Argentina Prepares for Life After Lionel Messi
Alexis Mac Allister knows what is coming. Argentina are heading towards life without Lionel Messi, and even saying the words out loud still feels surreal.
Messi, now 39, is approaching the end of a staggering international career. He will leave as Argentina’s all-time record appearance holder and goalscorer: 207 caps, 125 goals, a World Cup in 2022, and a legacy that has reshaped a nation’s footballing identity.
Mac Allister doesn’t pretend there is a way to fill that void.
“There will never be another like him”
Speaking to ESPN, the Liverpool midfielder laid bare the sense of gratitude – and looming absence – inside the Argentina camp.
“The words for Messi are always the same: gratitude, and the realisation that there will never be another like him,” he said. “We’ve enjoyed our time with him immensely. We’re also grateful to him for everything he’s helped us win. It’s sure to be a very emotional occasion.”
This is not just about losing a genius. It is about ripping out the heartbeat of a team that finally climbed the mountain in Qatar. Messi has been the difference-maker for more than a decade. Now Argentina must work out how to win without the player who so often decided games almost on his own.
Mac Allister is under no illusions about what that means.
“It will be a different process with new players coming in,” he explained. “We need to start realising that the best player in the world, the one who made all the difference, won’t be there anymore, and that we’ll have to grow stronger as a team.”
The message is clear: the era of waiting for Messi to solve everything is over. The next Argentina will have to be more collective, more tactically adaptable, more ruthless as a unit.
Ballon d’Or backing
Before the curtain finally comes down, there is still one familiar debate: the Ballon d’Or.
Mac Allister did not hesitate when asked if Messi deserves another crown.
“As Argentines we’d love for Messi to win it. He had an incredible World Cup and I don’t see why he shouldn’t be awarded it,” he said. “We all know that Leo has always prioritised the team over individual achievements, so it wouldn’t be a big deal for him.”
That last line captures Messi’s standing within the squad. The awards, the records, the global adoration – they matter less inside the dressing room than the simple fact that he has always put the shirt first. For his teammates, that is what defines him.
Club uncertainty at Anfield
While he speaks with certainty about Messi’s place in history, Mac Allister’s own future feels far less settled.
The midfielder has already admitted he was disappointed Liverpool did not move to extend his contract, particularly after fellow midfielders Ryan Gravenberch and Dominik Szoboszlai were handed new deals. For a player who has quickly become important at Anfield, the silence from the boardroom has not gone unnoticed.
He resisted chances to leave in the summer, choosing to stay and fight for his place on Merseyside. Yet the long term remains cloudy.
“There’s no firm decision yet. I still have two years left on my contract,” he said. “As I said, I’m going to give it my all. A lot can happen in that time; there are plenty of options.”
That line hangs in the air. Plenty of options. For Liverpool, it sounds like both a warning and an invitation.
Still, Mac Allister insists his outlook remains positive.
“Hopefully it’ll be for more years, but if it’s just two, I’ll have to enjoy them with my family, because I have no doubt that I’m at one of the best clubs in the world.”
Argentina preparing for the post-Messi age. A key midfielder weighing his next move at one of Europe’s giants. Two careers at different stages, bound by the same question: what comes after a golden era ends?
