Thiago Almada, Atlanta United's World Cup-winning midfielder, scored an AT&T 5G Goal of the Year candidate that you're going to want to watch on repeat.
And that might be understating things.
Standing over a free kick in first-half stoppage time of Saturday's home match against the Portland Timbers, Almada went for the spectacular – and, boy, did he succeed.
The 21-year-old, from nearly 35 yards out, bent a screamer into the top corner for a 2-0 lead that left Timbers goalkeeper Aljaž Ivačič flailing at the air.
Almada scored another in the 86th minute as Atlanta steamrolled Portland by a 5-1 scoreline at Mercedes-Benz Stadium, plus supplied two assists.
Record transfer coming?
Blockbuster plays like this are becoming the norm for Almada, who may end up setting an MLS record outgoing transfer fee when all is said and done. The current record? It's held by former Atlanta midfielder Miguel Almiron, who joined English Premier League side Newcastle United for a reported $27 million in the winter of 2019.
Almada, the 2022 MLS Newcomer of the Year, holds a record incoming transfer when joining Atlanta from Argentine side Vélez Sarsfield last winter for a reported $16 million. Then, alongside Lionel Messi at Qatar 2022, he became the first active MLS player to win a World Cup title.
Red-hot form
Back on MLS is Back weekend, Almada earned Player of the Matchday presented by Continental Tire honors for a stunning second-half stoppage time performance. That's when he scored two golazos to power a 2-1 comeback win over the San Jose Earthquakes.
