From La Bombonera to Being the Bomb: Alexis Mac Allister
La Bombonera, the sacred home of Boca Juniors, Argentina’s finest football club, Diego Maradona’s sanctuary, the playground of Juan Roman Riquelme and the family tradition of the Mac Allisters. If you are a Mac Allister, and you never played at La Bomba, err, maybe you are not. It is the story of Carlos, Kelvin, Alexis and Francis Manuel.
Father? Check, Boca cult hero, so much so, he became sports minister in Argentina. Francis Manuel? Check, Kevin? Check, Alexis? Ah, yes Check. No matter where fortune took you as a Mac Allister, your destiny was Boca, be it a loan, a short stint or coming through the ranks.
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Dare one say, a Boca jersey is a family heirloom of the Mac Allisters. Be it the sponsorless jerseys of the noughties, or the fancy fits of modernities. The Boca tradition is to not affiliate with red, in part due to the rivalry with River Plate, and maybe to a lesser degree, Argentinos Juniors. They bleed blue and yellow there, well, unless you’re Alexis, who now bleeds red, and is the beacon of the family.
Alexis Mac Allister is football heritage. The son of ex Argentina international and former Boca defender Carlos Mac Allister, he is the youngest in a family of footballers. Whether it’s in Santa Rosa, Buenos Aires, Brighton & Hove, Lusail or Merseyside, that youth translates to unmatched joie de vivre that produces sizzling action. His name is uncharacteristic for an Argentine, some credence to his Irish and Scottish descent.
However, Macca is built different, from taking multiple loans just to qualify for a work permit to play in England, Boca, Argentina’s biggest club missed out on this wonderkid not once but twice. He has won the Argentine Primera and Segunda, with Boca and Argentinos Juniors respectively.
Macca has grown from a player who became so good at navigating relegation battles, to orchestrating midfields, overcoming a belief that he wasn’t good defensively, being a World Champion and now in the thick of what could be an all-timer season. He said in a recent interview he would love to play in Spain, and would never leave the door closed. It sparked an uproar in the Liverpool fanbase, only fittingly so. However, it shouldn’t have, because, It is just what it is.
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His on the ball abilities are impeccable. Swift in the turn, an eye for a pass, a nightmare in between the lines for opposition defenders, an uncanny ability to wreak havoc in the half spaces, his impeccable box crashing ability, penchant for the spectacular from range, decision making in and around the box, resistance under pressure, and ball protection.
It is why he fits the profile of a defensive midfielder, (both as a lone schemer and in a double pivot), that of a central midfielder (roaming or stationary) or that of an attacking midfielder. It is Redondo, Aimar and Cambiasso rolled into one. Okay, maybe that is a step too far, but maybe it isn’t.
One weakness attributed to him before was his inability to defend. The general belief was that had been concealed because of the requirements in the system he played. He has nixed that myth, constantly evolving. His introduction to Argentina’s midfield, is arguably one of Lionel Scaloni’s biggest discoveries as head coach, fitting him alongside Enzo Fernandez and Rodrigo de Paul. It was his introduction to the lineup that changed everything in 2022.
After losing on opening day to Saudi Arabia, Scaloni thrust Macca in to the spotlight. A midfielder from Brighton and Hove Albion, perhaps without the cachet of his teammates as one of three as the Albiceleste switched to a Christmas Tree 4-3-2-1. They never lost again. They finished World champions.
His subsequent move to Liverpool in the summer of 2023, was a game-changer for the Reds, who wanted Aurilien Tchouameni. The perception was Macca was a cheaper option. Financially so, but maybe not on the pitch. In Liverpool’s 2 losses this season, MacAllister was substituted on minutes 61 (Nottingham Forest scored minute 72 in the Premier League) and 80 (Tottenham scored minute 86 in the EFL Cup semifinal first leg).
This is evidence of the measure of stability and control whenever he plays. He is the conductor, who keeps things going. It is not to say there are no cons. He can be excessive sometimes, and the odd hesitancy to shoot because he can’t resist attempting what looks a sumptuous pass remains. He can get on the referee’s bad side due to his overcompensating attitude, and often makes him an easy target for opposition players. You may take a player away from Boca, but you can never take Boca out of the player.
For a man with an unconventional route to the top, Alexis MacAllister has outdone himself. There are more plays to be made, and more titles to win.
By: Tosin Holmes / @Cosimo_diMedici
Featured Image: @GabFoligno / Peter Cziborra – PA Images