Thiago Almada Voted MLS Player of the Matchday Presented by Continental Tire for Matchday 28
August 28, 2023 - Major League Soccer (MLS)
Atlanta United FC News Release
Atlanta United midfielder Thiago Almada
(Atlanta United FC)
ATLANTA - Atlanta United midfielder Thiago Almada was voted the Major League Soccer Player of the Matchday presented by Continental Tire for Matchday 28 of the 2023 MLS season. Almada becomes the first player this season to be named MLS Player of the Matchday three different times, after doing so on Matchday 1 and 4.
Almada scored once and contributed two assists in Atlanta's 4-0 victory against rivals Nashville SC at Mercedes-Benz Stadium on Saturday, August 26. On the season, Almada now has 22 goal contributions (nine goals, 13 assists), which is tied with FC Cincinnati's Luciano Acosta for the most in the league. The World Cup winner also joined Josef Martínez (three times) as the only players in club history to total at least 20 goal contributions through their first 24 games of a season. With multiple assists against Nashville, Almada sits one helper shy of tying the single-season club record (14) set by three different players. Atlanta has now scored 48 regular season goals in 2023, which ranks third in MLS this season.
Atlanta opened the scoring in the 26th minute when Almada played a perfect cross-field pass to Xande Silva who one-time volleyed a finish into the corner of the net. Almada doubled the lead in the opening minute after halftime when he chipped the goalkeeper from close range, which could not be kept out of the net by a lunging Nashville defender. The Argentine provided his second assist of the night when his corner kick was headed home by U.S. Men's National Team defender Miles Robinson in the 57th minute to seal all three points. Almada recorded nine chances created against Nashville and continues to lead the league in that category with 76 on the season. His four big chances created on Saturday are the most in an MLS match in 2023.
Almada joins Martínez (2018 and 2019) as the only players in club history to earn the honor at least three times in a single season.
Atlanta becomes the first club to earn MLS Player of the Matchday honors five different times during the 2023 season. It also marks the first time in club history that three different players have won the award in the same season.
The MLS Player of the Matchday presented by Continental Tire is selected each matchday of the regular season through both media and fan voting in a process conducted by MLS Communications. A panel of journalists from the North American Soccer Reporters (NASR) comprises 75 percent of the vote, while a Twitter fan vote represents the remaining 25 percent of voting. NASR consists of members of print, television, radio, and online media.
Atlanta United (11-7-8, 41 points) returns to Mercedes-Benz Stadium on Wednesday as it hosts FC Cincinnati at 7:30 p.m. ET. All Atlanta United matches are available with an MLS Season Pass subscription, located on the Apple TV app.
Matchday Player of the Matchday Club
Matchday 1 Thiago Almada Atlanta United
Matchday 2 Lucas Zelarayán Columbus Crew
Matchday 3 Caleb Wiley Atlanta United
Matchday 4 Thiago Almada Atlanta United
Matchday 5 Jordan Morris Seattle Sounders
Matchday 6 Simon Becher Vancouver Whitecaps
Matchday 7 Dénis Bouanga LAFC
Matchday 8 Carlos Vela LAFC
Matchday 9 Mikael Uhre Philadelphia Union
Matchday 10 Leonardo Campana Inter Miami CF
Matchday 11 Hany Mukhtar Nashville SC
Matchday 12 Evander Portland Timbers
Matchday 13 Brandon Cambridge Charlotte FC
Matchday 14 Luciano Acosta FC Cincinnati
Matchday 15 Julian Carranza Philadelphia Union
Matchday 16 Carles Gil New England Revolution
Matchday 17 Julian Carranza Philadelphia Union
Matchday 18 Alan Pulido Sporting Kansas City
Matchday 19 Hany Mukhtar Nashville SC
Matchday 20 Damir Kreilach Real Salt Lake
Matchday 21 Ryan Gauld Vancouver Whitecaps FC
Matchday 22 Randall Leal Nashville SC
Matchday 23 Riqui Puig LA Galaxy
Matchday 24 Leo Chu Seattle Sounders FC
Matchday 25 Daniel Gazdag Philadelphia Union
Matchday 26 Diego Luna Real Salt Lake
Matchday 27 Giorgos Giakoumakis Atlanta United
Matchday 28 Thiago Almada Atlanta United
Images from this story
 Atlanta United midfielder Thiago Almada |
Major League Soccer Stories from August 28, 2023
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- Thiago Almada Voted MLS Player of the Matchday Presented by Continental Tire for Matchday 28 - Atlanta United FC
- Revolution Defender Brandon Bye Undergoes Successful Knee Surgery - New England Revolution
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