Thiago Almada #16

Profile

Born in El Fuerte, the poor neighborhood of Buenos Aires that also produced Carlos Tevez, Almada started playing on the dirt fields of Club Santa Clara and today showcases his talent at Atlético Madrid, who paid €20m to bring him from Botafogo in 2025. He first came to attention as a youngster in Vélez Sarsfield's youth academy – and was named on the Guardian’s Next Generation shortlist in 2018 – and more so after he moved to Atlanta United and became one of the brightest talents in the MLS. He was part of the Argentina squad in Qatar at just 21, though he played for only six minutes, and has since become one of the most important players for the head coach Lionel Scaloni. Nicolás Otamendi calls him “a leader”; the Greek striker Giogrios Giakomakis, a teammate at Atlanta, said: “Thiago’s talent is amazing. His skill, his vision, it’s incredible.” He is known for his great technical ability, and a style of play that is a clear demonstration of the Argentinian street football tradition.

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