When Alexis Mac Allister spoke during a short interview this week, Liverpool fans could hardly believe what came out of his mouth. The Argentine midfielder, who knows Lionel Messi better than most footballers in Europe because of their connection in the Argentina national team, was asked a simple question: who is the closest player to Lionel Messi that he has ever played with? Instead of naming a global superstar still playing at the very top, instead of choosing one of his current Liverpool teammates, instead of looking back to someone from Argentina’s World Cup squad, Mac Allister gave a very surprising answer. He said it was Luis Diaz, the Colombian winger who Liverpool sold this summer to Bayern Munich. That one statement sent shockwaves across Merseyside and around Europe. Because for Mac Allister to put Diaz’s name in the same sentence with Messi is not something small. Messi is football’s greatest, a man who changed the game forever, and when a World Cup winner like Mac Allister sees even a small shadow of Messi in a player, people pay attentio
Liverpool have just completed one of the biggest transfer windows in their history. They smashed the Premier League transfer record twice in the same summer by bringing in Florian Wirtz from Bayer Leverkusen and Alexander Isak from Newcastle United. Those two deals alone cost the Reds £241 million. Together with other signings like Hugo Ekitike, the total spending went close to £450 million. It was a huge statement by Arne Slot and the new Liverpool project, as the club looked to build on last season’s Premier League title and push again for European dominance. The focus this summer was all about arrivals, all about how the new faces would fit in, all about whether they would justify the record fees. But behind those headlines there were also big departures, and perhaps the biggest of them was Luis Diaz.
Diaz arrived at Liverpool in January 2022 from FC Porto, and in three and a half years at Anfield he became a fan favourite. His direct dribbling, his dancing feet, his ability to score important goals and his non-stop energy made him a nightmare for defenders. He played with a smile, he lifted fans off their seats, and he gave Liverpool width and creativity. He helped them win every domestic trophy available in England, and last season he enjoyed his most productive campaign in a Liverpool shirt as the team marched to the league title. By the summer of 2025 Diaz was at the peak of his powers, but also at a difficult point with his contract. Negotiations for a new deal had stalled. Bayern Munich arrived with a huge £65.5 million offer, and for Liverpool, who were chasing younger stars like Wirtz and Isak, it became a decision they felt they had to take.
For Diaz himself, the decision was also clear. He felt it was the right moment to leave after achieving everything domestically in England. Bayern offered him a leading role under Vincent Kompany, a new challenge in Germany, and wages that Liverpool were not willing to match. And so the Colombian moved on, with many fans sad but also understanding that the cycle had ended. Few expected Mac Allister to later compare him to Messi. That was the surprise.
Mac Allister explained himself in detail. He was asked directly who the closest to Messi was, and he said: “Well, I think Dembele when we play PSG away, at that time he was really at a good level. I would put Lucho up there as well, Lucho Diaz. It was really hard to mark him, even in training, I had to give him a couple of tackles.” Those words showed the level of respect he had for Diaz. In training Mac Allister had faced him one-on-one, had tried to stop his twisting runs, had tried to predict his quick touches, and even he struggled. If an Argentina international who trains against the best attackers in the world admits Diaz gave him such a hard time, then people understand why he put his name next to Messi’s.
At Bayern Munich, Diaz has wasted no time in showing his quality. In his first four Bundesliga matches he already has three goals and two assists. He is playing with freedom, connecting with his new teammates, and already looks like one of the key players in Kompany’s attacking system. In Germany they are calling him unstoppable, and in Liverpool some fans are starting to ask whether letting him go was really the right choice. But others look at the table and remember that Liverpool have won every single game so far this season under Slot. The team has a perfect record across all competitions. New signings are settling in slowly, but results are strong, and that is what matters.
Liverpool’s recruitment team has always been smart in balancing arrivals with departures. They sold big players before—Philippe Coutinho to Barcelona, Sadio Mane to Bayern—and still managed to rebuild into title-winning sides. The decision to cash in on Diaz was another example of this philosophy. While his talent was clear, Liverpool believed they could refresh the squad, keep the team hungry, and prepare for the future. And so far, Slot has not been proven wrong.
On the left wing, Cody Gakpo has been the main starter this season. He began strongly, especially in the first game against Bournemouth, but his form has dropped slightly since then. That has opened the door for new options. Hugo Ekitike, signed this summer, has exploded onto the scene with three goals in his first five games, including a crucial strike in the Merseyside derby against Everton. His pace and finishing have impressed fans, and some now wonder if he could be moved to the left to replace Diaz directly, especially once Isak returns fully fit to take the central striker role. That would give Slot an attacking trio of Ekitike, Isak, and Mohamed Salah, with Wirtz supporting from midfield.
It is a thrilling prospect, and one that shows why Liverpool felt confident to let Diaz go. The system is evolving. The attack is changing. The money from Diaz’s sale helped finance record-breaking signings. And even though Mac Allister’s praise makes fans nostalgic, the truth is Liverpool do not look like a team that misses him.
Still, there is an emotional side to football that numbers cannot replace. For Liverpool fans, Diaz was more than just statistics. He represented joy, fight, and flair. His story of rising from humble beginnings in Colombia to shine at Anfield was inspiring. Comparing him to Messi may sound exaggerated, but from Mac Allister’s words we can see it was about the feeling Diaz gave opponents—the fear, the unpredictability, the brilliance in small spaces. That is something very few players in the world possess. Messi had it. Diaz, at his best, reminded Mac Allister of that same quality
The irony is that Diaz is now doing in Germany what he used to do at Anfield. Bayern fans are celebrating him the way Liverpool fans once did. He already looks like he belongs in their history of great wingers, following in the footsteps of legends like Arjen Robben and Franck Ribery. For Kompany, having a player like Diaz is a gift, especially as he tries to rebuild Bayern into a European powerhouse again. For Slot, his challenge is to show Liverpool were right to move on without him.
And so, this season, every game feels like a test of who made the better decision. If Diaz continues to shine and Bayern succeed, critics will say Liverpool lost a gem. If Liverpool win again in England and go deep in Europe, they will say Slot and the board were right. Somewhere in the middle lies the truth—that both sides benefited, and that sometimes in football, a player and a club simply need to part ways at the right time.
But Mac Allister’s words will not be forgotten. They will follow Diaz in Germany. They will make fans think back whenever he scores a brilliant goal. They will keep alive the debate of whether Liverpool should have kept him. And above all, they will remind people that once, at Anfield, there was a Colombian who carried echoes of Lionel Messi in his dribbles, in his unpredictability, and in the fear he put into defenders.
That is why this story has touched so many Liverpool fans. Because for them, Messi is untouchable, the greatest ever, and hearing Diaz’s name mentioned in that company is both painful and proud. Painful because he is gone. Proud because he once wore their shirt.
And maybe that is the lesson of this summer for Liverpool. That football is about change, about moving on, about building new futures, but also about cherishing the moments and players who made fans dream. Luis Diaz gave them that. And Alexis Mac Allister, with one simple sentence, made sure nobody will forget it.
