Liverpool have been heavily criticised by football fans for a social media post they deemed 'disgraceful' ahead of England's World Cup semi-final against Argentina. The match, scheduled for Wednesday, sees Argentina's Alexis Mac Allister as the only Liverpool player remaining in the tournament.
Liverpool's post sparks outrage
The Premier League club has a tradition of posting about their players on match days during the World Cup. On Wednesday morning, they wrote: 'Macca and Argentina take on England for a place in the #FIFAWorldCup final,' accompanied by a flexed arm emoji and the Argentine flag. The post did not include any explicit good luck message.
England supporters were quick to express their anger. 'This is an absolute disgrace,' one fan wrote on X. 'Absolutely horrendous post from LFC,' added another. A third questioned: 'Liverpool fans... say what you want but this is idiotic from your admin.' Another asked: 'Why would an English club do this?'
Mixed reactions from fans
However, some defended the club. One argued: 'This post didn't even say "good luck" or "wishing all the best" it literally just signified that a Liverpool player was playing a football game today. People need to really have a day off.' Another commented: 'Look at the response to the club just mentioning one of our players is playing in a World Cup semi final tonight, not even a mention of wishing him luck. And yet they'll still wonder why some Liverpool fans don't feel a connection to the national team.'
Mac Allister's perspective
Mac Allister, who won the World Cup with Argentina in 2022 while at Brighton, has never faced England before. The last meeting between the two nations was a friendly in 2005. The 27-year-old midfielder acknowledged the strength of Premier League players but noted a difference in England's intensity during the World Cup.
'I play against most of them every weekend and it's clear they're physically very strong,' Mac Allister told a press conference. 'That said, I think during this World Cup we've seen - I don't know if I'd call it fatigue or not - but they haven't played with the same intensity that characterises the Premier League. I don't know if that's because of the heat, the weather or other factors, but they're obviously a great team. We have enormous respect for them, just as we have for every national team we've faced.'
Mental strength key for Argentina
Mac Allister emphasised the importance of mental preparation. 'It's clear that the mental side is extremely important. I think, for us and for footballers in general, the mind is the most important thing. Obviously, there are tactical and footballing aspects that define the sport, but the most important thing is combining those two. We have great confidence in ourselves. We know exactly what we're doing, and we're not going to change our approach,' he said.
