Lionel Messi's Legacy: Argentina's Future Without Him

As Lionel Messi edges towards the final chapter of his extraordinary international story, Argentina are staring at a future that feels both inevitable and almost impossible to imagine.

The numbers alone are staggering. At 39, he will leave as his country’s record appearance holder and all-time leading scorer: 125 goals in 207 caps, the heartbeat of the 2022 World Cup triumph and the standard by which every Albiceleste player is now judged.

For Alexis Mac Allister, that looming goodbye is as emotional as it is daunting.

“There will never be another like him”

Speaking to ESPN, the Liverpool midfielder didn’t bother searching for new superlatives. There aren’t any left.

“The words for Messi are always the same: gratitude, and the realisation that there will never be another like him,” Mac Allister said. “We’ve enjoyed our time with him immensely. We’re also grateful to him for everything he’s helped us win. It’s sure to be a very emotional occasion.”

That emotion will not just be about nostalgia. It will be about uncertainty. Argentina have built a generation around one man’s genius. Soon, they will have to live without it.

Mac Allister knows the tactical and psychological reset will be brutal.

“It will be a different process with new players coming in,” he explained. “We need to start realising that the best player in the world, the one who made all the difference, won’t be there anymore, and that we’ll have to grow stronger as a team.”

No illusions. No safety net. The era of Messi has defined modern Argentine football; the era after him will test its entire structure.

Ballon d’Or backing

One last individual prize still hangs in the air.

Asked about Messi’s chances of adding another Ballon d’Or to his collection, Mac Allister didn’t hesitate.

“As Argentines we’d love for Messi to win it. He had an incredible World Cup and I don’t see why he shouldn’t be awarded it,” he said. “We all know that Leo has always prioritised the team over individual achievements, so it wouldn’t be a big deal for him.”

For the dressing room, though, it would be another line in the legend. One more piece of history to attach to the shirt they will inherit without him.

Club future up in the air

While he contemplates life after Messi with Argentina, Mac Allister is also dealing with uncertainty much closer to home.

At Liverpool, the midfielder has already admitted frustration that the club have not moved to extend his contract, particularly after fellow midfielders Ryan Gravenberch and Dominik Szoboszlai received new deals. He stayed at Anfield despite chances to leave in the summer. The questions have not gone away.

“There’s no firm decision yet. I still have two years left on my contract,” he said. “As I said, I’m going to give it my all. A lot can happen in that time; there are plenty of options.”

No ultimatum. No public push. Just a clear awareness that his future is in motion, even if nothing is decided.

Yet his affection for his current surroundings is obvious.

“Hopefully it’ll be for more years, but if it’s just two, I’ll have to enjoy them with my family, because I have no doubt that I’m at one of the best clubs in the world.”

So Mac Allister stands at a crossroads on two fronts: part of the generation that must carry Argentina beyond Messi, and a key figure in a Liverpool midfield still being reshaped.

One era is ending. The next, for club and country, will demand new leaders.