Image Credits: Imago Images
With the 2026 FIFA World Cup just weeks away, the countdown is well and truly on for Alexis Mac Allister and Argentina’s star-studded squad.
The Liverpool midfielder will be heading into what promises to be a landmark summer – a tournament being hosted across the United States, Canada, and Mexico, in which the reigning world champions will be expected to mount a serious defence of the trophy they lifted so memorably in Qatar back in 2022.
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Before the real business begins, Lionel Scaloni’s side will sharpen their preparations with two warm-up friendlies on American soil. First up, Argentina face Honduras on Saturday, June 6 at Kyle Field in Texas, before rounding off their pre-tournament schedule against Iceland on Tuesday, June 9 at Jordan-Hare Stadium in Auburn, Alabama.
Now, ahead of this summer’s tournament, Mac Allister has been handed a boost that is as personal as it is unexpected.
Argentina this week published their preliminary 55-man squad for the 2026 World Cup – a long list from which Scaloni will eventually trim down to his final tournament roster. As expected, Alexis Mac Allister’s name was among those included, with the Liverpool man nailed on as one of the first names on the teamsheet.
But look a little closer down the list, and there is a name that will have raised more than a few eyebrows – and brought a wide smile to the face of the Mac Allister household. Kevin Mac Allister, Alexis’s older brother and defender for Belgian side Union Saint-Gilloise, has also been named in the preliminary squad.
For context, just how much of a surprise this is cannot be overstated. As recently as November 2025, Kevin had never received a senior Argentina call-up in his life. His first ever summons came entirely by accident – he was drafted in as an emergency replacement after Chelsea’s Enzo Fernandez pulled out of the squad ahead of a friendly against Angola.
With Fernandez ruled out, Scaloni turned to the 28-year-old centre-back and handed him his debut against the same opposition on November 14. It was his first and, at the time, what many assumed would be his only cap.
Yet here he is, on the preliminary list for the biggest tournament in world football.
For Alexis, the prospect of having his brother alongside him at a World Cup is the kind of thing that transcends football.
International tournaments can be long, intense and mentally gruelling affairs – weeks spent away from family, in a bubble of pressure and expectation, where the margins between glory and heartbreak are razor thin.
Having a sibling by your side in that environment, someone who shares not just your bloodline but your entire football upbringing – growing up with a father, Carlos Mac Allister, who was himself a professional footballer – is an immeasurable comfort.
In fact, the Liverpool No.10 even admitted that Kevin’s debut made him very happy, saying back in November:
“For me, seeing him is the most beautiful thing.”
“I know very well everything he fought for to get to this place, everything he dreamed of. The fact that he’s making his debut today makes me very happy.”
Whether Kevin ultimately makes the final cut remains to be seen, but just the possibility alone will mean a great deal to the Liverpool man as he prepares for a big summer.