Former Atlanta United star's wonderstrike puts Argentina on brink of 2026 World Cup | OneFootball

A world-class midfielder with MLS ties has Argentina on the bring of booking their place in the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Just maybe not the one you expected.

With Lionel Messi laid up with an adductor strain, Thiago Almada came through with an outrageous matchwinner on Friday night to lift Argentina to a 1-0 victory at Uruguay and come within one point of becoming the first South American team to seal their place in the 48-team field.

The former Atlanta United star provided the difference in the contest midway through the second half when he cut in from his place on the attacking left flank in Lionel Scaloni's 4-2-3-1 and unleashed this bombastic, right-footed missile that left Uruguayan goalkeeper Sergio Rochet no chance.

It was his second goal for Argentina in four qualifying appearances (three starts) this cycle, having spent much of 2023 and 2024 instead playing with Argentina's U-23 squad in preparation for the 2024 Olympic Games. And it came less than a week after he scored his first goal for his new club side, Olympique Lyon, in a 4-2 win in Ligue 1 over Le Havre.

Argentina is one of 10 CONMEBOL teams competing for six guarateeds World Cup spots. So after making a strong start to South America's 18-game qualifying marathon, for some time it has been a matter of when, not if, the defending World Cup champions would seal their return to the tournament.

Almada's goal puts Argentina 15 points clear of seventh-place Bolivia with five matches to play, meaning even if Argentina lost their last five and Bolivia won theirs, Scaloni's side will finish no worse than in an inter-continental playoff spot. The next point earned by Argentina or dropped by Bolivia will make an automatic berth official.

Argeintina will try to secure that point next Tuesday at home against Brazil, which enters Matchday 14 in third place in the CONMEBOL standings. Sealing Argentina's spot early would allow Scaloni the option of lessning Messi's workload in the final two qualifying matchdays, after Messi has dealt with consistent nagging leg injuries over the last two years.