Alexis Mac Allister / Lionel Messi wins Brighton Look-a-Like 2021-22
Ladies and gentlemen, we have a rare example of a player successfully defending their crown at the WAB Awards. Alexis Mac Allister sharing an uncanny resemblance to Lionel Messi is voted Look-a-Like of the Season for the second year running.
When Mac Allister won in this category at the end of the 2020-21 season, we wrote that although he resembled his fellow Argentinian, there was a slight difference in ability between the two players.
Not so much 12 months later. Mac Allister enjoyed an excellent 2021-22, establishing himself as one of the first names on the team sheet and developing the versatility to play in several roles so valued by Graham Potter.
As well as shining as a number 10 just like Messi, Mac Allister has also been used as a more traditional central midfielder and even in a deeper lying playmaker role.
His five goals saw him finish as fourth top scorer behind Neal Maupay, Leandro Trossard and Danny Welbeck. Mac Allister was also the only Brighton player to net more then once in a match, his brace at Everton securing an historic first ever Brighton win at Goodison Park.
All of this was enough to see Mac Allister take third place behind Marc Cucurella and Joel Veltman as WAB Player of the Season.
The question now is whether he can do better in 2022-23 in that particular category. And of course join an even greater select group of three-time WAB Awards winners by defending his Look-a-Like crown once again.
With no new summer signing made by Brighton so far having an obvious doppelganger, that looks a pretty straightforward task for Mac Allister right now.
Second place in 2021-22 went to Lewis Dunk looking like Neil from The Inbetweeners. A classic of the genre even though The Inbetweeners disappeared from our televisions a decade ago, Dunk is also a two-time winner with successes in 2014-15 and 2018-19.
If there is a pattern in four-year gaps between victories, then might Mac Allister’s closest challenge in a year be from Dunk? Watch this space.
We can say with certainty that this season’s third place will not be challenging for the crown again. It was goodbye Brighton’s rose, may you ever grow in our hearts back in January when Princess Diana look-a-like and The People’s Left Back Dan Burn was sold to Newcastle United.
Burn’s resemblance to Diana first came to note during the winter lockdown of 2020-21, when access to barbers became difficult and Premier League footballers began sporting all kinds of wild hairstyles.
The longer that Burn’s hair grew, the more he resembled the late Princess of Wales. For our money, it was one of the best Brighton look-a-ever. Yet last season, it could not even crack the top three.
Justice has (almost) been done as at least Burn and Diana get a mention in despatches at our 2021-22 awards.
With Burn now playing for a Saudi regime who murder their critics, we can only pray that he does not go the same way as the People’s Princess and find himself assassinated at the hands of a nation sate as part of a conspiracy.
What?
WeAreBrighton.com Look-a-Like of the Season 2021-22 – The Results
- Alexis Mac Allister / Lionel Messi – 28.24%
- Lewis Dunk / Neil from The Inbetweeners – 20.94%
- Dan Burn / Princess Diana – 19.48%
- Marc Cucurella / Joe Wicks – 16.23%
- Robert Sanchez / Duke of Hastings from Bridgerton – 10.71%
- Leandro Trossard / Derek Acorah – 4.38%
Previous Winners: Lionel Messi (2021), Captain Jack Sparrow (2020), Neil from The Inbetweeners (2019, 2015), Jesus Christ (2018, 2016), Shirley from EastEnders (2017)
