Thiago Almada is one of the best young players in Major League Soccer, commanding one of the league’s highest-ever incoming transfer fees and being the only active MLS player to have won a World Cup while playing in MLS.
Almada has been a shining light in an otherwise dismal campaign for Atlanta United, who are stuck in mid-table status with no clear direction. He has been highlight-reel material for MLS and his team, tallying 24 goals and 24 assists in 84 MLS games.
So why is this creative player not on Argentina’s squad for the Copa America? The answer lies in the plans that the Argentine national team has set up for him.
Thiago Almada to the Olympics
Thiago Almada has been one of the top players for the Argentine U-23 team, and he will be heading to the Summer Olympics with Argentina as one of the team’s main players. That is one of the reasons why Scaloni preferred not to include Almada in the Copa America squad.
Many national team players have permission from their clubs to participate in only one tournament this summer, and since Thiago Almada is a major star of his team, Atlanta United most likely would not have allowed him to leave for two tournaments.
So while Thiago Almada will not be at the Copa America, he will be competing in the Olympics for the U-23 Argentine side.