Thiago Almada scored the winner with a powerful curled shot from the edge of the box putting the defending champions one point away from its direct spot in the tournament next year Argentina leads the round robin competition with 28 points after 13 matches, and could secure its place with a home draw with Brazil on Tuesday. The team of coach Lionel Scaloni already has 15 points ahead of seventh-placed Bolívia with only five rounds to the end of the competition The last time the two soccer powerhouses clashed Argentina won 1-0 at the Maracana Stadium in Rio de Janeiro Brazil is third with 21 points, one ahead of Uruguay and Paraguay. Colombia The top six teams will secure direct berths to the tournament in the United States, Mexico and Canada The seventh-place team among the 10 of the region will still have a chance to qualify through an international playoff playing in a full Centenario Stadium against its archrival took the initiative and had the clearest chances in the first half But Argentina managed to hold its ground and started getting the better opportunities after halftime Almada's goal in the 68th minute, after Argentina had wasted several other opportunities in front of goalkeeper Sergio Rochet still didn't push Uruguay forward as Marcelo Bielsa's team finished the match with only four shots on goal very willing to play and to show why I was making the squad," said Almada "Now we have to rest and wait for this match against Brazil Argentina's Nico Gonzalez will miss the match against Brazil. He was sent off after a challenge against Nahitan Nández in injury time Brazil has selection problems of its own for Tuesday's match at the Monumental de Nunez Stadium, as starting goalkeeper Alisson, defender Gabriel Magalhães and midfielder Bruno Guimarães are all ineligible to play Argentina coach Scaloni celebrated his team's performance despite so many absences we did it too," Scaloni said in a press conference Uruguay will have a chance to recover against Bolivia on Tuesday If the Bolivians fail to beat the Uruguayans Argentina will qualify for the World Cup even if it loses against Brazil Thiago Almada scored the winner with a powerful curled shot from the edge of the box Argentina leads the round robin competition with 28 points after 13 matches, and could secure its place with a home draw with Brazil on Tuesday. The team of coach Lionel Scaloni already has 15 points ahead of seventh-placed Bolívia Brazil is third with 21 points, one ahead of Uruguay and Paraguay. Colombia The top six teams will secure direct berths to the tournament in the United States, Mexico and Canada Almada's goal in the 68th minute, after Argentina had wasted several other opportunities in front of goalkeeper Sergio Rochet very willing to play and to show why I was making the squad,\" said Almada \"Now we have to rest and wait for this match against Brazil Argentina's Nico Gonzalez will miss the match against Brazil. He was sent off after a challenge against Nahitan Nández in injury time Brazil has selection problems of its own for Tuesday's match at the Monumental de Nunez Stadium, as starting goalkeeper Alisson, defender Gabriel Magalhães and midfielder Bruno Guimarães are all ineligible to play we did it too,\" Scaloni said in a press conference This website is using a security service to protect itself from online attacks The action you just performed triggered the security solution There are several actions that could trigger this block including submitting a certain word or phrase You can email the site owner to let them know you were blocked Please include what you were doing when this page came up and the Cloudflare Ray ID found at the bottom of this page Metrics details The mural paintings by Almada Negreiros at Lisbon’s Maritime Station of Rocha do Conde de Óbidos face deterioration due to environmental exposure and past conservation treatments during an on-site analytical campaign aimed at clarifying the artist’ modus operandi and assessing the condition of the paint layers some areas showed signs of biocolonization and were sampled for analysis High-throughput sequencing revealed that the predominant prokaryotic phyla are Proteobacteria while the dominant eukaryotic phyla are Ascomycota and Basidiomycota Key bacterial genera identified include Cellulomonas while relevant fungal genera include Penicillium Scanning Electron Microscopy further confirmed the detrimental effects of fungal hyphae which cause microcracks and structural weakening in the paint layers and underlying mortar Organic materials from past restoration treatments or original components contribute to microbial growth These findings underscore the need for targeted conservation strategies to mitigate microbial proliferation and preserve the authenticity of these invaluable artworks The preservation of cultural heritage is a crucial endeavor in safeguarding both the tangible and intangible legacies of human civilization mural paintings hold significant historical mural paintings are particularly susceptible to deterioration over time While physical and chemical factors have been extensively studied as contributors to their degradation the role of biological agents in biodeterioration has emerged as a critical area of research Studies have also shown that microorganisms exhibit substrate specificity meaning that the materials and pigments used in mural paintings influence the types of biological colonizers Environmental monitoring is essential for murals that may be increasingly susceptible to this type of deterioration Given the murals’ history of deterioration including issues related to biocolonization this study aims to thoroughly characterize the microbiome currently affecting them and assess its physical interactions with the painting materials The station’s proximity to the Atlantic Ocean and the river exposes the murals to unique environmental conditions such as salt spray and humidity fluctuations which may further influence microbial growth the presence of organic material may unintentionally provide nutrients that promote this growth this study will contribute to future conservation efforts and aid in developing effective mitigation strategies a Portugal geographic location; b and c aerial view of Lisbon riverside and of the Maritime station of Rocha do Conde de Óbidos; d overview of the west wall of the main departure hall with mural paintings executed in 1949 by Almada Negreiros and measuring circa 7.80 ×3.80 m (images source: google earth and M the mural paintings were carefully examined with particular attention to areas showing biodeterioration-related alterations such as color changes which was the most affected by water infiltrations over the years and six representative areas were identified for further investigation a Sampling points and b details of sampling at points 2 A culture-independent method was adopted to obtain a broader view of the microbiota present on the mural paintings including metabolically inactive microorganisms Data analysis provided deeper insights into the predominant genera comprising both prokaryotic and eukaryotic colonizers DNA was extracted from the swabs previously placed in sterile saline solution (0.9% NaCl) and incubated in an orbital shaker at 100 rpm for 48 h The extraction was performed using the DNeasy® PowerSoil® Pro Kit (Qiagen Germany) following the manufacturer’s instructions The extracted DNA was quantified via spectrofluorimetry using the QuantusTM Fluorometer (E6150 USA) and the QuantiFluorKit® One dsDNA System (Promega Following DNA extraction and quantification amplification of the ITS2 region for eukaryotes and the 16S rDNA subunit (V3–V4 region) for prokaryotes was performed The amplification process was carried out using a Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) in a Thermocycler (MJ MiniTM Gradient Thermal Cycler the following primers were used: forward primer Bakt_341F (5′-CCTACGGGNGGCWGCAG-3′) and reverse primer Bakt_805R (5′-GACTACHVGGGTATCTAATCC-3′) a pool of forward primers was used: ITS3NGS1_F (5′-CATCGATGAAGAACGCAG-3′) and ITS3NGS10_F (5′-CATCGATGAAGAACGCTG-3′) with the reverse primer ITS3NGS001_R (5′-TCCTSCGCTTATTGATATGC-3′) For the DNA amplification of prokaryotic microorganisms 5 µL of forward primer 341 F (1 mM) and 5 µL of reverse primer 805 R (1 mM) USA) and 5 µL of extracted DNA were added to the PCR tubes The PCR conditions included an initial denaturation at 95 °C for 3 min the reaction mixture combined 6.5 µL of RNase-free water The PCR program consisted of an initial denaturation at 95 °C for 2 min To confirm amplification and verify the integrity of the PCR products 2% (w/v) agarose gel electrophoresis was performed using DNA Green Safe Premium dye (NZYtech Samples were loaded onto the gel alongside a 100 bp DNA marker the gel was revealed using a transilluminator (Bio-Rad Molecular Imager® Gel Doc™ XR+ Imaging System) Gel images are presented in the Supplementary Data (SD1 for Prokaryotic and SD2 for Eukaryotic) The PCR products were purified using magnetic beads (High PrepTM PCR Clean up System Kit USA) following the manufacturer’s instructions The purified products were then quantified using the QuantiFluorKit® One dsDNA System (Promega The amplified PCR fragments were indexed to encode the studied samples The reaction mixture for this PCR contained 5 µL of each purified sample 5 µL of each index (i7 and i5) (Nextera XT Index Kit Amplification was performed under the following conditions: 3 min at 95 °C followed by 8 cycles of 30 s each at 95 °C The libraries were normalized to a concentration of 4 nM and diluted to a final concentration of 10 pM Representative sequences of each OTU were selected for taxonomic assignment Microbial-substrate interactions were investigated using a Field Emission Gun Scanning Electron Microscope (FEG-SEM) Tescan Clara (Tescan Microfragments were observed without prior treatment under the following conditions: 10 kV accelerating voltage and imaging with the backscattered electron (BSE) detector Determining the microbiome inhabiting artworks provides essential insights for researchers and conservators enabling the development of targeted conservation strategies Since microorganisms can affect materials through chemical and physical processes identifying the specific microbiome thriving allows conservation efforts to be tailored to mitigate their impact and prevent the loss of artistic details While many microbial strains proliferating in a specific environment are viable and metabolically active a culture-independent approach was employed in this study taking advantage of the HTS method potentials Predominant Phyla of the prokaryotic microbiome thriving on the mural paintings Relative abundance of the predominant bacteria (at genus level) thriving on the mural paintings Bacillus and Kocuria – were identified as prevalent colonizers in the selected areas their cumulative metabolic activities may significantly impact the integrity of the artworks These bacteria produce pigments and enzymes capable of modifying or degrading the original pigments in the artwork produces carotenoid pigments that can stain the artwork while Kocuria may induce localized discoloration through its metabolic pathways Biofilm formation is another critical factor in the biodeterioration process and Aureimonas secrete extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) facilitating microbial adhesion while trapping moisture and debris These biofilms create microenvironments that promote microbial proliferation and accelerate chemical deterioration The accumulation of biofilms also contributes to the peeling of pictorial layers and further destabilizes the substrate – a process exacerbated by the metabolic byproducts of genera like Acinetobacter and Paenibacillus microbial activity influences mineralization and salt mobilization within the paintings Methylarcula and Buttiauxela may interact with mineral components potentially leading to efflorescence and structural weakening of the painted surfaces These interactions highlight the multifaceted nature of biodeterioration where both physical and chemical mechanisms contribute to deterioration While Clostridium XIVa and GpXIII are less frequently mentioned in artwork biodeterioration they may still play a significant role in these processes and adaptability to nutrient-poor conditions Relative abundance of the predominant fungi (at genus level) thriving on the mural paintings Samples 3 and 4 did not presented PCR amplification creating an environment that fosters further microbial colonization thus accelerating the deterioration process Stachybotrys was linked to a rosy discoloration suggesting its involvement in pigment alterations a and b Proliferation of conidiophores through the painting layers and (c) presence of fungi spores on painting layers’ surface White narrows are signalizing those areas Stachybotrys and Memnoniella are considered closely related due to their morphological Could the presence of these fungi be linked to traces of cotton possibly used in past cleaning interventions on the painted surfaces no historical documentation has been found to confirm this hypothesis This symbiosis allows lichens to provide structural support and protection to microbial proliferation while also breaking down minerals and organic matter releasing essential nutrients that can be utilized by other microorganisms lichen-forming fungi likely contribute to microbiome dynamics within the studied artworks and may influence biodeterioration processes which prioritize sustainability while ensuring effective preservation These innovative methods aim to mitigate microbial deterioration using less invasive and less harmful compounds promoting safer and more long-term conservation strategies Their exploration and implementation should be actively encouraged to ensure the preservation of cultural heritage this study provides valuable insights into the mechanisms of deterioration with a particular focus on biodeterioration NGS analyses identified the predominant microbiome present on these artworks the dominant phyla included Proteobacteria and Actinobacteria while Ascomycota was the most prevalent eukaryotic phylum and Stachybotrys all recognized for their biodeterioration potential SEM micrographs provided visual evidence of filamentous fungi inflicting mechanical damage to the paintings The extensive hyphal growth contributed to the formation of cracks The study further revealed that carbon-rich organic materials whether from the artist’s original application or previous conservation treatments played a crucial role in fostering microbial growth which highlights microbial colonization on organic-rich areas which identified organic matter-decomposing microorganisms the implementation of carefully selected mitigation strategies is strongly recommended Effective control of biodeteriogenic agents is essential to preserve the integrity of these monumental mural paintings which are housed in a historically significant building in contemporary Portuguese history Next Generation Sequencing data were deposited in the SRA database under the BioProject accession number PRJNA1177856 Microbial biodeterioration of cultural heritage and identification of the active agents over the last two decades Di Carlo, E., Barresi, G. & Palla, F. Biodeterioration. In: Biotechnology and Conservation of Cultural Heritage (eds Palla F., Barresi G.) 1–30. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-97585-2_1 (Springer Microbial Biodeterioration of Cultural Heritage: Events Fungi: Their role in deterioration of cultural heritage a change in colour: The case of limestone sculptures from the Portuguese National Museum of Ancient Art Analyzing chemical changes in verdigris pictorial specimens upon bacteria and fungi biodeterioration using voltammetry of microparticles Evaluating the biosusceptibility of natural stone as an supporting tool to prevent Cultural Heritage biodeterioration Microorganisms and the integrated conservation-intervention process of the renaissance mural paintings from Casas Pintadas in Évora – Know to act Biological colonization and biodeterioration of architectural ceramic materials: An overview Gu, J. D. & Katayama, Y. Microbiota and biochemical processes involved in biodeterioration of Cultural Heritage and protection. In: Microorganisms in the deterioration and preservation of Cultural Heritage (ed. Joseph, W.). https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-69411-1 (Springer Carotenoids produced by halophilic bacterial strains on mural paintings and laboratory conditions Calcium oxalate films on works of art: A review Characterizing microbial diversity and damage in mural paintings Bacterial and fungal diversity and biodeterioration problems in mural painting environments of St Savkovic, Z. et al. Fungal deterioration of Cultural Heritage objects. In: Biodegradation technology organic and inorganic pollutants (eds Mendes, K. F., de Sousa, R. & Mielke K. C.). https://doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.94650 (IntechOpen The biophysics of pressurized growth in fungi Communicate and fuse: How filamentous fungi establish and maintain an interconnected mycelial network Fricker, M. D. et al. The Fungal Kingdom, Wiley Online Library, https://doi.org/10.1128/9781555819583.ch15 (2017) Fungal transformation of mineral substrata of biodeteriorated medieval murals in Saint Sophia’s cathedral Microbial deterioration and sustainable conservation of stone monuments and buildings Microbial colonization protective management of wall paintings In: Cultural Heritage Microbiology: Recent Develpments (eds Mitchell Characterisation of environmental biofilms colonising wall paintings of the Fornelle cave in the archaeological site of Cales Environmental impacto n biopigmentation of mural painting Unveiling the mural painting art of Almada Negreiros at the Maritime Stations of Alcântara (Lisbon): diagnosis research of paint layers as a guide for its future conservation An insight into the green deteriorated paint layers of the maritime station of Alcântara (Lisbon): An archaeometric study Preliminary diagnostic survey of deteriorated paint layers at the maritime station of Rocha do Conde de Óbidos Modern Muralists in the spotlight: Technical and material characteristics of the 1946–1949 Mural paintings by Almada Negreiros in Lisbon (part1) 20th century Portuguese climate and climate scenarios impacts and adaptation measures (SIAM Project) (eds Santos Trends and correlations in annual extreme precipitation indices for mainland Portugal Website www.ipma.pt (2024) Ramos, J. et al. Rocha do Conde de Óbidos Maritime Station: Preliminary results of the inspection. In: Proceedings of CIRMARE, 186–195, https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-48461-2_16 (2023) Microbial assessment in a rare norwegian book collection: A one health approach to Cultural Heritage Identification of bacterial communities on different surface materials of museum artefacts using high throughput sequencing Insights into the bacterial and fungal communities and microbiome that causes a microbe outbreak on ancient wall paintings in the Maijishan Grottoes Phylogenetic diversity of bacteria associated with Paleolithic paintings and surrounding rock walls in two Spanish caves (Llonín and La Garma) Comparative analyses of the bacterial diversity on two different biodeteriorated wall paintings by DGGE and 16S rDNA sequence analysis The bad and the good – Microorganisms in Cultural Heritage environments – An update on biodeterioration and biotreatment approaches Halophilic microorganisms are responsible for the rosy discolouration of saline environments in three historical buildings with mural paintings Isolation of five Rubrobacter strains from biodeteriorated monuments Biodegradation of malachite green by Kocuria rosea MTCC 1532 Fungi affecting wall paintings of historical value: A worldwide meta-analysis of their detected diversity The community distribution of bacteria and fungi on ancient wall paintings of the Mogao Grottoes Fungal biodeterioration and preservation of cultural heritage and historical artifacts: extremophily and adaptation Is the fungus Aspergillus a threat to cultural heritage Interactions of bacteria and fungi on decomposing litter: Differential extracellular enzyme activities Seasonal Dynamics of cyanobacteria and algae in biofilm from the entrance of two caves Identification of microorganisms dwelling on the 19th century lanna mural paintings from northern Thailand using culture-dependent and -independent approaches Microbial communities analysis assessed by pyrosequencing – A new approach applied to conservation state studies of mural paintings Oxalate biofilm formation in mural paintings due to microorganisms - A comprehensive study Overview of Stachybotrys (Memnoniella) and current species status The micro-biota of a sub-surface monument the medieval chapel of St Fungal-induced deterioration of mural paintings: In situ and mock-model microscopy analyses Laboratory and field studies on thin paint films Microscopy and microanalysis of an extreme case of salt and biodegradation in 17th century wall paintings Toxin production by Stachybotrys chartarum genotype S on different culture media Phylogenetic relationships of Memnoniella and Stachybotrys species and evaluation of morphological features for Memnoniella species identification Consortium of Lichen Herbaria – building a Global Consortium of Bryophytes