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Thiago Almada
Argentine footballer (born 2001) From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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Thiago Ezequiel Almada (born 26 April 2001) is an Argentine professional footballer who plays as an attacking midfielder or winger for La Liga club Atlético Madrid and the Argentina national team.
Almada was a member of the Argentina team that won the 2022 FIFA World Cup, making history by becoming the first active Major League Soccer (MLS) player to win the tournament. He also won the 2024 Copa Libertadores and the Brazilian Série A with Botafogo.
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Early life
Thiago 'Guayo' Ezequiel Almada was born on 26 April 2001, in Ciudadela, Buenos Aires in Argentina. He grew up in the neighborhood Ejército de los Andes, also referred to as Fuerte Apache, which is known for high crime rates and prevalent drug use.[3] Almada spent many of his early years selling fruit and vegetables door-to-door to earn extra money. Much time was spent with his grandparents while his parents worked.[4]
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Club career
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Vélez Sarsfield
At the age of four, Almada played football for a local club, Santa Clara. He was picked up by Vélez Sarsfield at age five, where he made his way through the youth academy. On 10 August 2018, just four months after his 17th birthday, Almada made his professional debut against Newell's Old Boys in a 2-0 victory and scored his first two goals on 5 November in the 3-2 loss against Defensa y Justicia, both in the 2018 Argentine Primera División. [5] [6] In October 2018, he was included in The Guardian's "Next Generation 2018".[7]
Almada began his first-team career as a wing forward under manager Gabriel Heinze. He played alongside Matías Vargas, Nicolás Domínguez, Lucas Robertone, and Fernando Gago. In his first two years with Heinze at the helm, Almada appeared in 46 matches and tallied nine goals.[citation needed] In 2020, new club manager Mauricio Pellegrino moved Almada to the midfield, due to the departure of several players in that position. Almada then earned 15 goals in 42 matches.[citation needed]
Atlanta United
Signing and 2022 season
On 4 December 2021, Vélez Sarsfield announced that it had reached an agreement with Major League Soccer club Atlanta United for the pre-transfer of Almada in February 2022.[8] The transfer, reportedly worth a league-record $16 million, was officially announced by Atlanta on 9 February 2022.[9][10] Almada was unveiled in the club's kit the next day in a welcome ceremony that was held virtually due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.[11] His signing was met with scrutiny by Atlanta fans due to the use of a racially insensitive gesture with his eyes during a recent goal celebration; Almada apologized shortly after being asked about the situation.[12]
On 14 February, Almada made his official debut for Atlanta wearing the number 8 against C.D. Guadalajara during the team's pre-season tour of Mexico. Atlanta would end up losing the match 3–0.[13] He made his MLS debut against expansion team Charlotte FC on 15 March as a substitute in Atlanta's 2–1 win.[citation needed] Almada scored his first goal for the club in a 3–3 draw with CF Montréal four days later. The goal would end up winning the MLS Goal of the Week contest for Matchday 4.[14]
On November, he was awarded 2022 MLS Newcomer of the Year after being chosen in the MLS Team of the Week five times, including back-to-back on September 12 and 15, becoming the second Atlanta United player ever to earn that prize. [15]
2023 season
On 25 February 2023, Almada scored two goals (one of which was a free kick) in the first game of the 2023 season, helping Atlanta gain a 2–1 win over San Jose Earthquakes.[16][17] As a result, Almada was named MLS Player of the Week,[18] as well as being featured in the league's Team of the Matchday.[19]
Botafogo
On 6 July 2024, Almada officially joined Botafogo, of Campeonato Brasileiro Série A, signing a five-year contract with the club. The deal reportedly commanded a fee of $21 million (€19,5 million) plus $9 million (€7,5 million) in add-ons, in the process, it broke the transfer record both for the MLS, and the Brazilian football.[20] He scored his first goal for Botafogo in a 2-1 win against Corinthians for the Campeonato Brasileiro Série A[21]. In this short stint at Botafogo, Almada conquered the 2024 Campeonato Brasileiro Série A and 2024 Copa Libertadores, being one of the main players on the team and becoming one of the fans’ favorites, guaranteeing his place in the eternal pantheon of the club’s greatest players.[22]
Loan to Lyon
On 19 December 2024, Almada announced that he would join Ligue 1 side Lyon on 5 January 2025.[23] Lyon announced his arrival on 15 January 2025, as loan deal until 30 June 2025.[24]
Atlético Madrid
On 15 July 2025, La Liga club Atlético Madrid announced that they had reached an agreement with Botafogo for the transfer of Almada.[25]
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International career
Almada played for the Argentina under-20 squad in 2019, before featuring for the under-23 squad in 2021.
