'Really hard to mark': Alexis Mac Allister claims Liverpool had a player who was like Lionel Messi in training
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Alexis Mac Allister has played and trained with some of the best in the world at Liverpool since his arrival.
Since the Argentinian has arrived on Merseyside from Brighton and Hove Albion, he has been nothing short of fantastic with his work rate, positioning, and stunning strikes, endearing him to supporters.
He joined in 2023 for £35 million along with two other midfielders, Dominik Szobozslai and Ryan Gravenberch, who would go on to become a part of a trio that has driven the Reds to Premier League title success.
But he has not just been an invaluable part of this squad during his time at Anfield, because Mac Allister was also a major part of the Argentina World Cup-winning team in 2022.
The 26-year-old played alongside footballing legend Lionel Messi to become champion of the world after beating France 4-2 on penalties.
Photo by RODRIGO BUENDIA/AFP via Getty Images
After playing with him for years with his national team, Mac Allister knows the winger inside and out, so he would be the person best placed to make comparisons with stars he has trained with in England.
He was interviewed by a fan for TNT Sports before the Merseyside derby on Saturday and was inevitably asked about Messi.
The Liverpool midfielder was asked if any player he had experience with reminded him of Messi, and his former teammate, Luis Diaz, sprang to mind.
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He said: “I think (Ousmane) Dembele, when we played PSG away at that time, was at a really good level.
It was really hard to mark him, even in training, I had to give him a couple of tackles.”
The club sold Diaz during this summer’s transfer window following a rebuild of the entire squad.
It was sad to see the Colombian go, but his transfer to Bayern Munich was the best thing for his career and for Arne Slot’s squad selection, given the headache their attacking depth may begin to give him.
Mac Allister was also asked whether the footballing icon had talked to him about Liverpool while they were away on international duty.
Messi, of course, has had experiences in Merseyside, but his most recent and famous was the 4-3 comeback in the Champions League by the Reds to reach the final of the Champions League in 2019.
That incredible game was the last time the Argentine played the Reds, and likely it will never happen again unless there is a friendly game against Inter Miami.
READ MORE: Why Alexis Mac Allister is no longer a nailed-on starter for Liverpool under Arne Slot
When asked if they had talked about the club, he said: “Yeah, we had a conversation about Liverpool.