and Lichens as keystones of cryptobiotic communities, Website https://lichenportal.org/portal/ (2024) Species in lichen-forming fungi: balancing between conceptual and practical considerations Joseph, E. Microorganisms in the Deterioration and Preservation of Cultural Heritage. Springer, Cham, https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-69411-1 (2021) Download references This publication is funded by the Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT) through the project PTDC/ART-HIS/1370/2020 Unveiling the Mural Painting Art of Almada Negreiros (1938–1956) with the DOI identifier https://doi.org/10.54499/PTDC/ART-HIS/1370/2020 The authors also want to acknowledge: FCT through the project UIDB/04449/2020 and UIDP/04449/2020 CEECINST/00069/2021 and CEECIND/06272/2023 HERCULES Laboratory and IN2PAST Associate Laboratory Institute for Advanced Studies and Research City University of Macau Chair in Sustainable Heritage and Institute for Advanced Studies and Research I.S.; Writing - original draft preparation All authors read and approved the final manuscript The authors declare no competing interests Publisher’s note Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations Download citation DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s40494-025-01656-4 Anyone you share the following link with will be able to read this content: Sorry, a shareable link is not currently available for this article. Sign up for the Nature Briefing newsletter — what matters in science, free to your inbox daily. The 2022 World Cup champion makes the switch to Lyon, who are part of the Eagle Football multi-club model with Botafogo Discover notable new fiction, nonfiction, and poetry. Almada was born in 1973 and raised in Villa Elisa a small town (the population was some six thousand people at the time) in Entre Ríos in an area that Argentineans call el litoral The distinct local vocabulary is sprinkled with Guaraní an Indigenous language widely spoken in neighboring Paraguay often came across words she did not know.) Almada’s mother worked as a maid a schoolteacher; her father had a full-time job painting signs for the municipal government to study communication sciences at the public university; she had intended to become a journalist but abandoned that plan to focus on literature where she worked as a pharmacy clerk in a hospital and wrote short stories and poetry in her spare time two young men who were childhood friends lie dying after facing each other in a knife fight who died violently years earlier; the other has dreams about his abusive father involves three men on a weekend fishing trip Two have been friends for years; the third is the son of another friend who drowned during a previous fishing trip on the same river They shoot a stingray with a revolver and hang it from a tree described at one point as a “bride” (the ray’s wide body and tail resemble a wedding dress) Almada’s work won immediate critical acclaim for its original voice and also for taking on the subject of male violence “Dead Girls,” Almada’s only work of nonfiction was published between “Ladrilleros” and “Not a River,” in 2014 It investigates the unsolved murders of three young working-class women killed in different regions of Argentina in the nineteen-eighties while she was asleep in her bed; María Luisa Quevedo was raped and strangled when she was fifteen and her body was left in a vacant lot; and Sarita Mundín was last seen getting into her lover’s car—her remains were found on a riverbank almost a year later Almada began working on the book as reports that a number of women had been burned alive by their partners rocked the country and a collective consciousness began to emerge around what had previously been described as domestic violence or crimes of passion but was increasingly recognized as gender violence—femicide Almada wondered how many had occurred when no one was paying attention to them (The Argentinean government now tracks femicides and about two hundred and fifty are reported in the country each year.) In a stunning moment in “Dead Girls,” she arrives on the outskirts of the town where Quevedo’s body was found A woman directs her to a corner of the vacant lot It turns out that another woman was killed and dismembered and her torso was left in almost the same spot “Dead Girls” may not have the same literary quality as Almada’s novels but it makes a strong statement: if you are a woman and you are alive The Ni Una Menos movement began a year after the publication of “Dead Girls,” in May when a town in the northern province of Santa Fe was shaken by the disappearance of a fourteen-year-old girl named Chiara Páez who had participated in search parties for the missing teen-ager (He is currently serving a fifteen-year prison sentence.) She had been pregnant and refused to have an abortion; he buried her body in his grandparents’ back yard in keeping with Argentina’s strong tradition of street protests opposite the seat of the National Congress Mercedes Funes told me that the date was chosen simply because it was the most convenient for the organizers: it was the only day one of them had child care; it didn’t conflict with Funes’s magazine closing; and so on she was tortured and killed by three young male gang members The organizers expected perhaps ten thousand people They had invited family members of women whose deaths had been reported “But people started arriving at the plaza with posters of victims that no one knew about,” Funes remembered there were three hundred and fifty thousand people in the plaza and more gatherings in plazas across the country Then there were similar protests all over the world The moment was all the more exhilarating because a generation of female Argentinean writers born in the sixties and seventies—including Mariana Enriquez and María Gainza—were receiving unprecedented international attention the co-founder and publishing director of Charco Press published the work of some of those writers in translation making it available to English readers for the first time She told me recently that readers were “looking at Latin America and realizing that very radical very important things are happening—things that serve as a model for other societies Argentine women writers and intellectuals are absolutely at the forefront what sets them apart: women who don’t hold back when it comes to speaking and writing about what needs to change radically in our societies in order to make them more equal.” Argentina was already a leader in gender-equality legislation—it was the first nation in Latin America to pass same-sex-marriage laws and the first in the world to identify trans rights as human rights But Ni Una Menos spurred further government action including budget allocations to support victims of gender violence; the creation of an official record to track femicides across the country; the provision of government-sponsored free legal assistance to individuals experiencing domestic violence or sexual abuse; educational efforts to bring gender-equality awareness to public schools; and in a historic victory for women’s rights in a majority-Catholic country—one that produced the sitting Pope—legalized abortion hundreds of thousands of women have marched to the Palace of Congress (This gesture was an homage to the Mothers of Plaza de Mayo who wore white kerchiefs starting in the nineteen-seventies when they began protesting the disappearance of their children under the country’s military dictatorship.) For Argentineans like me the sense of relief when the abortion law was passed is hard to describe On the morning that the Chamber of Deputies (the equivalent of the House of Representatives) approved it I was sitting outside a coffee shop in Harlem and I happened to be wearing a green dress Moments after I received a phone notification about the vote a woman dashed out of the building next door and the news had so astonished her that she was looking for someone with whom to share the moment She saw my green dress and assumed that I was a fellow-countrywoman The legalization of abortion felt like the culmination of the movement’s efforts—as if something had changed in Argentina and there was no going back But even at the time Almada had her doubts and I had the feeling that things weren’t as joyful as they seemed from Buenos Aires,” she told me “Not all the girls wore the green kerchief nor were all the boys beginning to deconstruct themselves.” She found resistance among evangelical Christians and the deeper she went into the country the more she felt that “something was brewing that could explode at any moment in his first appearance at the Davos summit as President “The only thing this radical feminist agenda has led to is greater state intervention to hinder the economic process creating jobs for bureaucrats who contribute nothing to society whether in the form of ministries for women or international organizations dedicated to promoting this agenda.” Milei is personally against abortion and has called it “aggravated murder.” He has already dismantled the Ministry of Women and has defunded programs that combat gender violence “There is now no active policy in place to guarantee the rights of girls a lawyer and activist who is part of Ni Una Menos during a hearing at the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights Argentinean human-rights organizations argued that the decisions of the Milei administration “consolidated a severe setback can locate missing girls and women; in one scene Reyes received hundreds of insulting messages and death threats “We will burn you and your book,” one read The reaction seemed “so out of step with the times,” Almada told me “For a high-school student not to be able to read those books when they’ve had a cell phone in their hand since they were six years old something “very positive came out of it,” she added more than a hundred and twenty writers staged a public reading of the books in a Buenos Aires theatre—and “Cometierra” became a national best-seller In the epilogue of “Dead Girls,” Almada tells the story of another girl—one who survived She was walking in a cornfield not far from her home He grabbed hold of her arms and began dragging her into the field She was terrified but gathered the strength to break free and escape and in the epilogue she walks with Almada through the same cornfield with this sentence: “The north wind made the rough leaves of the corn rub together and the stems sway from side to side could also be the music of a small victory.” ♦ A long-ago crime, suddenly remembered A limousine driver watches her passengers transform The day Muhammad Ali punched me What is it like to be keenly intelligent but deeply alienated from simple emotions? Temple Grandin knows The harsh realm of “gentle parenting.”  