Thiago Almada becomes the first active MLS player to win the World Cup
By Chris Smith
Argentina's dramatic World Cup Final win over France on Sunday marked a historic moment for Major League Soccer.
La Albiceleste triumphed in a penalty shootout following a dramatic 3-3 draw which featured two goals from Lionel Messi, a Kylian Mbappe hat-trick, and huge chances to win the game at either end. In doing so, the South American giants sealed their third World Cup title of all time and their first since 1986.
However, there was another little piece of history amid the chaos, as Thiago Almada became the first active MLS player to lift the World Cup title.
The Atlanta United playmaker only made the roster as a last-minute injury replacement, but still managed to see some action at the tournament, coming on as a late substitute in Argentina's 2-0 win over Poland in the group stage.
Despite limited minutes, Almada made quite the impression, having 15 touches of the ball and completing all 13 of his passes while creating one big chance.
After the nail-biting shootout, Almada was seen celebrating his nation's incredible triumph with Messi, while posing for photos with the famous Jules Rimet Trophy.
Almada's World Cup success comes after an impressive first season in MLS, where the 21-year-old notched seven goals and seven assists in 31 appearances across all competitions, winning the league's Newcomer of the Year award despite Atlanta United finishing outside the MLS Cup Playoffs spots.
That form, coupled with this World Cup medal, is sure to increase the already prominent interest in Almada from a number of European giants.
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