‘Shocking’ – Alexis Mac Allister not spared as media slaughter Argentina over World Cup implosion | OneFootball

Alexis Mac Allister and Argentina have been left to pick up the pieces of their shattered World Cup dreams after their quest for back-to-back triumphs fell short at the final hurdle.

The concluding match of the 2026 edition will be remembered for Ferran Torres’ extra time winner for Spain and the brutal cynicism of the now-deposed holders as they imploded in New Jersey, with Enzo Fernandez sent off at the end of normal time and Leandro Paredes shown red for his attack on Eric Garcia just after the game finished.

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Liverpool’s number 10 was praised for his performance in the semi-final win over England, but he found the going much tougher in the biggest match of all.

Mac Allister slammed by media over World Cup final display

Ernesto Provitilo of Argentine publication TyC Sports gave Mac Allister 5/10 in his post-match ratings, saying that he ‘couldn’t break free from his more defensive role and had to focus on containing and tracking back’, which deprived his team of the ‘opportunity to unleash one of their most potent attacking players’.

Nick Judd of ESPN was more unforgivign with his rating of 4/10 as he wrote: ‘He was very lucky to get away without a yellow card after a very late challenge on [Dani] Olmo, and again when he handled the ball. He looked uncomfortable all evening.’

The Daily Mail‘s Craig Hope aired similar sentiments with his 4/10 assessment of the Liverpool man as he observed: ‘Shocking first half. Repeatedly found [Spain players] with stray passes and was lucky to escape yellow for lunge on Olmo. Recovered to put in decent shift but quality still lacking.’

(Photo by Al Bello/Getty Images)

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Mac Allister and Argentina will want to forget this final

Mac Allister’s performance may have been criticised, but he was by no means the biggest offender on a night when Argentina’s antics were castigated by media worldwide, with BBC Sport pundits Wayne Rooney and Joe Hart respectively labelling their behaviour as ’embarrassing’ and ‘disgusting’.

The Reds’ number 10 still had some positives to his own display – as per Sofascore, he won seven duels and two tackles, completed 100% of his dribbles and drew three fouls from Spain – but he was also dribbled past four times and gave away two free kicks.

Having played 3,885 minutes during the club season and another 749 during the World Cup, the 27-year-old will now have a well-earned break in which to overcome Sunday’s bitter disappointment and recharge mentally and physically for the 2026/27 campaign with Liverpool.

With the Merseyside club usually giving their players three weeks off after their involvement in a summertime international tournament, it means that Mac Allister might only have one pre-season match (against Como on 16 August) before the Premier League recommences the following weekend.

That’ll limit his preparation time with new head coach Andoni Iraola, but the Argentine is an experienced high-level operator who should have little difficulty adapting to the methods of his new boss and hopefully thriving for the Reds in the months ahead.