Kevin Mac Allister (center) with his brother Alexis (left) and father Carlos when the siblings both played for Argentinos Juniors < p> Kevin McAllister was 18 when he found out where his name came from. — Another crazy story, huh? He says. “I can’t understand why my name is the same as a character from Home Alone.”
“I was 18 years old when I first heard the news. A radio journalist called me and my family stayed in the kitchen to eat. Well, I'm doing an interview and he [the journalist] asked the same question and I said, «I don't know, I have no idea.» But I don’t think so.”
«But after that I went into the kitchen and my mother [Silvina] heard the bell and said to me: 'Do you know that your name actually comes from a movie?' It was pure madness. It's always funny when people see a team and the name «Kevin Mac Allister».
Kevin won't be the only Mac Allister on the team's books when his Belgian club Union Saint-Gilloise meet his brother. Alexis' Liverpool at Anfield on Thursday in the Europa League.
Kevin's mother loved the 1990 film starring Macaulay Culkin as an eight-year-old boy (named Kevin McCallister) left home alone in Chicago as Christmas approaches, and Union even picked it up when they signed him from the Buenos Aires club in the summer.» Argentinos Juniors.» . The video announcing his arrival uses a scene from the film when she realizes her son is left behind and calls out the name «Kevin.»
KEVIN!
Yes, it's here! 👋 pic.twitter.com/TIzXLEwFSy
— Royale Union Saint-Gilloise (@UnionStGilloise) July 12, 2023 
Kevin Mac Allister is playing for Union SG this season. Photo: Getty Images/Isosport/MB Media
The Mac Allisters are an outstanding football family. There is a third brother, Francis — the eldest of them is 27 years old — who, like Alexis, is a midfielder for the Argentine club Rosario Central. Not only that, but their father, Carlos, is a former Argentina national team player who played alongside Diego Maradona for Boca Juniors and was good friends with him. There is also Carlos' brother Patricio, who was a striker, and cousin Luciano Guaicochea, who plies his profession in Malaysia.
«How many families have such a connection with football?» Kevin, the center back, speaks. “When I was younger, I really enjoyed playing with my brothers all over the place with just a ball. Perhaps on a street corner. Or my family had a club in Santa Rosa, La Pampa — Club Deportivo Mac Allister. We went to La Pampa every day and played football. It was very easy for us to do this because football is in our blood.”
“A football family” as he calls it, and it is from his father that they get their Irish and Scottish roots. Kevin also remembers watching videos of his father playing for Boca and remembers the pleasure he gets from following his brothers' careers. He was there at Lusail Stadium in Doha, Qatar, last December when Alexis won the World Cup with Argentina, and he was at Stamford Bridge this season, visiting the Liverpool fans when his brother made his debut in the Premier League for the team. moved to Chelsea
“I saw my brother become a world champion and this is the best gift for a family who loves football,” he says. “My father always loved football. When I get home, he's sitting at his laptop watching Alexis in action against Tottenham.
«He's crazy. He's crazy about football. Sometimes we're at the dinner table trying to talk about other things and he says, 'Well, maybe if Diaz played on the left, it would be better if you stood up like that because …», and he keeps trying to explain.»
From left to right: Kevin Mac Allister, Carlos Javier Mac Allister, Alexis Mac Allister, Diego Maradona, Francis Mac Allister. : Mac Allister Family
When the Europa League draw was made, Union, who are top of the Belgian professional league and drew their first Europa League draw at home to Toulouse, released another video showing the reaction of Kevin and their players when they returned from Switzerland after receiving right to participate in the tournament. group stage of the competition.
“Well, that was great,” he says in perfect English, despite the fact that he hasn’t had language lessons since 2019. «We were on the plane and the pilot said to us: 'This is Liverpool in the group stage.' He [Alexis] both knew about the group and also couldn’t believe it.
“This is crazy for me and my family. Nobody can understand how this happened. But this is football, this is a dream for us… Playing against my brother will be incredible, but for now we remain calm, say a few words and try to enjoy this part of football. It’s not normal that this can happen on the big stage of Europe.”
It will be the first time Kevin, who is 13 months older than 25-year-old Alexis, will play against his younger brother — at least the first time since they were children. “It was always a big battle between us,” he says, laughing. “Of course Francis, when we were younger, was the best. After this, Alexis is now the best, I think so. When we were younger, I was the goalkeeper in the family, and Alexis and Francis played. But of course, many times after matches we had blood on us or perhaps a head injury because we played aggressively, like Argentine players.”
Kevin Mac Allister was playing away at Chelsea when his brother Alexis made his league debut for Liverpool. Photo: Getty Images/Mark Atkins
The pair played together — at home, as teammates at Argentinos Juniors.
“It was always an advantage for us to have Alexis in my team, he improved a lot because the first step in the first team was difficult because Argentina has really aggressive football and all matches are a struggle, but he improved and showed in Argentinos himself that he is one of the best,” he says.
“At the beginning of his Argentinos career he played as a number 10, which moved forward, passed forward, assisted and scored, and now, of course, he plays with the number 10 on his back. But he plays like a number five, more defensively, and that's really special. But Alexis has worn number 10 in the past, and in Argentina it’s a really special number.”
Kevin has not yet allowed himself to realize how he will feel when he steps out to Anfield to face not only Liverpool, but also his brother. “Well, I feel very emotional,” he says. “My dad will be at the stadium, my girlfriend will be at the stadium, maybe the big family can come to the second game in December [in Brussels] and watch another match.”
It will happen. In particular, it was a proud but difficult night for their father. “It will be difficult because maybe one of his two sons will lose,” says Kevin.
Moving to Union has been a dream come true for Kevin, who is determined to follow in his brother’s footsteps and play in Europe. It also comes a month after Alexis completed his £35 million move from Brighton to Liverpool. “I've been really waiting for this step in my career for a long time, the last two years I've really had the energy to come here to Europe for better football I think,” says Kevin. “I think this is the best football in the world and it’s special for me to be here. Thanks to this club and these colors, I found a big family in Union.”
And Mac Allister knows everything about football and family.
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