Müller sceptical over Messi at World Cup, says Germany must progress

Lionel Messi’s participation at the World Cup would not necessarily make defending champions Argentina better, 2014 winner Thomas Müller said on Tuesday.

The football icon, 38, is making his participation in the expanded tournament in the US, Mexico and Canada in June and July dependent on his physical condition.

The eight-time Ballon d'Or winner has already played at five World Cups, with 2022 his only success. He indicated after the Qatar tournament that it was probably his last World Cup, only to sporadically play in qualifiers for next year's edition.

"It would be an interesting project from my point of view if he were there. That could, of course, change the whole balance of the team, whether for better or for worse," Müller, who has retired from Germany duty, told Magenta TV.

Messi faced Müller only a few weeks ago in the MLS Cup final when his Inter Miami side beat Vancouver Whitecaps.

Recalling the meeting, Müller said: "When he was on the ball, he just absolutely burst into life in the right areas and then really initiated a lot of things. Whether that would work like that off the cuff at top international level, I doubt."

Whatever happens with Messi, whose side lost to Müller's Germany in the 2014 final, Müller has Argentina "high on the list" of World Cup favourites.

The 36-year-old Müller, who will work as a pundit at the tournament, said Germany have no option but to get out of the group having failed to do so in the previous two tournaments.

The strength of the opposition and the new format also makes progression to the knock-out stages imperative, he said.

"At first glance, when you read the names of the opponents, it is of course a must to go through," Müller said, acknowledging he knows little about tiny debutants Curaçao.

"With Ivory Coast we have the African champions, and with Ecuador the runners-up from South American qualifying. But when you then look again at the overall set-up, that the eight best third-placed teams from 12 groups also go through, then going through is again a must."