Retirement the Margaritaville way Fiction by F. Scott Fitzgerald: “Thank You for the Light.”  Sign up for our daily newsletter to receive the best stories from The New Yorker. But the signing of Almada is much more than just a marketing move The club is hoping he can help them get through one of the biggest crises it has had to face in recent times Thiago Almada was announced by Lyon with an move as creative as strategic. The Argentine midfielder's presentation video full of humor and references to mate and the Messi-Cristiano Ronaldo rivalry underlined a club which tried to turn soccer into a show everywhere Follow Playing for 90 on X (Twitter). Almada arrived in Lyon on a free loan until mid-year, a solution that fits the club's financial hardships. The transfer ban hammered by the DNCG has left Lyon unable to make investments in the market. Without other options, the club relied on its synergy with Botafogo This connection became the perfect bridge for the player to make his move to Europe without any immediate costs Thiago Almada is one of the biggest signings in Brazilian soccer history and had a fantastic spell in MLS Textor paid $25 million to take him from Atlanta United to Botafogo-a new chapter in foreign investment in South American soccer who became world champion with Argentina in 2022 he won two trophies with Botafogo: the Copa Libertadores and the Brazilian Championship He became the playmaker for a Botafogo team that dominated the South American scene in 2024 who saw the Argentine as a beacon of hope for more achievements Almada's arrival in Lyon occurs at a special moment for the club Besides the transfer ban imposed by the DNCG it had threatened to relegate the team if finances are not regularized by the end of the season This is a scenario that throws up a lot of pressure on management whose leadership will be put under test in one of the most demanding soccer markets in the world He could balance the performance of the team on the field and improve the image of the club at a time when results are crucial to avoid relegation But his free loan softens the economic pressure although the reality is that he will have to prove himself on the pitch Lyon wants more than a player; they're looking for a symbol someone who could reconnect the club with its glorious past and attract the fans again during these uncertain times given his refined technique and international experience Almada's transfer is also a great example of how a multi-club network model can work in reality The fact that the control of both Lyon and Botafogo allowed Eagle Football to avoid the transfer ban and get one of the big names in at no cost That kind of integration is helpful for now questions over sporting and financial integration arise it is a win-win deal: Almada will finally see what European football is and Lyon signed a great player without making their financial situation even worse this partnership is to be followed in the following months or even a year if Lyon fails to achieve the expected results © 2025 Minute Media - All Rights Reserved The content on this site is for entertainment and educational purposes only Betting and gambling content is intended for individuals 21+ and is based on individual commentators' opinions and not that of Minute Media or its affiliates and related brands All picks and predictions are suggestions only and not a guarantee of success or profit If you or someone you know has a gambling problem crisis counseling and referral services can be accessed by calling 1-800-GAMBLER Follow Playing for 90 on X (Twitter). Almada arrived in Lyon on a free loan until mid-year, a solution that fits the club's financial hardships. The transfer ban hammered by the DNCG has left Lyon unable to make investments in the market. Without other options, the club relied on its synergy with Botafogo The Argentine playmaker arrives on a free loan The Documentary Film in the Public Interest Initiative (DFPI) at the Shorenstein Center the Film Study Center at Harvard University and the Harvard Film Archive invite you to attend two screenings of Natalia Almada’s films Born in Mexico City as the great-granddaughter of Mexico’s controversial president Plutarco Elías Calles Natalia Almada makes intimate films exploring the tragedies in her own family history as well as the current violence in Mexico’s Sinaloa region multilayered approaches to storytelling have won her a MacArthur Award From the opening shot through a pickup truck’s foggy windshield entering a cemetery at sunset El Velador is infused with an atmosphere of patient dread who works from dusk until dawn watching over the extravagant mausoleums of some of Mexico’s most notorious drug lords In portraying the daily labor of those who maintain the cemetery and eschewing the pervasive graphic images of the violence behind many of these deaths Almada asks viewers to consider the relationship between the workers and those honored there Such restraint opens these spaces of contemplation throughout the film masons frame the high cupolas and spread their cement coconut vendors roll by with music playing and florists arrange lavish wreath displays in time for the luxury cars to arrive for services With radio reports about the weather and the latest murders comprising most of the film’s dialogue El Velador becomes a kind of landscape film: one capturing not only the vistas of this peculiar place but an aura generated by years of gross inequality This event is co-presented by the Shorenstein Center Users begins with a mother’s question–will my children love the perfect machines more than they love me and a smart crib lulls her crying baby to sleep This question guides her inquiry into the intimate relationship we have with technology that is increasingly driving all aspects of our society We explore the unintended and often dehumanizing consequences of our society’s embedded belief that technological progress will lead to the betterment of humanity Do we really have agency to direct its course Is technology an expression of our humanity or is technology destroying our humanity The film will be a critical and intimate meditation on these questions Users traverses places ranging from the largest indoor vertical farm in the world to the perfect artificial wave from an IVF embryo lab to a fiber optic cable landing Invisible infrastructure that we all rely on is made visible Our reliance on machines and our alienation from each other is palatable Urgent global issues like climate change and privacy are explored from the intimate perspective of a mother thinking This event is co-presented by the Shorenstein Center and the Film Study Center at Harvard University The Shorenstein Center on Media, Politics and Public Policy is a Harvard Kennedy School research center dedicated to exploring and illuminating the intersection of press politics and public policy in theory and practice The Center strives to bridge the gap between journalists and scholars ABOUT  |  CONTACT US  |  PRIVACY  | ACCESSIBILITY | WEB ACCESSIBILITY Unless otherwise noted this site and its contents are licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International license READ MONOGRAPH Pedro Vaz de Almada will lead the litigation practice at Lisbonlaw Advogados after six years as an in-house lawyer at client company Novartis where he served as legal & business affairs manager He was also a member of the Fiscal Council of Novartis Portugal “I accepted the challenge from Lisbonlaw Advogados with great enthusiasm I’m committed to being a true partner to our clients not only defending their interests in court but also supporting pre-litigation processes and mitigating the risks inherent to their business,” Almada stated on his social media Almada began his career at Vieira de Almeida where he spent six years working in the litigation & arbitration and telecommunications Antas da Cunha Ecija strenghtens its French desk Alexandre Jardim is the new partner at Cerejeira… It represents the main source of information in the legal business sector in Spain and Portugal The digital magazine – and its portal – address to the protagonists of law firms and in-house lawyers The magazine is available for free on the website and on Google Play and App Store information about deals and their advisors For further information, please visit the Group’s website www.lcpublishinggroup.com it could be an opportunity for some guys to show their value,” Argentina head coach Lionel Scaloni said before his team’s World Cup qualifier away to Uruguay on Friday The reigning world champions went into the game without Lionel Messi courtesy of Thiago Almada’s 68th-minute strike and could have had more despite Uruguay enjoying 56 per cent possession which puts them on the verge of qualifying for next year’s World Cup But the primary positive will be the early signs that Almada and in-form Atletico Madrid forward Julian Alvarez can lead Argentina’s attack in the post-Messi era The match in Montevideo was always going to be decided by a moment of quality and that arrived in the 68th minute following some clever play from Almada and Alvarez Alvarez dribbles forward himself and Uruguay’s defenders shift their focus to him as Almada curves his run to get back onside prompting Ronald Araujo to move towards the byline aware that he has forced Uruguay’s defence to retreat creating space for Almada on the edge of the box This was not the first time Alvarez and Almada had combined to threaten Uruguay Marcelo Bielsa’s team had received a warning sign just moments earlier a gap remains between the two centre-backs takes advantage and slips a Messi-esque reverse pass into that gap for Almada who times his run past Nahitan Nandez to perfection but fails as the Uruguay goalkeeper smothers Alvarez’s passing has significantly improved since his spell at Manchester City a higher tally than that mustered by all the other forwards across both teams and his willingness to drop deep led to situations like the one below is dragged out of position almost all the way up to the halfway line Alvarez is accompanied above in midfield by Almada who was equally comfortable at dropping in to help Argentina counter Uruguay’s press On a couple of occasions in the first half Almada proved to be Argentina’s get-out-of-jail card he collects a pass on the left side of his defence and is immediately under pressure Almada seems to have run out of options but plays a clever reverse pass into Leandro Paredes to bypass four Uruguay players and thrust Argentina back onto the front foot drifting infield from the left under pressure to find Giuliano Simeone on the right Six Uruguay players are taken out of the