Today marks the 25th birthday of Alexis Mac Allister, the Argentinian midfielder, and World Champion. Mac Allister made significant headlines in the days before and after last year’s Christmas Eve, owing to Argentina’s triumph in Qatar and his crucial role in it. This success also had a significant impact on Mac Allister’s career within his club, Brighton, which is managed by Roberto De Zerbi.
De Zerbi has expressed both pride and concern regarding Mac Allister, “We are proud, I think he was one of the best of the competition. His style of play was clear, he made no mistakes, understood the moves beforehand. I congratulated him on Sunday and I am very happy for him”. However, De Zerbi acknowledged his fear of losing Mac Allister to other clubs, given his performance in Qatar.
Brighton’s CEO, Paul Barber addressed speculation about Mac Allister’s transfer in an interview with The Argus, saying they hadn’t offered any player to any club and didn’t inted to do so. He also mentioned the importance of being realistic, as the next 30 days could be unpredictable.
Despite several rumors of Mac Allister being courted by Serie A clubs, watchdog journalist Xavier Jacobelli reminded everyone of the disparity between Premier League and Serie A payments. Pointing towards the financial difficulties faced by many Serie A clubs, Jacobelli questioned the feasibility of expensive transfers. Indeed, Mac Allister did not move in January, but come summer, he transitioned from Brighton to Liverpool.
Liverpool fans welcomed Mac Allister warmly, as he donned the number 10 jersey and expressed his excitement to join the team, “It’s a dream come true, it’s fantastic to be here and I can’t wait to get started. I can’t wait to meet my teammates. It has been a wonderful year for me – World Cup, what we achieved with Brighton – but now it’s time to think about Liverpool and try to be a better player and a better man every day.”
The World Cup saw Mac Allister display some exceptional play, notably unlocking the Argentina-Poland game with a decisive goal and providing an impressive assist for the 2-0 goal of Angel Di Maria against France. One year on, as Mac Allister celebrates his birthday, it seems likely that someone will remind him of his World Cup exploits while wishing him well.