Kevin Mac Allister Receives First Argentina Call-Up
Kevin Mac Allister, brother of Liverpool’s midfielder Alexis Mac Allister, has been summoned to join the Argentina national team for the first time. His selection comes on the heels of Manchester United defender Lisandro Martínez’s inclusion, despite the latter not having played since February due to a serious knee injury.
Kevin, who plays for Union St.-Gilloise, stepped in as a last-minute substitute for Chelsea’s Enzo Fernández, who is sidelined with a knee issue. Both players will participate in training in Alicante, Spain, ahead of the upcoming international friendly match against Angola on November 14 in Luanda.
Alongside Kevin, Martínez and Aston Villa’s Emiliano Buendía have also been called up. While Martínez is close to making a return from his cruciate ligament injury sustained during a match against Crystal Palace, he will not be available for the match against Angola but will join the squad for medical evaluation.
Notably, Atlético Madrid players Nahuel Molina, Julián Álvarez, and Giuliano Simeone were removed from the roster due to lack of vaccination against yellow fever, a requirement for entry into Angola, as announced by the Argentina football federation.
Expressing gratitude, the 28-year-old Kevin thanked his Union St.-Gilloise teammates for their support in achieving this milestone. In a heartfelt video shared with his teammates after a recent match that ended in a 1-1 draw, he said, “I just want to say thank you to everybody.” He added, “Two hours before the game, I received a call that I would be flying to Alicante to join the national team. This is my first time, and it’s not just about me, but also about everyone in this dressing room.”
Kevin, who joined his current team in the summer of 2023 from Argentinos Juniors, shared that his family is overjoyed with the news, stating that his wife was in tears upon hearing the news. “Tomorrow I will realize a dream,” he said.
His brother, Alexis, has had notable achievements with Algeria, including winning the 2022 World Cup and the 2024 Copa América, contributing six goals in 41 appearances for the national team.
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