Liverpool slammed for 'disgraceful' social media post backing Argentina against England

Liverpool drew widespread criticism from England supporters on Wednesday after posting in support of Alexis Mac Allister and Argentina ahead of the World Cup semi-final against England.

The Premier League club had made a habit throughout the tournament of sharing a post on the day any of their players featured, and they continued that tradition with a morning message reading: “Macca and Argentina take on England for a place in the #FIFAWorldCup final,” accompanied by a flexed arm emoji and the Argentine flag.

The response from England fans was swift and sharp. “This is an absolute disgrace,” one supporter wrote on X, while another called it “absolutely horrendous” from the club. A third questioned the logic outright: “Why would an English club do this?”

Not everyone agreed the post warranted the outrage, however. One Liverpool supporter pushed back, arguing: “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 added that the reaction illustrated why some Liverpool fans feel little connection to the England national team.

Mac Allister, 27, lifted the World Cup with Argentina in 2022 while still a Brighton player and has since become a central figure in Lionel Scaloni’s midfield. He has never previously faced England, with the two nations last meeting in a 2005 friendly.

The midfielder acknowledged his familiarity with many of England’s players from the Premier League but suggested the tournament environment had altered their game. “I play against most of them every weekend and it’s clear they’re physically very strong,” Mac Allister said at 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.”

He also stressed the psychological dimension of the occasion. “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.”

Liverpool are yet to respond publicly to the criticism.