There's a notion that's become glaringly apparent at this World Cup : the rest of Argentina's players will go to war for Lionel Messi.
"We are all lions who fight for him," goalkeeper and Albiceleste teammate Emiliano Martinez vowed in June. "He's got 10 fighters who are scrapping around him," pundit and awestruck observer Gary Neville recently declared.
It's certainly true when you look at Argentina's performances; ones full of grit and guile, all in a bid to see their superstar teammate lift the finest trophy of them all. But what about Messi? Does he ever get his hands dirty? Most of the time, he's simply too good for a fight, but as captain, the 35-year-old has been at the centre of his fair share of contentious moments behind the scenes.
It's a far cry from the chaos surrounding his brief International retirement in 2017, but Alexis Mac Allister knows Messi's principles well. Definitely not the biggest name to have shared the international stage with the seven-time Ballon d'Or winner, Mac Allister will perhaps go down as one of the most important should Argentina conquer France in Sunday's final.
Having not featured in their shock opening-game loss to Saudi Arabia, the 23-year-old has produced a string of superb performances since and helped Lionel Scaloni 's side emphatically recover from their stuttering start. Sadly, it wasn't all rosy for Mac Allister in the Argentina camp.
During one of his first training sessions, the Brighton & Hove Albion midfielder was the butt of numerous jokes about his ginger hair, a colour rare in Argentina and a product of his Irish heritage. Idolising Messi, the opportunities to play alongside the Paris Saint-Germain icon are a dream come true, but what will always stay with Mac Allister is how the legendary forward stuck up for him when his teammates were teasing him about his locks.
"I remember everyone called me 'Colo', which is ginger in Argentina," the former Boca Juniors playmaker explained to the Athletic. "I don't like it much and he told the teammates that. He said, 'He doesn't like to be called Colo, so don't call him that!'"
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Mac Allister added: "I trained with him when I was in the Argentinian squad twice, but I didn't play with him. It was fantastic, the same as in the matches he trains. It's something you cannot believe. [When I first met him] I was red, completely red. I didn't want even to say hello.
"I was really nervous even to meet one of the best players in the world, but it was fantastic, of course. It's something I'm not going to forget. It was magic when my dad played with Maradona and I could train with Lionel Messi. We are very proud of it."
So while being Messi's teammate must be great on the pitch, it's heartwarming to know that he's got your back off it. And that's surely part of the reason this could well be Argentina's year.
