Thiago Almada

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. In October 2018, he was included in The Guardian's "Next Generation 2018".

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. The transfer, reportedly worth a league-record $16 million, was officially announced by Atlanta on 9 February 2022. Almada was unveiled in the club's kit the next day in a welcome ceremony held virtually due to the COVID-19 pandemic. 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. On 14 February, Almada made his official debut for Atlanta wearing number eight against C.D. Guadalajara during the team's preseason tour of Mexico. Atlanta would end up losing the match 3–0. He made his MLS debut against expansion team Charlotte FC on 15 March as a…

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 Argentina World Cup squad to replace injured Joaquín Correa, only five days before Argentina's first game of the tournament. He was a member of the squad that ultimately won the tournament, becoming the first active MLS player to win a World Cup. 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. 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. Almada competed for Argentina at the 2024 Summer Olympics. On 27 May 2026, Almada was selected in the 26-man squad for the 2026 FIFA World Cup. On 29 July 2026, FIFA opened disciplinary proceedings against Almada for unsporting behaviour following the violent brawl after Argentina's defeat in the final.

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. 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.

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 Brizuela 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. After the investigation became public, his club suspended both him and Miguel Brizuela. 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." 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, while Almada and Brizuela are still awaiting sentencing by the…