Thiago Almada

Analysis: Almada was a creative presence on the left wing, but the Atletico Madrid playmaker didn't do much outside of taking a shot from long range that went wide in the first half. It's unclear whether Almada will remain in the XI in the next game against Austria on Monday, June 22, as Nicolas Gonzalez looked much better off the bench and was credited with an assist. Even if he stays in the XI, Almada is not a focal point on offense for Argentina and should have secondary upside only.

Jun 7, 2026

Starts against Honduras

Almada (strain) started and played 63 minutes in Saturday's 2-0 win over Honduras.

Analysis: Almada has returned to play ahead of the World Cup, featuring in the starting XI for a friendly against Honduras. This will give the midfield of Argentina another option heading into the World Cup, a solid attacking option who started to break out at the 2022 World Cup. He could see some quality minutes, but they are not likely to come immediately, potentially if Argentina finds themselves comfortably through to the knockouts at the end of the group stage.