There are more explosive stars on Argentina, but Alexis Mac Allister is one of the players who makes the whole machine work. Still only 27, he has become a central piece for both Liverpool and Argentina, the kind of midfielder who can connect phases of play, keep the game calm, and then suddenly arrive with a big goal or decisive pass.
Mac Allister is a truly well-rounded midfielder, with the ability to slide between playmaker, ball-winner, tempo-setter, and late-arriving threat depending on what Argentina need around players like Lionel Messi, Enzo Fernández, and Julián Álvarez. That versatility has helped make him a fixture for the reigning world champions, and it is a big reason he feels so important even if he is not always the headline name.
At this World Cup, Mac Allister arrives as a more mature and complete version of himself. So while he may not dominate the highlight reels, he is exactly the type of player who can quietly shape whether Argentina can defend their trophy.