Argentina star Alexis Mac Allister's cousin has appeared on RTE to explain how the Brighton midfielder has such an Irish sounding name.
The midfielder made himself a hero in his homeland earlier this week when he scored the opening goal in Argentina's vital 2-0 win over Poland in the final group game of the FIFA World Cup.
With red hair and a name like Mac Allister, many people began to wonder whether Mac Allister has any Irish heritage. Earlier this evening, Mac Allister's relative Noel Mc Allister appeared on RTE to explain how he name ended up in Argentina.
READ MORE: Alexis Mac Allister's Irish roots explained
"Mac Allister's are in this area (Donabate) since 1690," begins Noel, "Joseph was the first to go to Argentina in 1865."
"Then he sent back for his two nephews John and William. One was 8 and one was 10 and we can never understand at that young age, how they got to Buenos Aires.
"They settled in Pergamino, because the Irish always clamped together up there and they still do."
Noel went on to explain how a chance purchase of a newspaper lead to the realisation that there were plenty of Mac Allister's still in Argentina.
"I got a call one morning from Frank Mc Allister a cousin of mine who's since died and he said did you get the Times? There's a photo from the Times get it.
"And it was a photo of Dick Spring, the minister of foreign affairs at the time, in the hurling club of Buenos Aires Argentina, with the President of the hurling club Dickie Mac Allister."
Noel tells a story of how they sent a letter to the hurling club in Argentina's capital asking for some information. Much to their surprise, a return letter arrived from the club detailing the Mac Allister family's history all the way back to their time in Donabate.
His cousin Dickie also spoke about how Alexis's breakthrough has made things easier for himself with regards to people understanding his own surname.
"Before Colo Mac Allister appeared in the football game here in Argentina, I remember that my name was very difficult," said Alexis's cousin in an interview on RTE.
"If I go to a bank or a school, I have to spell every focail of my name."
"But after Colo Mac Allister, my name is very well known all around the country. Never again I have trouble with my surname."
Colo is the Argentinian word for a person with red hair. When Mac Allister was called up to the National team squad for the first time three years ago, Lionel Messi took a liking to the Brighton midfielder.
According to reports, Messi was unhappy when his teammates called Mac Allister 'Colo.'
"I remember everyone called me ‘Colo’, which is ginger in Argentina," said Mac Allister in an interview with The Athletic earlier this year, "I don’t like it much and he told the team-mates that. He said, ‘He doesn’t like to be called Colo, so don’t call him that!’.”
Alexis is of Irish and Scottish heritage. In an interview with the Official Olympics website, Mac Allister explained, "The surname Mac Allister comes from Ireland."
His ancestors are part of a wave of Irish people who emigrated to the South American country in the 1860's. To this day, almost 1 million Argentinians can trace their heritage back to Irish ancestors.
Mac Allister signed for Brighton in 2019 and has gone on to make over 77 Premier League appearances.
The 24-year-old has been a star for Argentina during this World Cup campaign and scored a vital goal as the South American side defeated Poland and progressed to the knockout stages of the competition.
Mac Allister will be in action for Argentina again tonight when Lionel Scaloni's side clash with Australia in the last-16 of the FIFA World Cup.
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