Almada Wins Argentine Hearts After Filling Messi's Absence

Thiago Almada, a player for French club Olympique Lyon, has won the hearts of Argentine fans after leading his national team to a 1-0 victory over host Uruguay in the South American qualifiers for the World Cup.

Almada's shot into the net at the 68th minute allowed Argentina to extend its lead at the top of the table, thus getting closer to securing a spot in the 2026 World Cup, which will be held in the United States, Canada, and Mexico.

Almada participated in this match to compensate for the absence of the team captain and legend Lionel Messi, who suffered an injury while playing for his team, Inter Miami, in recent times.

Almada, who recently joined Olympique Lyon, now has 7 matches with the Argentine national team since his first call-up in 2022, and he has scored his third international goal.