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‘When God created Joe Allen he was just showing off.’

The Liverpool midfielder must be used to the exaggeration by now.

First he was the ‘Welsh Xavi’, the label thrust on him by former Liverpool boss Brendan Rodgers.

Then he underwent an image change, growing a beard and sporting longer hair - and was subsequently nicknamed the ‘Welsh Pirlo’.

And now the Welsh fans have had their say, the deifying banner held aloft in France for all to see.

Each moniker has been handed out with tongues firmly in cheeks. With a sneer as much as affection. Allen is a handy player, we all know it, but he is also a figure of fun.

Luckily, Allen has a sense of humour. He takes it all in his stride.

But when he goes out on the pitch it’s serious business - and he has been proving at the Euros, just as he did during the second half of the season for Liverpool, that he is no joke.

And that means Wales boss Chris Coleman will be delighted with his performances.

But Jurgen Klopp may have mixed feelings.

On the one hand, with every accurate pass, tackle, dribble and nutmeg (just ask Wayne Rooney) Allen’s price will continue to rise.

But it will also only remind Liverpool of what Allen is capable of on his day - and against the very best.

Consider the calibre of midfielder Allen has been up against - Rooney, Dele Alli, Eric Dier, Marik Hamsik - it is one thing to do it against Cyprus or Israel, another entirely to do it at the highest level.

He may leave Liverpool this summer, with former club Swansea interested, and his performances in France will only justify Liverpool’s asking price for the 26-year-old.

Against England, Allen was Wales’ man of the match. He snapped into tackles, used the ball wisely and protected his back four.

It was the same in Wales’ opening game against Slovakia. Allen helped his side to victory with an accomplished display, hardly giving a ball away throughout. He worked tirelessly, but refused to hog the limelight afterwards, preferring to concentrate on the team’s performance. As is his way.

He was at it again against England, and he even sent social media into meltdown during the first half with a smart nutmeg on Manchester United striker Rooney - an easy way to endear yourself to Liverpool fans.

In fact, he was so good that former Liverpool striker and Welshman Craig Bellamy thought Wales could have gotten more out of their number seven.

“If I had to choose a man of the match, it’s Joe Allen,” he said.

“He knows his role so well. For the defenders, it must be a dream to have him in front, constantly making little interceptions to stop the ball going into the feet of Kane or Vardy.

“He’s so neat and tidy on the ball, and always making those angles for passes which make it easy for team-mates to play off him.

“I thought he performed his task as well as anyone and if there is a frustration, it is that Wales could not get even more out of him by playing the ball better through midfield.”

And that has been a problem for Allen throughout his Liverpool career.

Brought in as a box-to-box midfielder from Swansea, Allen became more withdrawn as Rodgers’ debut season went on. He soon settled as a defensive midfielder in competition with Lucas Leiva, but it was a position that limited his game and Allen soon struggled.

When Rodgers departed Anfield in September 2015 it looked like Allen would follow him out of the door. His greatest ally was gone.

But he would, slowly but surely, win over new boss Klopp with displays packed full of endeavour - but in a different position. Klopp preferred to use him in behind the forwards, where Allen’s energy could be used to win the ball back higher up the pitch.

And it was there that Allen won back many of his sceptics, or in Klopp’s words, turned doubters into believers.

Belief will turn to disappointment if Allen does depart Anfield this summer.

With Liverpool looking for reinforcements in midfield, Udinese’s Piotr Zielinski and Monchengladbach’s Mahmoud Dahoud are targets, Reds fans won’t complain too much - but they will watch Allen go with a heavy heart.

But his displays in France will ensure Liverpool get the best price for him.

And everyone will know that Joe Allen is no joke.