Manchester United legend Wayne Rooney believes Lionel Messi can be a defensive liability for Argentina ahead of Wednesday’s clash against England in the semi-final of the FIFA World Cup 2026.
While serving as a pundit for the BBC Sport coverage of the 2026 World Cup, Rooney highlighted that Messi rarely tracks back to defend.
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According to Rooney, successfully handling Messi requires intense concentration and constant communication among teammates.
He compared the Argentine forward’s game to Jude Bellingham’s, noting that even when they are not actively involved in every phase of play, they are capable of deciding a match in a single, high-quality moment.
“He can be a weakness defensively for Argentina,” he told BBC Sport.
“He doesn’t run back, but he has big moments a bit like with Jude Bellingham. He has big moments and moments of quality.
“The thing with Messi is his decision-making – he comes to life in moments of the game and he makes the right decision.
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“Marking Messi is about concentration and communication. Communicating with your teammates about picking up positions you might not usually pick up.”
Messi remains out in front as the all-time World Cup top goal scorer with 21 as Mbappe stays on 20 with Harry Kane.
