Alexis Mac Allister has won the Premier League and World Cup with Liverpool and Argentina, but his career could have taken a very different path
Liverpool midfielder Alexis Mac Allister
Liverpool midfielder Alexis Mac Allister has reflected on almost completing a transfer that could have altered his career
(Image: Liverpool FC/Liverpool FC via Getty Images)
Liverpool midfielder Alexis Mac Allister has opened up about how he nearly walked away from English football - a choice that would have dramatically changed the course of his career. The 26-year-old has enjoyed a fairytale journey, capturing the Premier League crown with Liverpool and steering Argentina to both Copa America and World Cup glory, yet his early days in England were far from smooth.
Mac Allister joined Brighton from Argentinos Juniors in January 2019 but was immediately sent back on loan before spending the subsequent campaign at Boca Juniors. Following impressive displays in his native country, Brighton brought Mac Allister back in January 2020, with his debut coming against Wolves that March.
Yet that match proved to be the Seagulls' last fixture before football stopped due to the coronavirus pandemic. Moving his life from Argentina to England, combined with the impact of the ongoing health crisis, left Mac Allister feeling isolated. He confessed to being on the verge of leaving Brighton in a move that might have potentially stopped him from becoming a hero for Liverpool and his country.
"As footballers, we always say that you become a man very early. But in other ways, you're still a boy," Mac Allister penned for Players' Tribune, looking back on his Brighton experience in 2020.
"I was calling my mom on FaceTime every day, asking how to turn on the oven and where to put the detergent. And being alone, without playing, you get depressed.
"Many don't know this, but by that Christmas, with no fans in the stadiums, I had my bags packed. Literally, they were packed. I had two offers to leave - one from Russia and another from Spain, and my mind was made up.
"My mom was back in Buenos Aires, and I called her one day crying my eyes out, telling her, "I quit. I can't do this anymore. But moms.... They always know what to say, don't they?"
Alexis Mac Allister playing for Brighton
Alexis Mac Allister admitted to struggling at a point in his Brighton career
Mac Allister clearly heeded his mother's advice as he remained at Brighton. When Premier League action returned, he appeared in all but one of the Seagulls' fixtures. Following a period drifting in and out of the side, Mac Allister established himself as a consistent starter the next season, with his performances ultimately securing his return to the Argentina setup months ahead of the 2022 World Cup.
Liverpool subsequently signed the World Cup winner, with Mac Allister forming part of a midfield rebuild that provided the platform for Arne Slot's Premier League-winning team. Mac Allister, who also delivered a heartfelt tribute to Diogo Jota, remains aware of how drastically different his career trajectory might have been had he disregarded his mother's words in 2020.
"I have to give a big hug to my mother," Mac Allister said. "Without her, none of this would have happened. I would not be a Premier League champion. I certainly would not be a World Cup champion. Maybe you would not even know my name."
He added: "Can you imagine if I had left for Spain? For Russia? I would be an answer in one of those pub quizzes they have in England.
Alexis Mac Allister celebrates scoring for Liverpool
Alexis Mac Allister scored against Spurs to help Liverpool clinch the Premier League title in April
"Next question: who was the Argentinian guy with the Irish name who played 15 games for Brighton? Ahhhh, damn. Who was that guy? Mac something... What happened to him?" But no, that was not my fate. My mom saved me."
Mac Allister featured 35 times as Liverpool secured the Premier League crown by a 10-point margin last campaign. As he gears up to help the Reds retain their title, the midfielder acknowledges his pride in refusing to quit English football.
"In 2020, my name was nothing. I couldn't get a game for Brighton," Mac Allister recalled. "I was crying with my mom on FaceTime, begging to come home. Two years later, I was a World Cup Champion. Then a Copa América champion. Now I'm a Premier League champion. Even a Ballon D'Or nominee.
"That's football, no? It's so crazy. The only way that I can explain my story is that I never gave up. That's what I'd like to teach my daughter in a few years. Yes, Daddy fought against a lot of things, but he knew how to overcome them all. You just keep fighting. That's the great lesson."