game used his movement to drag players out of position Nandez was initially tasked with marking him a logical move given their positions on the pitch as Uruguay’s right-back and Argentina’s left-winger But Almada’s drifting caused issues and even led to Argentina’s first shot on target in the 27th minute Upon receiving a pass from Fernandez on the counter Almada dribbles away from Rodrigo Bentancur Nandez steps out to close down Almada but leaves space which Fernandez fills by running on Bentancur’s blindside Alvarez drops to receive Almada’s pass before guiding it first time to Fernandez The Chelsea midfielder takes a touch and shoots straight at Rochet most of Argentina’s opportunities came in transition it made life easier for Alvarez and Almada Right-back Nahuel Molina finds Alexis Mac Allister Mac Allister then runs into the space left by Jose Maria Gimenez stepping out of the back line to close him down The Liverpool midfielder then finds Alvarez in the gap between Nandez and Araujo Nandez is forced to close down the Atletico Madrid forward which creates space for Almada to run into whose shot is tipped over the bar by Rochet Alvarez and Almada — 25 and 23 respectively — are better known for their movement and dribbling than for their passing but showed in Montevideo that they can combine to great effect The duo’s fingerprints were all over four great Argentina openings in a cagey game They have a good understanding of each other’s game having played together for the under-20s and at the 2024 Olympics before their stint with the senior team Messi’s playmaking is harder to replace than his goalscoring but the win over Uruguay hinted that the qualities of (Top photo: Eitan Abramovich/AFP via Getty Images) Atlanta United announced Saturday it has transferred midfielder Thiago Almada to Botafogo of Eagle Football Holdings for a league-record transfer fee The transaction opens a Designated Player spot on the club’s 2024 roster “We spent more than a year recruiting Thiago to join Atlanta United and during that process we agreed that our club could provide a great platform to showcase his abilities and he would have the opportunity to continue his development until the time was right for him to move on to the next challenge,” Vice President and Technical Director Carlos Bocanegra said “We’re proud of what Thiago was able to accomplish in a short period of time which includes debuting for the Argentine National Team winning the 2022 FIFA World Cup and winning a pair of individual MLS awards – Newcomer of the Year and Young Player of the Year His success is something we’re all proud of and a ton of credit is owed to our scouting department in addition to everyone who has worked with him at the club Our team has been prepared for this move and we will look to immediately reinvest in the team during the upcoming Summer Transfer Window.” Major League Soccer’s Secondary Transfer Window opens Thursday Eagle Football is a family of global football organizations including Botafogo of Brazil’s Série A Other clubs under Eagle Football include Olympique Lyon of France’s Ligue 1 and Crystal Palace of England’s Premier League 24 points) returns to MLS Regular Season play Saturday July 6 against Real Salt Lake at America First Field (9:30 p.m Transaction: Atlanta United transfers midfielder Thiago Almada to Botafogo for an undisclosed fee on July 6 Loaned Out for 2024 season: Franco Ibarra (Rosario Central Get the best seats at the best values. Tickets available now online or you can contact us at ticketsales@atlutd.com or 470-341-1500 to connect with an Atlanta United representative Our Multi Match Plans include a package for everyone. Tickets available now online or you can contact us at ticketsales@atlutd.com or 470-341-1500 to connect with an Atlanta United representative Thiago Almada has completed his MLS-record transfer from Atlanta United to Brazilian side Botafago The Athletic reported earlier this week that Atlanta will receive $21million for Almada with the deal potentially reaching up to $30m if conditions for additional payments are met The 23-year-old has signed a contract until June 2029 with Botafogo Almada joined Atlanta from Velez Sarsfield in his native Argentina in 2022 for a reported fee of $16m He won the MLS Newcomer of the Year award and also became the first player to win the World Cup as an active MLS player later that year winning the 2022 FIFA World Cup and winning a pair of individual MLS awards — Newcomer of the Year and Young Player of the Year “His success is something we’re all proud of and a ton of credit is owed to our scouting department Our team has been prepared for this move and we will look to immediately reinvest in the team during the upcoming summer transfer window.” Almada leaves Atlanta having scored 24 goals in 81 games. The attacking midfielder was not selected in Lionel Scaloni’s squad for the ongoing Copa America in the United States but he has been named in Javier Mascherano’s team for the Paris Olympics later this summer Botafogo, meanwhile, is owned by Eagle Football Holdings, which also owns Ligue 1 club Lyon and has a stake in Premier League side Crystal Palace Linked with Manchester City and Marseille as a teenager Almada needed a move to MLS in order to facilitate a transfer to Europe He will have to remain patient and play at least six months in Brazil at which point Eagle Football has promised him a transfer to Lyon Almada will eventually fulfill his dream of playing in Europe but his path will serve as a cautionary tale for future MLS signings Almada may not have publicly pushed for a move away from Atlanta but his desire to leave the club was evident He talked often about wanting to play in Europe even suggesting that a move to Argentine powerhouse Boca Juniors would be another dream come true There’s nothing wrong with being ambitious when promises are made early in the recruiting process Almada handled it well and he can now leave MLS behind Almada’s transfer will initiate a new high-profile transfer strategy at the club CEO and President Garth Lagerwey has said that experienced players are preferred targets rather than unproven young professionals I would expect Atlanta United to opt for a more experienced attacking midfielder to replace Almada The young Argentine will be remembered as perhaps the most skillful player Atlanta has ever signed But he didn’t connect with the community beyond match days Lagerwey must begin to sign players who want to stay in Atlanta and engage with a fanbase that’s desperate to reconnect with the club Atlanta is also shopping for a new centre-forward to replace Giorgos Giakoumakis who was sold to Liga MX side Cruz Azul in June (Juan Carlos Hernandez/AFP via Getty Images) Felipe Cardenas is a senior writer for The Athletic who covers soccer in South America, North America and more. Follow Felipe on Twitter @FelipeCar Defending champions Argentina have taken a giant step toward securing their spot at the 2026 FIFA World Cup thanks to a stunning long-range strike from Thiago Almada that sealed a 1-0 victory over Uruguay in a tightly contested South American qualifier at Estadio Centenario Missing several key players including Lionel Messi Argentina showed their depth and resilience in a hard-fought encounter against their traditional rivals The win leaves Lionel Scaloni’s side firmly at the top of the CONMEBOL qualifying table now six points ahead of second-placed Ecuador with five matches still to play In a match defined by grit and determination it was Almada — currently on loan at Lyon from Brazilian club Botafogo — who provided the game’s standout moment he collected a pass from Julian Alvarez and unleashed a curling 25-yard strike that flew past Uruguay’s goalkeeper Sergio Rochet igniting celebrations among the visiting Argentine contingent The 23-year-old attacking midfielder has been steadily growing in stature since his surprise inclusion in Argentina’s 2022 World Cup-winning squad who at the time was the first active Major League Soccer player to win a World Cup seized his opportunity to shine on the international stage once more “I’m thrilled to contribute,” Almada said post-match but this team always rises to the occasion It’s a privilege to wear this shirt and score in such an important match.” Also Read: Top ASX ETFs to Watch in 2025 Head coach Lionel Scaloni was full of praise for his squad emphasizing the importance of collective effort amid injury setbacks That’s the spirit of this team,” Scaloni said “We’re not only happy about the result but also with the commitment and intensity the players brought to the pitch Argentina had lost the reverse fixture 2-0 to Uruguay in Buenos Aires last November making this result a satisfying redemption The defeat had briefly opened the door for Uruguay to challenge for top spot but this victory reasserts Argentina’s dominance in the qualification campaign Despite home advantage and the backing of a passionate Montevideo crowd Uruguay found it difficult to break down a disciplined Argentine defense Marcelo Bielsa’s men looked dangerous in the opening stages but were limited to half-chances for most of the match Veteran striker Darwin Núñez struggled to find space against the experienced centre-back pairing of Cristian Romero and Nicolás Otamendi while midfield maestro Federico Valverde was kept under close watch throughout the night Argentina’s goalkeeper Emiliano Martínez put in a composed performance dealing confidently with crosses and commanding his area effectively emotions ran high and Argentina Almada were reduced to ten men when winger Nicolás González was shown a straight red card for a reckless high challenge the dismissal came too late to allow Uruguay any significant advantage Argentina held firm in the final Almada minutes to secure all three points — a testament to their tactical organization and mental toughness Argentina now turn their attention to a high-profile clash Almada against third-placed Brazil in Buenos Aires on Tuesday A win in that fixture would mathematically guarantee their qualification for the 2026 World Cup in North America continuing their quest to defend the title they lifted in Qatar Ecuador boosted their chances of qualification with a 2-1 win over Venezuela the former Premier League forward who continues to be pivotal for his national team As it stands, Argentina sit comfortably at the summit of the 10-team group, with Scaloni’s men showing once again that they possess both the star power and squad depth to remain a dominant force in world football COLITCO LLP accepts no responsibility for any claim loss or damage as a result of information provided or its accuracy The information provided on this site is general in nature see a financial expert