Argentina Faces Life Without Messi: Mac Allister's Insight
Alexis Mac Allister knows what is coming. Argentina are inching towards life without Lionel Messi, and the midfielder is under no illusions about the size of the void their captain will leave.
Messi, now 39, is approaching the end of a glittering international career that has redefined what is possible in the Albiceleste shirt. He will walk away as Argentina’s record appearance maker and record goalscorer, with 125 goals in 207 caps, and as the man who finally dragged a football-obsessed nation back to the summit at the 2022 World Cup.
“There will never be another like him”
Speaking to ESPN, Mac Allister did not bother searching for new superlatives. There aren’t any left.
“The words for Messi are always the same: gratitude, and the realisation that there will never be another like him,” he said. “We’ve enjoyed our time with him immensely. We’re also grateful to him for everything he’s helped us win. It’s sure to be a very emotional occasion.”
That emotion will be wrapped in a hard reality. Argentina must soon play, and win, without the man who has been their reference point for nearly two decades.
Mac Allister made it clear the team cannot just hope someone else emerges to do the same job. They have to change.
“It will be a different process with new players coming in,” he explained. “We need to start realising that the best player in the world, the one who made all the difference, won’t be there anymore, and that we’ll have to grow stronger as a team.”
No talk of a “new Messi”. No talk of a single heir. The message is simple: the collective must evolve.
Backing Messi for one more Ballon d’Or
Messi’s international farewell may be looming, but his name still dominates the individual awards conversation. Asked about his captain’s chances of adding another Ballon d’Or to an already absurd collection, Mac Allister did not hesitate.
“As Argentines we’d love for Messi to win it. He had an incredible World Cup and I don’t see why he shouldn’t be awarded it,” he said.
Then came a reminder of what has defined Messi within the dressing room, beyond the goals and the trophies.
“We all know that Leo has always prioritised the team over individual achievements, so it wouldn’t be a big deal for him.”
For Argentina’s players, though, it clearly would be. Another Ballon d’Or would feel like a final seal on an era they were lucky enough to share.
Uncertain future at Liverpool
While he speaks with clarity about Argentina’s next chapter, Mac Allister’s own club future is less settled.
The midfielder has already admitted he was disappointed not to receive a contract extension from Liverpool, particularly after fellow midfielders Ryan Gravenberch and Dominik Szoboszlai signed new deals. For a player who has quickly become central to the way Liverpool operate, the lack of movement has raised eyebrows.
He had options to leave Anfield in the summer but stayed put. Even so, his long-term path remains open.
“There’s no firm decision yet. I still have two years left on my contract,” he said. “As I said, I’m going to give it my all. A lot can happen in that time; there are plenty of options.”
No ultimatum. No public push. Just a clear acknowledgement that the next two years will shape the prime of his career.
Mac Allister still talks about Liverpool with genuine warmth.
“Hopefully it’ll be for more years, but if it’s just two, I’ll have to enjoy them with my family, because I have no doubt that I’m at one of the best clubs in the world.”
Argentina are preparing for the day their greatest player steps away. Mac Allister, caught between eras for club and country, may soon find that his own decisions carry far more weight in both dressing rooms.
