“We loved to ‘take the p*ss’” - Alexis Mac Allister opens up on his Messi vs Ronaldo arguments with late Liverpool teammate Diogo Jota

Liverpool midfielder Alexis Mac Allister opened up about his arguments with former teammate Diogo Jota over Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo. The Argentina international claimed that they used to irritate each other with GOAT arguments.

Writing in his The Players' Tribune article, Mac Allister dedicated a paragraph to Jota after the tragic death of the Portuguese star. He heaped praise on the late Liverpool star and recalled how he was off the pitch. He wrote:

"Obviously, and with great emotion, I want to dedicate this paragraph to Diogo. I still can't understand how he left us so early. I always had a good relationship with him, but this past year even more so. He was always a very down-to-earth, family-oriented person, and never tried to pretend to be something he wasn't. One day he would come and give you the hug of a lifetime, and the next day he wouldn't even say hello, hahaha."

Remembering how they irritated each other, Mac Allister added:

"We loved to 'take the p*ss', and we always found a way, whether it was our Messi vs. Cristiano arguments, or just playing cards. It was part of the game. I will always choose to remember him with a smile. And I know that with that smile, he'll be supporting us from above. If you don’t believe that, then just look at the minute Frimpong scored in the Community Shield. The 20th. These are signs……"

The Liverpool star continued:

"I’d like to take this opportunity to send my warmest regards to his family, whom we must never forget, as they are the ones who are suffering the most from the tragic passing of him and his brother André. My respect and love to all of them."

Diogo Jota passed away on July 3 after a fatal car accident. He was on his way to Liverpool with his brother, Andre Silva. They were traveling by road as Jota had been advised against flying due to a recent lung surgery.

Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo paid tribute to Diogo Jota

Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo were among the first footballers to pay tribute to Diogo Jota on July 3 when they heard the news about his tragic death. The GOATs of the game took to their social media handles to share a message to the families of Jota and Andre Silva.

Messi posted a photo of Jota's celebration and added 'QEPD', the Spanish acronym that stands for 'Que en paz descanse', which translates to 'May he rest in peace'.

Ronaldo wrote a short message for the late Liverpool star that read:

“Doesn’t make any sense. Just now we were together in the national team, just now you were married. To your family, to your wife and children, I send my condolences and wish them all the strength in the world. I know you will always be with them. R.I.P. Diogo and Andre. We will all miss you.”

Cristiano Ronaldo played 32 matches with Diogo Jota for the Portugal national team, including the semifinal of the UEFA Nations League in June 2025.