German influencer Lizlaz calls Virat Kohli ‘the Messi or Ronaldo of Asia’; reveals, ‘People offered me money to throw shade at him’

German influencer Lizlaz has finally broken her silence on the viral controversy involving cricketer Virat Kohli allegedly liking one of her Instagram pictures. In a recent interaction, the influencer described the entire experience as “unreal” and compared it to being inside an episode of Black Mirror.

‘Suddenly podcasts and magazines were talking about me’

Recalling how she first found out about the incident, Lizlaz shared that she did not even notice the like herself initially. “I found out because people started calling me. I didn’t even see it in my notifications,” she told Filmymantra.The influencer revealed that within hours, her social media was flooded with messages, while podcasts, magazines and online discussions revolved around her name. “I opened Google and there were pages and pages about me. It felt very unreal,” she added.Interestingly, Lizlaz said the conversation around the controversy was very different in Germany. “In India people were asking, ‘Who is Lizlaz?’ But in Germany, the headlines were asking, ‘Who is Virat Kohli?’ because cricket is not very popular there,” she joked.

‘Virat Kohli did nothing wrong’

Defending Virat amid the online discourse, Lizlaz strongly maintained that the cricketer had no bad intentions. “I don’t think he wanted this media coverage. It was just a like. He did nothing inappropriate,” she said.Calling Virat Kohli “the Messi or Ronaldo of Asia,” the influencer urged people not to tarnish his image over social media speculation. She added that she has always openly supported Royal Challengers Bengaluru and often posts India-related travel content, which may have been why Virat came across her profile.Lizlaz also made a startling revelation during the conversation, claiming that some journalists allegedly offered her money to make negative statements about the cricketer. “Some people wanted me to throw shade at him and say things he never did. But why would I do that? He’s my favourite cricketer,” she said.

Controversy brought reality show and brand offers

While the controversy triggered intense online attention, it also opened unexpected professional doors for the influencer. Lizlaz shared that she began receiving offers for reality shows, brand collaborations and entertainment projects almost overnight.She also got an opportunity to anchor an ICC cricket match between Germany and Austria. Talking about the experience, she said, “I absolutely loved it. I did the post-match moderation, player interviews and trophy ceremony. Being part of the game felt amazing.”