"He's our leader; he's our 10 and the best player in history" - Liverpool star heaps praises on Lionel Messi
Liverpool star Alexis Mac Allister has heaped praise on Argentina captain Lionel Messi, hailing him as the best player in history.
Mac Allister was a key part of the Argentina team that won the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar. The midfielder recently completed a move to Merseyside from Brighton & Hove Albion (€35 million). Speaking about Messi, Mac Allister said:
"He's so important for us, not just on the pitch but off the pitch as well. He was criticised before from Argentina, but he was still fighting for everything. He's our leader; he's our 10 and the best player in history."
Argentina ended their 36-year-long drought in the FIFA World Cup in 2022. Messi played a starring role in the triumph, bagging seven goals and three assists and winning the Golden Ball.
What Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp said after Lionel Messi won 2022 FIFA World Cup?
Alexis Mac Allister is not the only one at Liverpool who's an admirer of Messi. Reds manager Jurgen Klopp has shown his admiration of the Argentine on multiple occasions.
His recent set of praise for Messi came after La Albiceleste had won the 2022 FIFA World Cup. Klopp hailed Messi as the greatest player he has ever seen, saying (via GOAL):
"Argentina deserved i,t and when you saw the team and the country celebrating, then it probably hit the right country in difficult times. I am really happy for them; they waited for a long time."
He added:
"The greatest footballer in my lifetime, Lionel Messi, the way he plays football in this age should give us all a hint at how long footballers can perform at the top level. We shouldn’t close the books too early. It was a joy to watch him."
Coming from the Liverpool boss, who has managed world-class players over the years, it was praise of the highest order. However, considering Lionel Messi's prowess, it shouldn't come as a surprise.