Amid a torrid start to his 2023 campaign, Atlanta United midfielder Thiago Almada has garnered MLS Player of the Month honors for February/March 2023.
The 21-year-old World Cup-winning Argentine has been in sensational form for the Five Stripes, racking up an eye-popping four goals and four assists through his team's first four matches. Atlanta United went 3W-0L-1D during that span, with Almada becoming the first player in MLS history to hit four goals and four assists in his team's first four matches.
The eight goal contributions lead MLS through Matchday 5, despite Almada missing Atlanta's last match to serve international duty with Argentina.
Almada has demonstrated a flair for the dramatic, opening the season by scoring both the game-tying and game-winning goals in second-half stoppage time of Atlanta's 2-1 Matchday 1 victory over the San Jose Earthquakes, becoming the fourth player in MLS history to score both an equalizer and a winner in the 90th minute or later.
He also scored an early frontrunner for AT&T 5G MLS Goal of the Year with a viral world-class free-kick golazo from 35 yards out in Atlanta's dominant 5-1 victory over the Portland Timbers in Matchday 4, making him the only player in MLS so far in 2023 with two direct free-kick goals. He ended that match with two goals and two assists, joining Yamil Asad as the only Atlanta United player to manage that statistical feat.
At 21 years, 338 days old, Almada becomes the youngest player to win Player of the Month honors since former Orlando City SC forward Daryl Dike in August 2020 (20 years, 98 days). The individual accolades continue a breakout trajectory for the February 2022 arrival from Argentine Primera División side Vélez Sarsfield, who commanded a $16 million transfer fee after emerging as a standout prospect in his home country.
With Almada returning from the Argentine national team, Atlanta return to action when they host the New York Red Bulls for Matchday 6 on Saturday (7:30 pm ET | MLS Season Pass).
