Argentina midfielder Alexis Mac Allister says the comments he previously made about England were made in jest and insists he has full respect for the nation ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup semi-final in Atlanta on Wednesday.
The Liverpool star had suggested in an earlier interview with Jamie Carragher that England wouldn’t be serious contenders at this World Cup – a remark that resurfaced as the Three Lions booked their spot in the last four.
Speaking in the Mixed Zone on Tuesday, Mac Allister moved to clarify the comments.
“I understand what you’re saying because it was an interview that Jamie [Carragher] was doing at Liverpool and it was a bit of a joke because at the same time, I said they were not going to be in this situation — I said they have amazing players and a good coach as well,” he said.
“So, I’m not surprised — they have very good players, they know what they are doing, and have great ideas, they know what they’re doing but we’ll do our best to win.”
‘We’ve experienced this before…’
Argentina reached the semi-finals after a 3-1 extra-time win over Switzerland in the quarter-final, a game in which Mac Allister opened the scoring with a header. It marked his first career meeting with England; a country he has called home since joining Brighton six years ago before his move to Liverpool.
With the world champions now standing between England and a place in the final, Mac Allister was quick to play down any added weight to the occasion.
“We don’t have any pressure, we know it’s a World Cup and we have the experience of playing semi-finals at the World Cup before, so we hope it helps, but as I said, it will be a tough game against a good team we really respect.”
Argentina’s semi-final against England kicks off Wednesday in Atlanta (15h00) local time.
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