In breaking news Thursday afternoon, Argentina announced that Atlanta United midfielder Thiago Almada has been selected to join the Argentina men's national team in Qatar for the FIFA World Cupā¢. Almada was a late replacement, filling the roster spot previously occupied by JoaquĆn Correa.
The announcement was made on the official Twitter account of Argentina:
Strong club play that garnered MLS Newcomer of the Year honors and a recent international performance made the Atlanta United midfielder a potential option for Argentina head coach Lionel Scaloni. Almada was called up to Argentina for a pair of friendlies in September and made his senior international debut on September 23. The 21-year-old's performance in the 3-0 win over Honduras even earned praise from Argentina captain Lionel Messi.
The news is groundbreaking for both Atlanta United and MLS. Almada becomes the first active Atlanta United player to represent his country at a World Cup. He also becomes the first MLS player to represent Argentina at the tournament.
Argentina enters the tournament in Group C that includes Saudi Arabia, Mexico and Poland. The squad's first match will be against Saudi Arabia on Tuesday, November 22.
For more information on the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022ā¢ visit our guide here. Supporters can join us to cheer on Thiago at an official watch party on November 26 as Argentina takes on Mexico. For more info, click here.
