ALEXIS MAC ALLISTER

‘Oh Mac Allister, Oh Mac Allister. He’s the best there’s been, from the Argentine, Oh Mac Allister,’ sing the Kop. Macca signed for the Reds in the 2023 summer transfer window and has become a staple in both Jürgen Klopp and Arne Slot’s midfields ever since. Signed from Brighton & Hove Albion FC, Mac Allister’s perfect blend of attacking prowess and defensive capability ensures he controls the midfield and created from the middle of the pitch. A regular starter for the Seagulls, he was also their key penalty taker, and one of the most interesting things about our No.10 is his Scottish-sounding surname. However, according to Alexis himself, it spouts from his Irish heritage as his family moved from Ireland to Pergamino in Argentina many generations ago. The twenty-six-year-old was born on Christmas Eve 1998 in Santa Rosa.

His father Carlos was a footballer himself, playing for many Argentinian sides including Argentinos Juniors and appearing 124 times for Club Atlético Boca Juniors. His two older brothers, Kevin and Francis also played for Argentinos - where Alexis began his career - and they all appeared together on the pitch for the first time in November 2017. When Liverpool FC drew his brother Kevin Mac Allister’s (not from Home Alone!) team, Royale Union Saint-Gilloise, in the group stage of the 2023/24 UEFA Europa League, the siblings played against each other at Anfield. It was the first time they’d faced each other competitively in a professional match. While Alexis, who scored his 13th Liverpool FC goal against Fulham FC recently, may be the latest Argentinian to wear the Liver Bird, the first Argentine-born player to appear for the Reds 20 years ago was…

MAURICIO PELLEGRINO

Centre-back Mauricio Pellegrino made history with his move, becoming the first Argentine player in the history of Liverpool FC, when in January 2005 he left Valencia CF to join former boss Rafa Benítez on a six-month contract. Having played under Rafa in Valencia, he was signed to offer experienced cover for Sami Hyypiä and Jamie Carragher, but made only 13 appearances in his time at LFC and was ineligible to play in the UEFA Champions League, which the Reds went on to win. Pellegrino left after six months and returned to Anfield three years later as a member of Rafa’s backroom staff, but departed with Benítez in 2010 before working alongside him again at Internazionale. Pellegrino is currently the manager of Club Atlético Lanús, having had spells in charge of a number of other club including Liverpool FC’s 1984 Intercontinental Cup opponents Club Atlético Independiente (2015-2016) and Southampton FC (2017), and his brother Maximiliano shares a name with ex-Reds winger…

MAXI RODRÍGUEZ

From Rosario, Argentina, Maxi Rodríguez made an impact at Liverpool FC with the Kop's ‘Maxi, Maxi Rodríguez, runs down the wing for me!’ chant, to the tune of Buddy Holly’s ‘Heartbeat’ in your head all day again now! He scored against Liverpool FC at Anfield in the 2008/09 UEFA Champions League group stage while at Club Atlético de Madrid and joined the Reds in January 2010, helping the move happen by telling Rafa Benítez he could speak English. However, when he was set to do his first press conference he had to come clean to Rafa and tell him the truth - he couldn’t speak English! Benítez left LFC in 2010 and Maxi’s gametime fell short under Roy Hodgson, but when Sir Kenny Dalglish took charge he was back in favour and memorably scored seven of his 10 Premier League goals in three consecutive matches, including hat-tricks against Fulham FC and Birmingham City FC. He also won a League Cup with the Reds in 2012 before heading back to Argentina to play for Club Atlético Newell’s Old Boys - the club he began and ended his career at. Playing alongside Maxi for LFC in 2010 was fellow Argentine…

EMILIANO INSÚA

Buenos Aires-born left-back Emiliano Insúa scored just one goal in his 62 appearances for the Reds after his initial 18-month loan from Club Atlético Boca Juniors in January 2007 was made permanent by manager Rafa Benítez. His goal was an absolute cracker, though, against Arsenal FC at The Emirates in the League Cup. Insúa made his debut against Portsmouth FC in April 2007, but was more regularly involved for Liverpool FC Reserves until making 13 appearances in 2008/09 and then becoming first-choice left-back in 2009/10, Benítez’s final season in charge. A robust tackler who liked to get forward, Argentina boss Diego Maradona came to watch him when the Reds played LOSC Lille at Anfield in the UEFA Europa League in 2010, having handed him his Argentina debut against Peru in October 2009. At the age of 21, most Kopites anticipated Insúa having a bright future at Anfield, but with the club in turmoil under previous owners and Roy Hodgson in as manager, Insúa was sent on loan to Galatasaray SK in August 2010 before being sold to Sporting Clube de Portugal the following summer. He retired from football in 2023 having played for several other clubs including VfB Stuttgart, LA Galaxy and Racing Club de Avellaneda and isn’t the only Argentine ex-Red to spend time in the MLS as it was also a path taken by…

JAVIER MASCHERANO

Known as one of the players in the ‘best midfield in the world’ chant by the LFC faithful from the 2006/07 campaign en-route to the UEFA Champions League final in Athens, Javier Mascherano was initially signed on loan from West Ham United FC in February 2007 before a complicated deal was made permanent in 2008. An all-action, tough-tackling central midfielder, his passion and commitment made him hugely popular amongst Kopites, but he also had a short fuse that threatened to go off at any time. In March 2008 he wildly celebrated netting his first LFC goal - a belter from long-range against Reading FC at Anfield - but a week later was sent off against Manchester United FC at Old Trafford for dissent and got an additional ban for having to be dragged away from the referee. Nicknamed ‘El Jefecito - 'Little Chief' - and LFC’s MOTM in the 2007 UEFA Champions League final, he was a huge figure for Argentina's national team and was named captain by Diego Maradona after the 2008 Beijing Olympics, where Argentina was successful in winning a gold medal. Mascherano became the only footballer to have won two Olympic gold medals, having also helped his country win the gold in Athens 2004. He left LFC for FC Barcelona in 2010 where he won 19 major honours including five La Liga titles and two UEFA Champions Leagues. After retiring in 2020 he worked in Argentina’s national team coaching structure until taking charge of MLS side Inter Miami FC in January, where his players include Lionel Messi and Luis Suárez. Another Argentinian born ex-Red who has ventured into football management is…

SEBASTIÁN LETO

Sebastián Leto is currently the manager of A.E Kifisia FCin the second tier of Greek football, after being assistant manager at the club since 2023 and becoming first-team manager in 2024. He featured for several Greek clubs throughout his career, including Olympiacos FC, who he went on loan to from the Reds in 2008 having joined LFC from Club Atlético Lanús in 2007 aged 20. A left-winger, Leto made his debut for the Redmen against Toulouse FC in a qualifier for the UEFA Champions League, helping Liverpool FC win 4-0 in August 2007. It was one of just four appearances for the club - none of them in the Premier League - as Leto was subsequently denied a work permit in 2008 and was sold to Panathinaikos FC, where he won a league and cup double in his first season, scoring the winning goal in the Greek Cup final. Only one other Argentine-born player, centre-back Gabriel Paletta, has appeared for LFC, but he qualified to play for Italy through his grandparents and represented the Azzurri at the 2014 FIFA World Cup in Brazil, which was won by Germany. The runners-up were Argentina and eight years later they lifted the trophy in Qatar with a midfielder in the team by the name of…

ALEXIS MAC ALLISTER

Macca has shone as a Red since he signed in the summer of 2023 and has won shiny silverware to go alongside his stellar performances. Last season he won the Carabao Cup with the Redmen and has since become the first Argentine to win the Premier League with the club!