Mac Allister interview: Beating Real Madrid, playing with Salah, Messi’s future

Liverpool’s World Cup winner is thriving under new boss Arne Slot as the Reds challenge for the Premier League and Champions League.

Nevertheless, there has been a clear shift away from the relentlessly high-pressing style of play favoured by Klopp. The Liverpool of Slot has been more considered in possession, able to take the sting out of games and preserve their energies. For a play-playing midfielder like Mac Allister, his role in the team has become even more crucial.

"We knew we were going to play against two of the best teams in the world, the ones that have dominated Europe in recent years. For us it was a challenge to show that we can compete and win. We did it in the best way and playing at Anfield helped us a bit because we had our people. I’m happy with both games and especially with both results, but this is football and now we have to think about the next game."

"It was a nice to score a goal against [Real Madrid]. For me, Real Madrid is one of the best teams in the world. It was special to play against them and score a goal on a Champions League night that I really enjoyed. Now, I want more."

"On the pitch you can see it: Salah has that personality of always going for more, and when you have him by your side, you know he is a player who will give you assists or score goals. I hope he can continue like this, because he is one of the most important players for our team."

And on the all-important question - Salah's Liverpool future - Mac Allister is pretty unambiguous about his desire to see the Egyptian re-sign with the club. He may now be 32 but Salah's influence is undeniable and his importance unparalleled in the Liverpool squad.

"I hope he can stay at Liverpool next year. I want the negotiations to be successful. He seems happy here; he is a legend at the club. It would be ideal if he could finish his career here, but these are very personal decisions and it also depends on the club making its analysis or making a decision."

Although he signed for Brighton & Hove Albion in 2019, Mac Allister did not become a regular Premier League starter until the second half of the 2020/21 season. He established himself as one of the league's best young midfielders at the Amex Stadium but it was his performances with Argentina at the 2022 World Cup that really catapulted him to global attention.

Asked about his journey with the Argentinian national team, Mac Allister cites the 2022 triumph as a transformative moment in his career.

"The World Cup in Qatar gave me a place in this team. I feel comfortable with the style of play that has always been a characteristic of Argentina. That is, always trying to keep the ball as much as possible and connect through passing. My role may be a little different, as sometimes I am defensive and other times offensive, but I am proud of what I have achieved. Winning a World Cup is the best."

That success would be the highlight of any player's career but Argentina's 2022 victory holds special importance for Mac Allister and his compatriots. It was Lionel Messi's fifth attempt at claiming soccer's greatest prize and the previous four had all ended in heartbreak. For Mac Allister, being a part of the team that finally delivered Messi's long-awaited World Cup gives it added resonance.

"Leo is everything. For my generation and for those of us who have shared a dressing room with him, he is everything. He shows in every match, training session or in a chat that he is a top person and player. It makes me happy to share a dressing room with Messi and to be able to say that I have played with the best of all time."

"I hope so. I think so. There’s a year and a half left to go until the World Cup, and that’s nothing. He looks happy, and although I don’t know what will happen with his future, it seems like he’s going to stay with Inter Miami... I hope he can make it because he’s the player who makes the difference."