Atlanta United’s Thiago Almada Beats Inter Miami Starlet as MLS’ Most Valued U-25 Player

It’s a rare known fact that MLS has been uncovering quite a few quality youngsters for many years. After the arrival of Lionel Messi, the league is gaining more attention around the globe, and so are its younger names. But it’s not just Inter Miami that is competing to nurture the best young talent. According to a report, Lionel Messi‘s national teammate Thiago Almada of Atlanta United is deemed the most valuable U25 player in the MLS.

The MLS was once considered a retirement league, where most stars joined at a later stage of their careers. But the league now has many youngsters with an impressive estimated worth. According to a report by the CIES Football Observatory, Almada is the top name in his age category for his transfer value. The Argentine is estimated to be around $21.1 million, followed by Diego Gomez of Inter Miami, valued at approximately $18.8 million. The list included other players like Caleb Wiley, Jesus Ferreira, and Gabriel Pec.

It’s no surprise that Almada has been one of the most rising talents currently in the US. The star hit the limelight when he became the MLS Young Player of the Season last year with 11 goals and 16 assists for Atlanta, helping them reach the playoffs. Moreover, being a part of Argentina’s squad for the 2022 World Cup with Lionel Messi, the player later became Javier Mascherano’s captain for the Argentina U23 squad.

Meanwhile, Diego Gomez, 2 years younger than Almada, entered the MLS in July 2023. Arriving from Paraguayan side Libertad, the player started just five league games for Inter Miami, scoring one goal. However, he has grabbed attention after taking Paraguay to the Olympics, netting five times and assisting two goals in the qualifier tournament, which was astonishingly the same as Almada.

Thiago Almada spearheads Argentina to the Olympics, leaving further question marks for Lionel Messi

There is a reason why Thiago Almada is rated so highly. The star added a lot of weight to his reputation recently after helping Argentina qualify for the Olympics, scoring five goals and providing two assists in the pre-Olympic tournament. Now this leaves Lionel Messi to decide between the Copa America and the Olympic games in Paris, which are scheduled one after the other.

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Moreover, Almada has been gaining attention from quite a few clubs in Europe. The player was under the observation of Atletico Madrid after their star winger Angel Correa was linked to the Saudi Pro League. On the whole, both Almada and Gomez have been making waves in the MLS, and it will be interesting to see who will end up triumphant between the two stars.

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