[ad_1]
Lionel Messi may be the most high-profile player in MLS, but the Barcelona legend is said to be the second-most valuable star in his division behind another Argentina international
Lionel Messi, despite being the biggest name in Major League Soccer (MLS) and playing for Inter Miami, is reportedly not the most valuable player in the league.
TransferRoom’s data suggests that Atlanta United’s midfielder Thiago Almada has the highest expected transfer value in the league at $23.3 million (£17.7m), with Messi trailing behind in second place at $19.6 million (£14.9m). The top five is completed by Chicago Fire’s Hugo Cuypers ($16m), United’s Caleb Wiley ($13.8m) and LA Galaxy’s Gabriel Pec ($12.4m).
Since joining United as a Designated Player in 2022, Almada has quickly established himself as one of MLS’s rising stars.
In the following year, Almada was named the 2023 MLS Young Player of the Year, an award given to the most promising player aged 22 or younger. That season, the Argentina star led the league in assists (19) and goals from outside the 18-yard box (six).
READ MORE: Football team’s plan for new stadium put on hold after human remains found
READ MORE: Lionel Messi no-show sees rival MLS team offer out free tickets and Inter Miami boss apologise
This year, in 13 matches – 12 of which were starts – for Atlanta United, Almada has scored three goals and provided two assists.
Recently, Almada has outperformed his 2022 World Cup-winning teammate Messi on several occasions. On Wednesday, he helped United defeat Inter Miami 3-1, ending a nine-game winless streak.
Even in defeat, Inter Miami’s Messi managed to shine brightly, scoring a crucial goal in the 62nd minute that brought his team within striking distance. Wednesday’s unfortunate result is the first time since May 16, 2021 that the football superstar has been on the losing end of a club game where he managed to score.
Ahead of kick-off, Gonzalo Pineda, manager of United, awarded the captain’s armband to Almada – a first in his career. Usual captain and goalkeeper Brad Guzan was sidelined due to a red card penalty, so he didn’t participate in the fixture.
Subsequently, Pineda shared insights about why he decided to pick Almada over others. He revealed to reporters that the move was intended to inject an extra dose of motivation into the 23 year old ahead of the match against Messi.
“It was more for the team,” explained Pineda, as reported by The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. “We needed Thiago feeling positive. And we know what he can bring when he’s like that. He did an amazing job.”
“I just felt that it was special for Thiago,” he further elaborated. “He has those skills on the field, taking the weight of the game and always wanting the ball … so I felt it was the right decision.”
However, Pineda declined to confirm whether Almada would retain the captains role in the permanent roster. When quizzed if Almada might be captaining against Charlotte on Sunday, he gave the cryptic response: “Let’s see, if he starts, maybe.”
* An AI tool was used to add an extra layer to the editing process for this story.
[ad_2]
