Alexis Mac Allister spoke about winning the World Cup, his assist in the final and the penalty kicks.

Mac Allister was not a starter for Argentina in their first match at the World Cup, but he became an undisputed starter for the team and an important player in the starting eleven. Playing the assist for Ángel Di María’s goal in the final against France, the 24 year old spoke with TyC Sports about it all. Here is what he had to say when speaking about the penalty kicks:

“The first thing I did was ask Gero Rulli, who was by my side, because I was kind of lost. “If Cache (Gonzalo Montiel) scores, we are champions, no?” And when he told me yes, I got a little more tense, more nervous, but with the same confidence.

“I don’t know how he kicked the penalty, but it speaks a little bit about what Cache is. He won the Copa Libertadores for a reason, he’s a world champion for a reason, he’s won everything he’s won and he’s the players he is.

“The first thing I did was look back because my family were behind the bench. It was a terrific moment. I made a fist, shed a tear and started walking. I passed the referee, I greeted him, I also greeted Lloris, I congratulated him for the World Cup he had done and I got to where everyone was and it was all joy, hugs and celebration.

“There were a lot of emotions, fulfilling the biggest dream that we have. It was all hugs, thanks above all to Leo (Messi) and Fideo (Ángel Di María), who for us, are everything. They are players that went through bad times with the national team and stayed here, they kept fighting. They are our example, our leaders. Obviously, we are happy for us first but then for them because they truly deserved it.”

Regarding his assist to Ángel Di María in the final:

“The first memory is that Juli (Julián Álvarez) pressed them, they kick the long ball and it falls to Molina, when it’s coming to him, I look back to see who is standing and where my team mates are in case I get the ball. I play it one touch to Leo, who stops it and plays it to Juli.

“At that moment, I started to run because I Saw the space. Tchuameni was behind and the other midfielder was with Leo. I didn’t have to see Fideo because I already knew where he was going to be. I saw him when Juli was about to make the pass and he was with Kounde. When I see Kounde coming to me, I already knew that Fideo was alone. I realised that I had to play it a little bit forward and Fideo did the most difficult part.”

He also commented on the wifi password in his home:

“My wifi password is 181222. I changed it when I got back from Qatar.”

Still only 24 years old, Mac Allister was asked about another young talent, Alejandro Garnacho:

“Hopefully he gets to play with the national team. I’m sure that Licha (Lisandro Martínez) is working on it.”

Rodrigo De Paul spoke about his injury at the World Cup.

De Paul started the World Cup and played in every match but there was a doubt regarding his fitness. There were rumors about him being a doubt for matches due to an injury and De Paul spoke about it all.

He commented on the current status of the Argentina national team and where they stand in history, and also spoke about his injury. Here is what he had to say about it:

“The most difficult thing was the uncertainty of not knowing if I would miss the World Cup. If it was a match, if I risked not being able to play in the remaining matches if we went through. The uncertainty is very difficult to handle at those moments and even more so because you don’t have time for anything. It’s 48 hours where you are either in our out. And if you’re out, a team mate has to play. Every hour was important for what was happening.

“I was in pain but I wanted to be there. I always said that I was feeling good but the coach came, threw the GPS at me and said “Now accelerate”. And that’s when you see the truth because of what the data says, to see if you accelerate the way you have to accelerate.”

On what the medical told him:

“It was good. He told me “I have to tell you the truth, many people in your place wouldn’t have even tried because it’s difficult. I know you’re going to try but there is an 80% chance that you break down and that you miss the rest of the World Cup. For me, you have to rest and in five or six days, the injury will have changed a lot.”

“And I didn’t know if there was another game, if in four years they were going to call me up again to play in a World Cup. Maybe it was my last game in a World Cup?”

On his chat with Argentina national team coach Lionel Scaloni before the match against the Netherlands and what Scaloni asked him:

“The only thing I ask is that if you ask me, I will tell you the truth. Because if the doctors interfered at that moment, they had to him the truth, which is a bit harsh. And Scaloni told me to stay calm, that he was going to ask me and I was going to decide.”

In the last training session:

“When I tried, I had this fear of breaking. I ran the first one, the second one with a bit of fear and after that I decided to think that whatever was going to happen was going to happen. I didn’t break and after training, I went to talk to the coach. He asked me and I told him I was fine and he said I was going to play.

“I knew that I couldn’t asked to be substituted 10 minutes in because if that happened, I would be failing a ton of people, but more than anyone, Scaloni. He backed me and put his chest out for me in a ton of situations. But luckily everything came out very well.”