Lionel Messi's Legacy and Argentina's Future Without Him
Lionel Messi is edging towards the final chapter of his Argentina story, and the weight of that reality is beginning to settle on those around him.
At 39, he will leave as the country’s undisputed standard-bearer: 207 caps, 125 goals, a World Cup raised into the Doha sky and a generation of Argentines carried with him. There is no like-for-like replacement. There never was going to be.
Alexis Mac Allister knows it. And he isn’t pretending otherwise.
“There will never be another like him”
Speaking to ESPN, the Liverpool midfielder didn’t search for new superlatives. He went back to the basics that have followed Messi for two decades.
“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.”
That emotion is not just about a farewell. It’s about what comes next.
Mac Allister cut through the romance with a dose of tactical reality. Argentina, world champions and serial contenders, are about to step into something they haven’t faced in almost 20 years: life without the man who solved problems on his own.
“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.”
No talk of a new Messi. No convenient narrative about a ready-made heir. Just a clear acknowledgement that the team must evolve, share the burden, and find different ways to win.
Ballon d’Or backing from within the dressing room
Even as the curtain edges closer on his international career, Messi’s name still dominates the individual awards debate.
Mac Allister didn’t hesitate when asked about his captain’s chances of lifting another Ballon d’Or.
“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.”
The message was clear: for the dressing room, Messi’s legacy is already complete. Any trophy now is a bonus, not a necessity.
Club uncertainty for Mac Allister
While Messi’s future with Argentina feels like a slow, inevitable fade, Mac Allister’s own situation at club level is far less settled.
The midfielder has already admitted he felt disappointed that Liverpool did not move to extend his contract, even as fellow midfielders Ryan Gravenberch and Dominik Szoboszlai secured new deals. For a player who has quickly become central to Liverpool’s structure, it is a curious pause.
He chose to stay at Anfield in the summer despite chances to leave. The commitment on the pitch is not in question. The long-term picture is.
“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.”
The uncertainty hasn’t soured his view of the club. If anything, his words underlined how much he values where he is right now.
“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 a life without Messi. Mac Allister weighing up a future that might yet move away from Anfield. One era winding down, another still undecided. The only certainty is that both stories will shape the next phase of club and country.
