Cristiano Ronaldo’s Former Teammate Slams Messi Over Behaviour During 2026 World Cup Final

• Former Manchester United star Wayne Rooney publicly criticised Lionel Messi over his behaviour during the 2026 FIFA World Cup final against Spain
• Messi was caught on camera attempting to influence the referee into dismissing Spain defender Marc Cucurella
• Rooney described Messi's conduct as 'desperation' and said it was sad to witness from a player of his stature

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Former England captain Wayne Rooney has hit out at Lionel Messi after the Argentine superstar was seen trying to pressure the referee into sending off Spain's Marc Cucurella during the 2026 FIFA World Cup final.

The former Manchester United player called Messi's behaviour a sign of desperation and expressed disappointment that a player of his calibre resorted to such tactics on football's biggest stage.

Rooney calls out Messi's conduct

Footage from the final showed Lionel Messi approaching the referee and appearing to lobby aggressively for Marc Cucurella to be shown a red card.

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The incident drew widespread attention and put Messi's sportsmanship under scrutiny at the conclusion of the tournament.

Former England striker Wayne Rooney said it was "sad" to see Messi behave that way, adding that the conduct came across as pure "desperation" from the eight-time Ballon d'Or winner. He said via UK Sun:

"It is desperation. Argentina play like that, we know that’s what they do.

“But the one thing you want is good sportsmanship and that was sad to see Lionel Messi doing that.”

Rooney's remarks carry particular weight given his standing as one of the most decorated players in Premier League history and a recognised voice in the game since his retirement from professional football, per Hindustan Times.

World Cup final controversy

The 2026 World Cup final between Argentina and Spain was already one of the most anticipated fixtures in recent memory, and Messi's behaviour towards the referee added an unwanted edge to the occasion.

Cucurella, who has been one of Spain's standout defenders in recent seasons, was not dismissed, and the incident did not result in any disciplinary action against Messi during the match.

The episode has since reignited debate around player conduct and the influence that high-profile names can have on match officials at major tournaments.

Messi speaks after loss vs Spain

Legit.ng earlier reported that Lionel Messi has broken his silence after Argentina were dethroned as world champions, admitting Spain were the better side following a 1-0 defeat in the 2026 FIFA World Cup final on Sunday, July 19.

A visibly emotional Messi said his side had given everything on the pitch despite the result.