Wayne Rooney believes Lionel Messi was “very unfairly” beaten to the World Cup Golden Boot by Kylian Mbappe, after the French striker’s two goals in the third-place play-off secured the award. Speaking on BBC Sport, the former England captain questioned whether goals from the bronze medal match should count towards the Golden Boot, as they gave Mbappe an advantage over Messi, who played in the final.
Rooney and Shearer Question Mbappe's Goals
Rooney said: “I just think France got knocked out of the tournament and had the third and fourth play-off game. Listen, I don’t [think they should count]. They do obviously but I think that’s very unfair on Messi.” Alan Shearer, another ex-England international, described the third-place match as “like a testimonial,” adding that Mbappe’s goals came in a less competitive setting while Messi faced a Spain side that had conceded only one goal in the tournament.
Golden Boot Race and Final Match
Mbappe finished the World Cup with 10 goals, while Messi ended with eight after Argentina lost 1-0 to Spain in the final. Had Messi scored twice against Spain, the duo would have been level on 10 goals and four assists each, but Messi would have needed an additional assist to surpass Mbappe. The Golden Boot is awarded to the top scorer, with assists used as a tiebreaker if needed.
Mbappe’s two goals came in France’s 6-4 defeat to England in the bronze final in Miami, Florida, on Saturday. Messi and Argentina were unable to respond in the final, leaving the French striker as the tournament’s top scorer. Rooney and Shearer’s comments highlight ongoing debate about the fairness of counting goals from the third-place match in the Golden Boot race.