His debut in the Argentina national team came on 23 September 2022, in Miami, during a friendly match against Honduras.
In November 2022, Almada was officially called up to the Argentinian World Cup squad to replace injured Joaquín Correa, only five days before Argentina's first game of the tournament.[26] He was a member of the squad that ultimately won the tournament, becoming the first active MLS player to win a World Cup.[27] In Argentina's final group stage game, he made his 2022 World Cup debut against Poland. He came on in the 83rd minute as a substitute of Alexis Mac Allister in which Argentina was victorious by 2–0.[28]
On 23 March 2023, Almada scored his first international goal for Argentina at the senior level during a friendly against Panama in his third appearance for the senior team, becoming the first-ever MLS-based player to score for the national team.[29]
Almada competed for Argentina at the 2024 Summer Olympics.[30]
Personal life
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Almada was reported for a case of alleged sexual abuse after a party in San Isidro, Buenos Aires that occurred on 4 December 2020. A 28-year-old woman stated that she was sexually abused whilst unconscious by Almada, along with Vélez central defender Miguel Brizuera and the former Argentino de Quilmes coach Juan José Acuña Delbene in a house rented by Juan Martín Lucero.
According to the victim's account, which was corroborated by a witness, she went up to one of the rooms in order to have consensual sex with Almada, but drank something that began to make her ill. Then, Brizuela and another woman entered the room and started to do various unconsented sexual acts to her. The victim stated that she had never wanted to include Brizuela, and that the three people continued even though she was screaming that she did not want anything to do with it.[31]
After the investigation became public, his club suspended both him and Miguel Brizuela.[32] A week after Almada was suspended, he was reinstated with the club stating, "substantial modifications were generated by virtue of the incorporation of new evidence, expertise and testimonies."[33]
In February 2021, Almada and Brizuela were charged with sexual abuse with the aggravating circumstances of carnal access and group abuse by prosecutor Laura Zyseskind. Acuña Delbene became a fleeing felon after being charged in December 2020, but was arrested at his home in Quilmes in July 2021[34], while Almada and Brizuela are still awaiting sentencing by the Argentine court.
Despite the charges, Almada was called up by Lionel Scaloni to play for the Argentine national team in the 2022 FIFA World Cup. This decision sparked controversy in Argentina and led to widespread international criticism of AFA's decisions. The victim's attorney pointed out several irregularities in the case because, according to FIFA and AFA regulations, “a player is not allowed to be part of a national team if the team can certify that he has a pending criminal case.”[35]
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Career statistics
Club
- As of match played 30 August 2025[36]
- Includes Copa Argentina, U.S. Open Cup, Copa do Brasil
- Includes Copa de la Superliga
- Appearances in Copa Sudamericana
- Appearances in Copa Libertadores
- Two appearances and one goal in MLS Cup playoffs, two appearances and one goal in Leagues Cup
- Appearance in FIFA Intercontinental Cup
- Appearances in UEFA Europa League
International
- As of match played 4 September 2025[37]
- Argentina score listed first, score column indicates score after each Almada goal.
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Honours
Botafogo
Argentina
Individual
References
External links
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