If Argentina wants to lift the fourth World Cup trophy this Sunday, they will have to raise their level; the performance shown against England will not be enough. Carlos Mac Allister, who knows his football: he played alongside Diego Maradona in the Argentine national team and his son, Alexis, is key in the team led by Lionel Messi, says so. “I see an Argentine team that had played at 60 percent of what it could, that against England played at 90 and with Spain will need one hundred percent,” Mac Allister said during an interview with EL MUNDO. Left back for Boca and Racing in his playing days, Mac Allister (58) was also Secretary of Sports during Mauricio Macri’s presidency (2015-2019).
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- How is this Messi World Cup at 39 years old explained?
- It’s simple. When you are a footballer with good nutrition, who takes care of yourself, with family support and who sleeps well, you can play at a good level until 40 years old, and a little longer too. The talent he has is another story. But no one could play at this level without that prior process.
- Messi’s performance marks a before and after in football history, no player has been so decisive at 39 years old in a World Cup.
- It is a lesson for players: you should not focus on the result, but on the process, because some reach 35 and want to take care of themselves. No, the care starts at 15, 16 years old. Alexis went this year to the same doctor as Messi, and the change was remarkable. Alexis lost many kilos and, after an adaptation process, regained some.
- What did Alexis change?
- Some eating habits, from the time he eats to not eating fruits. He does ‘grounding’, that is being barefoot on the earth at five in the morning and at two degrees below zero… After a certain hour he does not turn on the yellow light, but uses a light of other colors, wears special glasses and is already in bed before nine at night. He leaves home at eight in the morning and returns at four-thirty in the afternoon, when there is no longer sunlight in England.
- What is the difference between Messi and Maradona?
- The difference is private life. And that is not to speak ill of Diego. I will not explain what he told. Diego was an extraordinary player and teammate, a guy who with an adverse personal situation managed to be the best in the world. His life is a lesson, both good and bad. Thanks to Diego being Diego, Messi is Messi. With a vision of what happened, Messi could understand how to improve the species.
- Until becoming the top scorer in World Cup history…
- In a few years it is very likely that Mbappé will surpass Messi as the top scorer in World Cups, because with the format change and more and more lower-level teams, more goals will be scored in the World Cups. It will be easier to score a goal in 2030 than in 86. The Mbappés of life will surpass Messi. And that will be unfair. Playing a World Cup in the coming years will be easier than 25 years ago.
- Is there a favorite this Sunday?
- None is a favorite. Spain plays well and Argentina plays well. But I see an Argentine team that had played at 60 percent of what it could, that against England played at 90 and with Spain will need one hundred percent. And there is something key: the players feel that Scaloni is fair, he decides based on what is best for the team.