before making any investment decision financial situation or needs have not been taken into consideration There may be a conflict of interest present with commercial arrangements with companies and/or stock held COLITCO LLP or an associate may receive a commission for funds raised Thiago Almada had two assists for Lyon in their 4-1 win against Rennes Almada made it one goal and four assists in 13 Ligue 1 matches since joining Lyon The 24 year old had an assist on the first goal playing the ball outwide with Malick Fofana’s effort giving Lyon the 1-0 lead The Argentine would provide another assist following a run towards the Rennes penalty area and a pass to Alexandre Lacazette who would score Lyon’s third goal of the match Nicolás Tagliafico also started the match for Lyon Simeone… Garnacho has no chance even on the bench And the two biggest talents are Mastantuono and Echeverri+Montoro the third (+Valentin Carboni Log in to leave a comment Mundo Albiceleste is your home for all the latest news about the Argentina National Football team in English Atlanta United midfielder Thiago Almada became the club's second-highest goal scorer in all competitions Wednesday night when he scored a goal vs D.C Almada joined Atlanta United ahead of the 2022 season and has since scored 22 goals in MLS Regular Season He has scored five goals for the 5-Stripes this season. After an incredible 2023, which included 11 goals, Almada was named The 2023 MLS Young Player of the Year. The Argentinian surpasses Giorgos Giakoumakis, who recently left the club, but it's still far from Josef Martínez's record of 111 goals. Almada was recently called up by Argentina during the June FIFA international window and is expected to represent Argentina at the coming 2024 Summer Olympic Games in Paris He already has won a World Cup with Argentina back in 2022 making him the first active MLS player to win a FIFA World Cup Thiago Almada started for Argentina and scored the goal in the 1-0 win against Uruguay in the World Cup qualifiers Almada was part of the starting eleven for Argentina and scored a great goal to give Argentina the 1-0 win eager to play and to show why I had been called up I’m learning a lot and I’m trying to adapt as best I can began to control the ball and find space.” “Now to rest well and wait for the match against Brazil.” Atlanta United kicked off the first of back-to-back road matches on a triumphant note in the nation's capital Wednesday night as the 5-Stripes defeated D.C United 1-0 thanks to a fantastic finish from Thiago Almada late in the second half and a strong defensive effort to close out the win The result was the reverse from the first time these two teams met this season Christian Benteke scored a hat trick and D.C United got the best of Atlanta United 3-2 to take three points at Mercedes-Benz Stadium The second time around, Wednesday at Audi Field, Atlanta United stole those three points back and gave Rob Valentino his first win of the season as interim head coach "That's going to be my challenge to them, and to us as a group, that we continue on this path," Valentino said during his post-match press conference That's what it should feel like to try to win a game and be competitive It was indeed Benteke who put the first shot on goal Wednesday with a header in the sixth minute After the Black-and-Red dominated the opening minutes Atlanta United then took a few cracks on goal Dax McCarty hit a long-range shot in the 11th minute He struck the ball well but his shot sailed high ripped a driven shot near post that went into the side netting It appeared Atlanta United might have a moment in the 29th minute when Brooks Lennon found Xande Silva wide open on the far side with a pinpoint cross United cleared the ball away before anyone could take a shot Atlanta United nearly found the opener in the 43rd minute Almada dribbled from the center toward the sideline the Argentine beat his defender and carried the ball back into a dangerous area "I think it was important because it helped us win the game but also the important thing is the hard work everyone on the team," Almada said but Atlanta United kept pace with a few chances to close out the half including a direct free kick taken by Almada that sailed over goal The shots taken were even (6) as well as shots on goal (2) United created a high-quality chance that for a moment looked like the opener After connecting some passes around the 18-yard box however the goal did not count due to an offside call Atlanta United went wingback to from wingback for a strong chance on goal in the 60th minute Xande Silva found Caleb Wiley making an overlapping run Atlanta United had numbers in the box to receive Wiley’s cross and the ball ended up at the feet of Lennon He skied his close-range shot over the crossbar and the match remained scoreless His ability to grow into the game resulted in a moment of pure brilliance from the World Cup winner then took on multiple defenders to bring himself to the middle of the pitch against the run of play He put the ball on his right foot and created a masterpiece that went into the upper corner I started to think about putting a shot on goal," Almada said "The first option was to try and look for a through ball An area Atlanta United has struggled with this season is holding onto the lead That called for a couple saves late from Atlanta United goalkeeper Brad Guzan including a block in the 86th minute and denying the equalizer off a Benteke header in the 88th Derrick Williams also tracked back to make a huge diving slide in the dying moments of second-half stoppage which included three Homegrown players starting who entered the match second in the Golden Boot race The collective defensive effort secured Atlanta's second straight road win and the team's first clean sheet in MLS play since April and we knew because of the last game that he was dangerous," Valentino said they've been with the club since they were kids They feel pride in putting that jersey on and being able to defend something like that That's really cool for me just to be in this position to see them grow and be with the club in a cool moment like that." Starting XI and roster notes: D.C. United vs. Atlanta United on Wednesday, June 19, 2024 Atlanta United looks to grab more points from this road trip Saturday when they take on Western Conference opponent St Don't miss a moment of the action and stream the match on MLS Season Pass on Apple TV The 5-Stripes will be without Wednesday's hero however as Almada received a yellow card during the match against D.C that means Almada will serve a one-game suspension and have to miss Atlanta’s next MLS match in St Atlanta United completed its transfer of midfielder Thiago Almada to Brazilian top-flight side Botafogo on Saturday for an MLS-record fee While the club confirmed the fee is a record The Athletic reported Atlanta United stands to receive $21 million with up to $30m possible if conditions are met It is anticipated he will join Lyon in January Thiago Almada has left Atlanta United FC for an MLS-record fee. Rich von Biberstein/Icon Sportswire via Getty ImagesNow 23, Almada was transferred to Atlanta in February 2022 for a reported $16m by Velez Sarsfield of Argentina's Primera Division. He went on to win the 2022 FIFA World Cup with Argentina and will play for his nation in the Paris Olympics beginning later this month "We spent more than a year recruiting Thiago to join Atlanta United and during that process we agreed that our club could provide a great platform to showcase his abilities and he would have the opportunity to continue his development until the time was right for him to move on to the next challenge," Atlanta's vice president and technical director Carlos Bocanegra said in a news release Almada appeared in 77 regular-season matches (72 starts) with Atlanta United He was honored as MLS Newcomer of the Year in 2022 and MLS Young Player the following year "His success is something we're all proud of and a ton of credit is owed to our scouting department in addition to everyone who has worked with him at the club," Bocanegra said "Our team has been prepared for this move and we will look to immediately reinvest in the team during the upcoming summer transfer window." Atlanta United also sent Giorgos Giakoumakis to Liga MX side Cruz Azul for a reported $10m giving the club flexibility to add players when the secondary transfer window is open from July 18 to Aug Atlanta United (6-9-6, 24 points) is in ninth place in the MLS Eastern Conference. They will take on Real Salt Lake on Saturday one of four matches remaining before a month-long break for the Olympics back to Lyon once more: that could be the path taken by Thiago Almada (23) The Argentina international joined OL from Botafogo in January on a loan deal until the end of the season despite the Ligue 1 side being under a transfer embargo He took a little bit of time to adapt at the Groupama Stadium he has now found his rhythm and notably put in a standout performance against OGC Nice before the international break Almada will be looking to finish the season strongly at Lyon and guide the club to UEFA Champions League qualification he is seen as the successor to Rayan Cherki the OL academy product who looks destined to depart his formative club this summer GFFN | Luke Entwistle Thiago Almada Bids Farewell to Botafogo and Announces his New ClubThiago Almada the Argentine midfielder and World Cup champion has confirmed his transfer to Olympique Lyon after his brief stint at Botafogo in Brazil the 23-year-old shared his decision to leave the Rio-based club after winning two major titles: the Copa Libertadores and Brasileirão Almada expressed his gratitude for the support he received "This group will be an important part of my career and I'll always carry them in my heart," he said Almada made it clear that his time at Botafogo was always meant to be a stepping stone to Europe everything was already set for me to stay six months and then go to Lyon I think it's going to happen," said the midfielder who’s excited for his upcoming adventure in Ligue 1 where Almada will join his fellow Argentines Nicolás Tagliafico and Almada's transfer was expected ever since he left Atlanta United last year His arrival at Botafogo was part of a long-term strategy by the Eagle Group "Thiago was brought in to join us at Eagle with the goal of helping Botafogo win titles before heading to Europe," explained John Textor With 26 appearances and a standout performance Almada leaves Brazil with an unforgettable legacy OFFICIAL: Olympique Lyon presents Thiago Almada as their new signingOlympique Lyon unable to make signings in this winter market due to their complicated financial situation has secured