With his move to Liverpool seemingly all but done, Alexis Mac Allister will no doubt be aiming to play a significant role in their pursuit of silverware next season.
Among the trophies they’ll be chasing is the Europa League, a competition in which the Argentine would’ve been due to play even had he remained at Brighton, who also qualified alongside the Reds.
Nonetheless, given the Merseyside club’s illustrious European history and favourable UEFA coefficient, they’ll be classed among the favourites to emulate Sevilla as winners of the continent’s secondary club tournament.
Winning it wouldn’t be the foremost achievement on Mac Allister’s CV, seeing as he boasts a World Cup winner’s medal from last year, but there may be an added historical incentive for him to deliver for Liverpool in the Europa League.
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The 2024 final of the competition takes place at the Aviva Stadium in Dublin, the city from which the 24-year-old has roots going back through generations.
Indeed, when Argentina conquered the world in Qatar six months ago, the north Dublin village of Donabate was transformed into a sky blue and white enclave as the locals turned out in force to cheer on the midfielder, who has distant relatives in the area to this day (Irish Independent).
Also, as explained by The Athletic, Mac Allister’s father Carlos stated: “When we get together, they always say that our ancestors came from Ireland.
“I don’t know whether the ones before them were from Scotland, and went to Ireland from Scotland, and then our ancestors came here. But we say that we came from Ireland.”
It’s still another 50 weeks until Dublin hosts the Europa League final, and it may or may not feature Liverpool.
However, for the Reds’ impending new signing, there’ll surely be an added personal incentive to win what could be his first trophy in European football in a city where he has family ties.