Argentina coach Lionel Scaloni has been speaking about Liverpool midfielder Alexis Mac Allister after their 3-1 win over Switzerland in the World Cup quarter-finals, calling him "one of the greatest"
Myriam Toua
19:06, 12 Jul 2026Updated 19:09, 12 Jul 2026
KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI - JULY 10: Lionel Scaloni, Head Coach of Argentina, attends a press conference one day ahead of the FIFA World Cup 2026 Quarter Final match at Kansas City Stadium on July 10, 2026 in Kansas City, Missouri. (Photo by Kyle Rivas/Getty Images)
Scaloni heaped praise on Mac Allister(Image: Kyle Rivas, Getty Images)
Argentina manager Lionel Scaloni heaped praise on Liverpool star Alexis Mac Allister following their most recent World Cup fixture against Switzerland.
Argentina claimed a 3-1 victory on Saturday, sending them through to the semi-finals where they will meet England on Wednesday. The manager hailed Argentina's set-piece delivery after Reds midfielder Mac Allister netted their first goal from a Lionel Messi corner.
Discussing Mac Allister's displays during the competition so far, Scaloni called him "one of the greatest" before adding: "All praise to him because he's been working very hard".
Despite triumphing in the previous World Cup in 2022, Argentina's journey this time has been anything but straightforward. On two occasions, they surrendered advantages to Cape Verde before eventually securing a 3-2 triumph.
They trailed 2-0 to Egypt until the 79th minute before finally managing to reverse the situation and claim victory.
Scaloni considers the Qatar experience four years previously has equipped the Argentinian squad to handle those challenging periods.
KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI - JULY 11: Alexis Mac Allister #20 of Argentina celebrates scoring his team's first goal during the FIFA World Cup 2026 Quarter Final match between Argentina and Switzerland at Kansas City Stadium on July 11, 2026 in Kansas City, Missouri. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)
Scaloni said Mac Allister is 'one of the greatest'(Image: Kevin C. Cox, Getty Images)
"In Qatar, we were not that experienced, I myself included, and those kind of situations were very difficult," he explained.
"However, now we are more experienced because we know what it feels like to be dominated by the opponent, to concede an equaliser, so today we kept our composure. The team knew how to remain calm and, of course, we will never give up."
Discussing Saturday's encounter with Switzerland, Scaloni acknowledged they proved a "tough opponent", stating: "It was very difficult for us to win the duels, to put more than five or six passes together.
KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI - JULY 11: Alexis Mac Allister #20 of Argentina shoots during the FIFA World Cup 2026 Quarter Final match between Argentina and Switzerland at Kansas City Stadium on July 11, 2026 in Kansas City, Missouri. (Photo by Lars Baron/Getty Images)
Argentina won the match against Switzerland(Image: Lars Baron, Getty Images)
"They were very strong, and they made that struggle in the one versus one in different areas of the pitch. We suffered quite a lot."
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Nevertheless, despite facing challenging moments, Scaloni believes the squad's depth and unity consistently sees Argentina through difficult situations - making it their ultimate strength.
"We also have players on the bench who can turn the game on its head, and this is something very good. Ultimately, we always find the solutions."