Liverpool starlet officially receives first senior call-up
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One Liverpool youngster has received his first senior call-up to his national team although he will play no part in the upcoming World Cup. Image Credits: Imago ImagesWorld Cup preliminary squads are starting to drop across the globe, and Liverpool’s dressing room is feeling the ripple effect as national-team coaches nail down their plans for the tournament.From South America to Central Europe, Reds stars are discovering whether the next few months will include the biggest stage of all or an unexpected break.For Alexis Mac Allister, there was never much doubt, and the Liverpool midfielder has now been officially confirmed in Argentina’s preliminary World Cup squad, where he will be joined by his older brother Kevin.
It is no doubt a proud moment for the Mac Allister family.Over in Brazil, Alisson Becker’s name is on the list once more, with the Liverpool No.1 retaining his status as one of the first goalkeepers any international coach writes onto their teamsheet.But at the other end of the spectrum, some Reds are missing out on the showpiece event.Hungary are among those who will be watching this World Cup from home, meaning there will be no tournament football for the likes of Milos Kerkez and Dominik Szoboszlai. It is a cruel twist for a Hungarian generation that has shown genuine progress in recent years, but qualification missteps have left them with only friendlies and future cycles to look forward to.For Liverpool, that does at least mean Szoboszlai and Kerkez will avoid the physical and emotional toll of an end-of-season World Cup, yet the players themselves will feel the sting of missing out on the pinnacle of the international game.Even without a spot at the World Cup, though, there is still plenty of national-team intrigue from a Liverpool perspective in Budapest.That is because highly rated young goalkeeper Ármin Pécsi has received his first senior call-up to the Hungary squad, a milestone moment in what has been a rapid rise over the last couple of years.
The 21-year-old joined Liverpool in the summer of 2025 from Puskás Akadémia, in what was reported as a record outgoing £1.5 million transfer for the Hungarian club following a breakout season in the top flight.Hungary coach Marco Rossi however did state that Balázs Tóth will be the starting goalkeeper for the friendlies against Finland and Kazakhstan:“We would like to see how Ármin Pécsi and Áron Yaakobishvili, who play on the bench for our club, perform. There can be no doubt about the role of Balázs Tóth as the number one goalkeeper.”The call-up not only reflects well on the club’s scouting of emerging markets but may also influence Pécsi’s pathway for next season.Sevilla have already been credited with interest in taking the goalkeeper on loan this summer, viewing him as a cost-effective option to strengthen their own depth between the posts.