Former England captains Alan Shearer and Wayne Rooney have urged FIFA to review its rules surrounding the FIFA World Cup third-place playoff, arguing that goals scored in the bronze medal match should not count toward individual awards.
The debate gained momentum after France captain Kylian Mbappe claimed the 2026 FIFA World Cup Golden Boot, edging out Argentina legend Lionel Messi.
Mbappe finished the tournament with 10 goals after scoring twice in France’s thrilling 6-4 defeat to England in Saturday’s third-place playoff. Those two goals proved decisive in the race for the tournament’s top scorer award.
Messi, meanwhile, entered the World Cup final with eight goals but was unable to add to his tally as Spain’s disciplined defense shut down Argentina in a tense 1-0 victory. The reigning champions failed to register a single shot on target throughout the match, leaving the Argentine captain two goals behind Mbappe.
Many football fans felt the outcome was harsh on Messi, and Shearer believes the current system creates an unfair comparison between players competing under very different circumstances.
Speaking on the BBC, the former England striker questioned why goals scored after a team has already been eliminated should influence the Golden Boot standings.
“I was watching yesterday’s game, and it felt almost like a testimonial,” Shearer said. “France had already been knocked out, yet Mbappe scored two goals. Lionel Messi, on the other hand, was playing in a World Cup final against a Spain side that had conceded only one goal all tournament. That’s a much tougher challenge.”
Rooney echoed those sentiments after watching Messi receive his runners-up medal following Argentina’s defeat.
The Manchester United legend argued that the third-place playoff should not affect individual statistics because the teams involved are no longer competing for the World Cup trophy.
“I think once France were eliminated, the third and fourth-place playoff shouldn’t count,” Rooney said. “While it does count under the current rules, I think it’s unfair on Messi.”
Had Messi finished level with Mbappe on goals, the Argentine would likely have won the Golden Boot thanks to his superior assist record. Instead, Mbappe’s brace in the playoff secured the award outright.
While the Golden Boot debate continues, Spain completed a historic tournament by defeating Argentina 1-0 in the final and sweeping the major individual honors. The newly crowned world champions not only lifted the FIFA World Cup trophy but also collected every major individual award on offer, underlining their dominance throughout the competition.
The comments from Shearer and Rooney are likely to reignite discussions over whether FIFA should continue counting goals scored in the third-place playoff when determining individual awards such as the Golden Boot.