the loan of Argentine Thiago Almada world champion with the Argentina national team in 2022 The 23-year-old midfielder currently plays for Botafogo in Brazil While Olympique Lyon has not specified whether the loan until June 2025 is free of charge The operation has been approved by the French financial control body making it feasible despite the club's economic restrictions who started his career at Vélez Sarsfield in Argentina at 17 His career continued at Atlanta United (80 matches and 24 assists between 2022 and 2024) before his move to Botafogo after participating in the Olympic Games with the Argentina national team where he won the Copa Libertadores in a final against Atlético Mineiro (1-3) played in Buenos Aires Thiago Almada has also earned six caps for the Argentina national team He was part of the squad led by Lionel Scaloni that won the 2022 World Cup in Qatar Atlanta United have transferred midfielder Thiago Almada to Brazilian top-flight side Botafogo for an MLS-record fee Almada, a 2022 FIFA World Cup champion with Argentina, joined Atlanta in February 2022 for a reported MLS-record $16 million fee from boyhood side Vélez Sarsfield Now, he exits for a sum exceeding two previous benchmark deals: when Alphonso Davies joined Bayern Munich from Vancouver Whitecaps FC in 2018 and when Miguel Almirón joined Newcastle United from Atlanta in 2019 reports indicate the 23-year-old Almada will progress to Lyon next winter Crystal Palace (Premier League) and Botafogo are part of the John Textor-led Eagle Football Holdings ownership group we agreed that our club could provide a great platform to showcase his abilities and he would have the opportunity to continue his development until the time was right for him to move on to the next challenge," vice president and technical director Carlos Bocanegra said in a release To: Atlanta From: Thiago ✉️ pic.twitter.com/o5Sj5V4XA2 Almada was electric during his Atlanta United career tallying 23g/33a in 77 regular-season matches 10 was named MLS Newcomer of the Year in 2022 and MLS Young Player of the Year in 2023 he also earned MLS Best XI presented by Continental Tire honors Internationally, Almada has one goal in four senior-team appearances with Argentina – memorably joining Inter Miami CF's Lionel Messi at the Qatar 2022 World Cup He is slated to captain La Albiceleste at the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris Almada was Atlanta’s latest South American playmaker There were often comparisons drawn between Almada and Almirón the latter of whom joined Newcastle for a reported $27 million fee "His success is something we’re all proud of and a ton of credit is owed to our scouting department Star boy. 🌟🇦🇷Thiago Almada left his mark on MLS. pic.twitter.com/XMMZR0NIEB Almada is Atlanta’s second outbound Designated Player this summer, following Giorgos Giakoumakis’ reported $10 million move to Liga MX side Cruz Azul Atlanta could soon capitalize on their newfound DP flexibility as the Secondary Transfer Window runs from July 18 to Aug The Five Stripes are ninth in the Eastern Conference and led by interim coach Rob Valentino after the club parted ways with Gonzalo Pineda in early June READ MORE: MLS Transfer Tracker presented by Avant Because Botafogo and Lyon are both part of John Textor’s Eagle Football group Almada’s switch from Brazil to France will be free which will allow Lyon to circumvent their transfer ban Almada joined Botafogo from MLS franchise Atlanta United over a €19,6m deal The 2022 World Cup winner with Lionel Scaloni’s Argentina has won the double with Botafogo last year lifting the Brasileirão Betano as well as the Copa Libertadores L’Equipe adds that Almada will land at Lyon on Friday to undergo his medical over the weekend Almada could make his debut with his new side next Wednesday as Lyon face Bourgoin in the Coupe de France RO32 Atlanta United is in advanced talks with Eagle Football Holdings to sell midfielder Thiago Almada according to people familiar with the discussions Eagle Football is owned by American John Textor and has stakes in Brazilian side Botafogo, Ligue 1’s Olympique Lyon, RWD Molenbeek of Belgium and Premier League club Crystal Palace Argentinian reporter Cesar Merlo first reported Atlanta United were evaluating a $20 million (£15.8m) bid for playmaker Almada it is likely Almada would first join Botafogo before moving to one of Eagle Football’s European sides A person familiar with the negotiations told The Athletic that Almada is not yet convinced regarding a possible move to Brazil He has remained adamant that playing in Europe is his ultimate goal telling TyC Sports in Argentina last week that he’s enjoying his time in Atlanta but “I have a desire to play in Europe in the top leagues.” was signed in 2022 for $16 million from Argentina’s Velez Sarsfield and he under contract with Atlanta United until December 2026 He was an MVP candidate last season after scoring 11 goals and adding 19 assists. At the time, Atlanta United’s CEO Garth Lagerwey said Almada was “deserving” of a record transfer. The current MLS record is Atlanta United’s deal that sent Miguel Almiron to Newcastle United for $27 million in 2019. “I can’t control what other teams offer us, but do I think he’s deserving of a record transfer? I do,” Lagerwey told The Athletic last September. “I think there’s objective numbers to support that.” They’ve since drawn twice and won once and are now in ninth place in the Eastern Conference Almada is no longer a shoe-in to break MLS’ outgoing transfer record but a strong performance at the summer Olympics in Paris could potentially raise his value Almada captained Argentina’s U-23s throughout Olympic qualifying and will be key for Javier Mascherano’s side it would be a gamble for Atlanta United to place all of their chips on Almada shining at the Olympic tournament The pressure on the player to prove to European scouts that he’s a worthy investment will be significant as well There’s also a notable time pressure for Atlanta United’s front office: the Olympics begin on July 26 and end on August 11 with the MLS summer transfer window closing just three days later Atlanta United would have to receive and accept a transfer for Almada and sign a replacement within that timeframe Almada’s player profile is another hurdle. He is very talented with a quick burst of pace and impressive dribbling ability; a player who can strike the ball with accuracy both off the dribble and from a set piece. But his slight frame has raised questions about whether or not he can play in some of Europe’s more physical leagues. If the Premier League and Bundesliga are not viable options then the number of teams who can pay over $25 million for Almada is much more limited (Top photo: Rich von Biberstein/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) Thiago Almada Joins Lyon – Is He the Next Messi?As the winter transfer window nears its close several high-profile moves are making waves in Ligue 1 The latest and most significant transfer is the signing of 23-year-old Argentinian attacking midfielder Thiago Almada from Copa Libertadores champions Botafogo by Olympique Lyonnais This acquisition now sees Lyon boasting two World Cup winners from Argentina with Almada joining the experienced left-back Nicolás Tagliafico Almada is renowned for his exceptional ball control and composure under pressure.He is versatile in his passing range and through passes with pinpoint accuracy His impressive career trajectory includes stints at Vélez Sarsfield where he was a key member of their victorious 2022 FIFA World Cup squad. Almada made history as the first active MLS player to win a FIFA World Cup. His stellar performances continued in 2023 earning him the MLS Young Player of the Year award and a spot in the MLS Best XI Hailing from the humble neighborhood of Fuerte Apache in Buenos Aires affectionately known as "Guayo,"has remained grounded giving back to his community by setting up kitchens to feed the poor and needy. His combination of talent and social conscience has drawn comparisons to the legendary Lionel Messi With Almada donning Lyon's colors, Ligue 1 fans watching beIN Sports can anticipate thrilling performances from this rising star as he embarks on an exciting new chapter in his career. Will he be the next Messi? As one coach noted: Almada is a player who "doesn’t look for the goal; the goal looks for him." Bienvenue à Ligue 1 United's midfield for brilliant goal (0:33)Thiago Almada splits multiple D.C United defenders and unleashes a wicked strike to put Atlanta United ahead in the second half That is what Eagle Football Holdings chairman John Textor has confirmed during a YouTube live chat "We don't have the full agreement with Atlanta United yet," Textor told 'Visão Botafoguense' "The player has already agreed to come to Botafogo but we are still working out the final details with the club." Argentina's Thiago Almada, 23, has scored six goals in 17 MLS appearances so far this season. (Photo by Jeff Dean/Getty Images)A 2022 World Cup winner with Argentina has a contract with the MLS side through December 2026 He is currently visiting with Textor at the American businessman's mansion in the Bahamas Textor showed Almada during the live chat and the midfielder waved to the camera and gave his thumbs up after being welcomed by fans to Botafogo "He is here as a guest but he is still at Atlanta United," he said Textor confirmed that Almada's stay at Botafogo will be temporary "Thiago was recruited by our staff in France," he said "Big clubs were going after him from Spain and elsewhere We intercepted and convinced him he could come to Eagle and we would take him to Europe "Considering the moment of the season and the Copa Libertadores he wanted to come and compete at Botafogo and help us win titles before going to Europe His contract foresees going to France in January." Botafogo previously tried to sign Almada in January without success "We came very close to signing Almada at the beginning of the year but we were unable to convince Atlanta United," Textor said draws attention to the Botafogo project and helps us recruit other players We are building something very good and people are starting to notice Botafogo around the world." Almada moved to Atlanta United from Velez Sarsfield in February 2022 in a €14.5m transfer He has scored six goals and set up one more in 17 MLS appearances this season Almada was left out of Argentina's Copa América squad but has been named in the team that will compete at the Olympic Games in Paris Almada Warns Real Madrid: "It Will Be an Eleven Against Eleven Match"Uruguayan coach Guillermo Almada stated on Tuesday that in the Intercontinental Cup final against Real Madrid "it's not about the names