Rooney Backs Messi, Questions Golden Boot Rule After World Cup Final

Former England captain Wayne Rooney has questioned FIFA’s Golden Boot rules after France’s Kylian Mbappé finished as the tournament’s leading scorer ahead of Lionel Messi, arguing that the third-place play-off gave the French striker an unfair advantage.

Speaking on the BBC after watching Messi receive his runners-up medal from U.S. President Donald Trump following Argentina’s 1-0 extra-time defeat to Spain in the 2026 FIFA World Cup final, Rooney said the Golden Boot race should not have been influenced by goals scored in the third-place match.

“I just think France got knocked out of the tournament and had the third and fourth play-off game,” Rooney said. “Listen, I don’t (think they should count). They do obviously but I think that’s very unfair on Messi.”

Messi ended his sixth and final World Cup with eight goals and four assists, while Mbappé claimed the Golden Boot with 10 goals after France’s third-place play-off victory.

Rooney’s comments have reignited debate over whether statistics from the bronze-medal match should count toward individual awards.

Although Argentina fell short in the final, Messi capped his World Cup career with another series of remarkable milestones.

He became the first player in history to captain a nation in two FIFA World Cup finals after turning 35, finished the tournament with eight goals and four assists, and ended his World Cup journey as one of the competition’s greatest-ever performers after six appearances on football’s biggest stage.

Messi’s remarkable performances also earned widespread recognition beyond FIFA’s official awards.