Alexis Mac Allister has rejected conspiracy theories surrounding Argentina’s performance in the 2026 World Cup final, saying the team knows Spain were simply the better side.
Argentina were beaten by Spain after 120 minutes, with the European champions dominating the final and prompting some supporters to search for explanations beyond what happened on the pitch.
Some Argentina fans questioned the players’ calm demeanour and lack of visible intensity during the match. They suggested the team may have been restricted or affected by an unknown factor, rather than accepting that their performance had been below expectations.
Lionel Messi, Emiliano Martinez and other members of the Argentina squad denied those theories in the months following the World Cup. Mac Allister has now also addressed the claims.
“I come from a footballing family, and we understand that these things do not exist,” Mac Allister told Argentine broadcaster TyC Sports.
“We live in a world today where people can say anything on social media without any consequences.”
The Liverpool midfielder added that the players were certain they had given everything in the final, despite the disappointment of losing.
“People say whatever they want, but deep down we know what happened. We gave our best and it is unfortunate that we did not win,” he said.
Mac Allister said Argentina were trying to focus on the positive aspects of their campaign, while acknowledging that Spain had earned their victory.
“It was a huge disappointment because we felt we were close, but Spain were much better and deserved to win,” he said.
The midfielder also drew a distinction between Argentina’s physical condition and their performance with the ball.
“Physically, we were in good shape, but not in footballing terms, and that is where they made the difference,” he said.
Mac Allister identified fatigue following Argentina’s semi-final against England as one of the factors that affected the team in the final. Argentina had completed a historic comeback in that match, but the physical and mental demands of the occasion had taken their toll.
“I felt good, with the general fatigue that comes from playing every three days, as well as the mental exhaustion,” he said.
“The match against England was extremely tense, and the period before it was intense because of the history and the way it is handled in our country. Perhaps that drained some of our energy.”
His comments follow earlier attempts by Messi, Martinez and others to dismiss suggestions that Argentina’s subdued display had been caused by anything other than the demands of the tournament and Spain’s superiority in the final.
