An Unusual Argentine Story: Alexis Mac Allister To Join Liverpool FC
A blend of heritage and world-class football has found its way to Anfield. Alexis Mac Allister, a name unfamiliar to the English Premier League, but decorated with a recent World Cup triumph with Argentina, will be seen donning Liverpool colours this summer.
A New Red Star Emerges
Liverpool’s first signing of the summer, a £35 million deal, is set to bring the 24-year-old Argentine midfielder, Mac Allister, to Merseyside. The signing has intrigued supporters who are keen to learn more about this new face in their beloved squad. However, the immediate fascination lies not in his playing abilities but in his unique surname.
Not Your Average Argentine Name
Despite being an Argentine by birth, Mac Allister’s surname is an anomaly in South American naming conventions. It appears more rooted in British heritage, which might make one question the ancestry of this World Cup winner.
Carlos, Alexis’s father and agent, was a prominent figure during his son’s move to Liverpool. A former Argentine footballer himself, Carlos represented Boca Juniors in the 1990s and earned three caps for his country. His involvement in the transfer aside, Carlos also provides an insightful backstory into the family’s unique surname.
The Mac Allister Heritage: An Irish Twist
As revealed by Carlos Mac Allister to The Athletic in 2020, the family’s Irish roots play a significant role in the distinctive surname. The family lineage can be traced back to Ireland, and the history finds its way to Argentina through Pergamino, a place three to four generations back in the Mac Allister family tree.
Carlos explains, “Now, when we get together, they always say that our ancestors came from Ireland.” Although the family’s precise geographic origins remain slightly blurred, with possible Scottish connections, the Mac Allister clan firmly roots their lineage to Ireland.
This ancestry was also acknowledged by Alexis Mac Allister himself during an Olympic Channel Original Series, where he revealed his name “comes from Ireland”.
A Family Legacy: Football in the Mac Allister Blood
The passion for football seems ingrained in the Mac Allister family. Alexis’s uncle, Patricio Mac Allister, had a varied career across Argentina, Mexico, and Japan, despite never featuring for the international side. Cousin Dickie Mac Allister recalls in an RTE interview about the confusion caused by their unusual surname in Argentina before Alexis’s breakthrough.
Anfield’s Excitement: The New Boy in Red
Following his triumphant run in Argentina’s World Cup campaign in Qatar, Alexis Mac Allister brings high expectations and an interesting heritage to Anfield. As he readies to put on the iconic red, Liverpool fans eagerly anticipate the value this young player, with an intriguing backstory, can add to their side in the coming season.