With Argentina’s run to the final, Thiago Almada is the first Major League Soccer player to make it to the big game. Atlanta United’s attacking midfielder has only logged six minutes as an injury replacement in the squad, but at 21, he is a rising star after being a fixture in youth sides. While other players in MLS have been in World Cup finals before like David Villa, Bastian Schweinsteiger, Kaka, and others, Almada is the first to do so as an active MLS player.
The former Velez Sarsfield man, from the Fuerte Apache neighborhood of Buenos Aires just like Carlos Tevez, has made one appearance so far, coming on late in Argentina’s 2-0 victory over Poland to clinch Group C.
Almada’s inclusion in Argentina’s squad, even as an injury replacement, shows Major League Soccer’s growing stature in the world as while Atlanta United struggled last season, Almada shined in his inaugural season, winning the Newcomer of the Year award. Almada scored six goals and assisted seven more in league play (12 assists including secondary assists) after joining from Velez Sarsfield.
Joining MLS, Almada stands as the most expensive incoming transfer at $16 million, and he has proven to be worth every penny. Despite interest from Europe, Almada joined Atlanta United as their ability to improve young players and move them abroad has shown, primarily with the success of Miguel Almiron at Newcastle United. Almiron has eight goals and one assist for the Magpies this season, and after two seasons in Atlanta after moving from Lanus — also in Argentina — Almiron was able to make the jump to England.
Almada may not need another season in Atlanta with making the World Cup squad drawing more eyes to him, and the success of Argentina’s other young stars will only help boost his reputation. Age hasn’t been a hindrance from Lionel Scaloni calling in talented players as five players under the age of 24 have been fixtures in Argentina’s lineup during this World Cup run. Almada may not be where midfielders like Enzo Fernandez and Alexis Mac Allister are currently, but as one of the best creative midfielders in MLS now, there’s nothing saying that he can’t make it there in the future.
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Almada is the second player in MLS to ever earn a call-up to Argentina joining former Atlanta United midfielder Gonzalo “Pity” Martinez. Connecting the dots between Almada, Martinez, and Almiron — one thing is clear and that is that the Five Stripes know their stuff when it comes to scouting Argentina.
After a friendly versus Honduras in September where Almada made his senior debut for La Albiceleste, Lionel Messi was asked about Almada and was full of praise saying, “He’s very fast and he has a lot of one-on-one ability. He’s very clever and he’s not afraid of anything. He goes at you.”
While Messi could lift his first World Cup title on Sunday when Argentina face France, that’s also a chance for Almada to make history as the first player to win the World Cup while actively playing in MLS. Even looking at the list of World Cup winners who have played in MLS, it’s quite an esteemed group that Almada could join with the representatives being Kaka, Schweinsteiger, Andrea Pirlo, and Thierry Henry. That’s quite a list for a talented youngster to join, and it shows that the sky is the limit for Almada.