When you have played and won a World Cup final alongside Lionel Messi, it is natural to believe it is only the start. The same may be said of his international teammate and Chelsea rival Enzo Fernandez, of course.
“Maybe it is the biggest game in the world, the World Cup final,” says Mac Allister. The World Cup helped me to realise that I really want to win more trophies. It gives you of course a lot of confidence and it definitely helps when you have experience.
“I am still young as well. I am 25. It is the biggest game ever for a football player, so it is something that I am really proud of. Hopefully next week the Carabao Cup medal can be something I will look at as well.”
What advice can he give to teammates – especially the younger members of Liverpool’s squad – who are preparing for their first final?
“It [being the first] is not the most important thing,” he says. You can see players who played a final for the first time and they do very well, like it was for me in the World Cup.
“I think every player and every person is different so I wouldn’t say much to them. They just need to enjoy their football and do the same they do every day. We have a lot of good players – young players as well – so we will prepare and go for it.”
Football is the Mac Allister family business, his father Carlos, brothers Kevin and Francis, and uncle Patricio are all current or ex-professionals, ensuring the advice – especially paternal – is frequent after every game.
