messi is doing his job. He’s playing, he’s scoring goals, and he’s breaking records.”

The upcoming semi-final between England and Argentina represents their latest World Cup encounter since a David Beckham penalty secured a 1-0 victory for England during the 2002 group stage in Japan. However, for Lionel Messi, it is his first match against the Three Lions.