Alexis Mac Allister reignited the debate about the gap between Europeans and South Americans

After River and Boca were eliminated in the group stage and in the context of the Round of 16 of the Club World Cup in the United States, the difference in individual and collective quality between European and South American teams became evident once again, especially in the case of the Argentine teams.

Amid this debate surrounding the intercontinental tournament, Alexis Mac Allister shared his opinion on the disparity between the squads from both continents. On the La Casa del Kun show on ESPN, the Liverpool midfielder was clear: "Argentine or South American teams can compete in one or two matches, but in the long run, as of today, they don't stand a chance."

Following that reflection, the midfielder who shines in the Premier League and the Argentina National Team highlighted the main virtue of Boca and River: "They match up with passion, desire, tackles and all that," he stated emphatically.

With the early elimination of the Argentine clubs, Flamengo (lost 4-2 in the Round of 16 against Bayern Munich) and Botafogo  (eliminated in the Round of 16 after a 1-0 defeat in extra time against Palmeiras), only two South American teams remain in contention: Palmeiras, already qualified for the quarterfinals, and Fluminense, which must face Inter Milan after finishing second in Group F, behind Borussia Dortmund.

The amusing anecdote with Dembélé

On the same show, Mac Allister also recalled a moment he experienced against Ousmane Dembélé in the Champions League: "The ball was up for grabs, I opened my foot and he nutmegged me. The match stopped right away and he came looking for me."

Amid laughter, he added: "He said to me, 'brother, next time don't come so fast.' I told him, 'don't worry, next time I'll hit you in the knee.'" He concluded: "The thing is, I never managed to catch him, ha."