or history" and that "it will be an eleven against eleven match." Vinícius Junior Wins The Best Award we have the same number of players on each team but now we try to give everything we can in the match against Real Madrid We’ve had very good games and hope to continue that path in the final Beating Real Madrid would be a very significant achievement for us The Pachuca coach mentioned that he has no specific plans to stop players like Vinícius and Mbappé especially because Real Madrid has many stars across all lines He emphasized that what matters most is focusing on teamwork and organizing on the field so that Pachuca can match the competitiveness of the European champions Almada also praised Italian coach Carlo Ancelotti "Ancelotti is one of the most important coaches in football history and we will try to ensure he is not the coach with the most titles (at Real Madrid) tomorrow but that doesn’t take away from his merit of being one of the best," he emphasized Thiago Almada has confirmed that his team’s 3-0 loss to Pachuca in the Intercontinental Cup on Wednesday was his final match for Botafogo The 23-year-old Argentine midfielder announced that he will join Olympique Lyonnais in France starting in January “The truth is that this group will stand out in my career but everything was planned to stay 6 months and go to Lyon “I thank everyone in Botafogo for their support They will always remain in my heart.” Almada’s time at Botafogo was brief but successful he played a key role in the club’s achievements winning both the Copa Libertadores and the Brasileirão in five months His skills and contributions made him an important player for the team Almada looks to continue his career in Europe where he will join Argentina teammate Nicolás Tagliafico at Lyon his move to Lyon is an important step in his development The move to Botafogo was a false move to transfer to Lyon It is going to be a bargain price when he settles in Europe Almada is top contender to become our playmaker I am 100% sure Julian Alvarez will beat lautaro Martinez to the uefa champions league goals scoring tally… Much in the headlines and scoring wonder goals not getting ticket to europe is sad Let’s hope Lyon don’t get relegated due to financial debt Meanwhile Vélez Sarsfield are in danger of bottling the league title unless they win their last match against Club Atlético Huracán long overdue…was way too good for MLS Exactlynhe could have been in europe 5 years ago This guys has had a strange path with his club teams But I’m excited to see what he does in France Thiago Almada would score a stunning goal for Argentina in their 1-0 win vs The first half saw Uruguay having much of the ball but unable to capitalize on any chances Argentina created one chance with Giuliano Simeone crossing into the penalty area with Alexis Mac Allister making the run which was stopped by the goalkeeper Lionel Scaloni’s team would start the second half and would create chances A through ball by Julian Alvarez found Thiago Almada but the goalkeeper would come out and close the angle on Almada’s effort on goal Julián Álvarez would play a pass to Almada and the Argentine’s effort on goal from outside of the penalty area would go into the top corner to give Argentina the 1-0 lead Scaloni would bring on Nicolás González on for Giuliano Simeone Leonardo Balerdi for Leandro Paredes and Ángel Correa on for Thiago Almada Nicolás González would get a red card towards the end of the match He would go for the ball but miss it and accidentaly kick Nandez in the face Argentina would get the 1-0 win and will play Brazil on Tuesday Thiago Almada, take a bow. 🇦🇷 pic.twitter.com/NrDtSQvs9x Emiliano Martínez after Thiago Almada's goal for Argentina. 🇦🇷 pic.twitter.com/Widvax1J1I I hope in the next match midfield will step up I was frustrated seeing likes of Julian and Almada dropping too deep I hope DePaul will bring much needed balance in the next game we bounced back real well & importantly didnt panic in last 10minutes Almada has arrived in NT stage & i am no more worried on Dybala fitness Great all-round display in 2nd half & special callouts for Tagli Good Romero got minutes & will be sharper for Brazil battle The only blot was NicoG’s blunder which was totally not needed with a minute left Hoping to also see how Scaloni gets Alvarez more upfront vs Brazil .The Brazilian left wing vs Molina+Simeone will decide the classico outcome Also to everyone in Mundo who are practising IMO This team has right balance of youth and experience…messi and otamendi are much needed..if not it would be like the french team that lost against Croatia…btw modric is older than Messi and he played the full 90 mins and his team won against France perisic is 36 MOM vs France and modric is 39) I dont think this pressing and workrate with a 39 years old Messi is possible in the WC he is a supersub and mentor from now for me Winning the WC with a just walking Messi is unimagineable Almada was surprisingly good in defending or at least tried a lot doing what Scaloni asked from him Yet Messi is still the top scorer in this qualifier… But these high octaine matches need running A 39 years old attacker could never perform in the WC history even 35 years old Messi performance was a miracle for his age Scaloni wins everything because his team has the proper balance between workhorse like Julian ADM with technical but slower players like Messi If everyone is a workhorse than we’d be like some random African sides There’s a reason why they never achieve anything notable at the WC We continuously beat Nigeria at WC and they;re always stronger than us physically bunch of fast runners but 0 silverware in 60 years Football changing and it ain’t only elegance anymore Just feel like Messi will be out of his comfort zone in there However wouldn’t mind he come from bench or something kill the game or even change the game with tired Opposition it will be great if Scaloni is convinced & Messi agrees to this atleast for the last 3 qualifiers A fresh Messi against tired opposition will be so lethal This also gives the younger players more minutes in qualifiers taglifico,parades are good to go and messi not so much IMO This team has right balance of youth and experience…messi and otamendi are much needed..if not it would be like the french team that lost against Croatia…btw modric is older than Messi and he played the full 90 mins and his team won against France I dont completely disagree with you but differ a bit Fast and physical player playing with the brain of Messi I think Scaloni should mix it up by playing Messi in starting XI and as super sub in different games depending on the oppostition I would not mind seeing Messi coming off the Bench if it requires the situation Contrary I would prefer Scaloni to use Messi in the knockout matches inorder to regain much needed fitness Should he be injured during world cup it would be a disaster for the team Clearly unintentional but definetely dangerous could have put the guy unconcious if it connected At one point he couldnt find passing option so he just hit the ball on Uruguay’s player and won throw in lol Unlucky for Nico now we are one workhorse less against Yellow team It was masterful well planned game tactically You just can’t go to Uruguay and start the all gun blazing Ofcourse they would attack relentlessly plus it is Loco team who always run and run I never felt we were out of control and I love Messi but I feel like we should have start the process already life without Messi Messi should be one more player in tactics wise and build a team around new guys so they can gel together We need to find one more right back and Left back few back up centre backs that’s all Yes very true indeed as this was just exactly what ARG needed for the future which maybe kind of happened as ” blessing in disguise” in terms of injuries/ fatigue… which gave the opportunity for the coaching and those players who started today and played so well in difficult circumstances as away game against Uruguay and in the oldest Classico Just need to find those xtra fullbacks for both sides and also create an healthy competition too and bring 1 or 2 CB’s more for to cover up though i do understand also maybe why he has been doubted in the past as it took somehow such a long time for him to get out of MLS where he allready was so good and then a stunning spell with Botafogo and now finaly in Europe with Lyon which has been truly fantastic to be able to watch him play and every time he has got the chance and whether he has been coming in as substitute or recently also as starter and last sunday also scored his first goal for Lyon in a game where he started and played so greatly and finished it of with great goal but now this goal against Uruguay was an absolute beauty indeed I was hoping for him to start and it kind of maybe happened through via ” blessing in disguise ” as mentioned also here in Mundo and he truly delivered also not only in terms of that marvelous winning goal he scored but also he had a fantastic game as did the whole team of ALBICELESTE too Great tactical aproach against Bielsa’s Uruguay and so well also executed by every player Fantastic team work and effort in the oldest CLASSICO of Football So happy and super proud for our beloved ALBICELESTE I was one of many who questioned the inclusion of Almada in the 2022 WC squad……🤦🫣🤫🫵🤌 Plus his move to America wasn’t helping at all in his case 😂 But he had big potential that I for one had no idea I never heard of him and I live in Atlanta lol…but watched him play afterwards and I saw that rocket launcher on display The biggest national soccer tournaments in the world are happening this summer and eight Atlanta United players have been called up to their national teams in preparation for the UEFA European Championship Copa América and the men's soccer competition for the Olympic Games Bartosz Slisz and Caleb Wiley have received call-ups from their respective national teams ahead of the June FIFA window Abram was called up to join Peru for the 2024 Copa América Peru will play in Group A of the tournament and will face off against Chile (June 21) The defender has earned 40 caps and scored one goal with Peru since his debut 2016 Almada returns to Argentina’s U-23 squad as it prepares for the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris for a training camp and a pair of matches against Paraguay on June 8 and June 10 The 23-year-old midfielder and World Cup champion has made four appearances for Argentina since 2022 and has scored one goal in a friendly against Panama Fortune was called up to Trinidad and Tobago for its opening 2026 World Cup Qualifying matches Trinidad and Tobago open play against Grenada on June 5 before facing the Bahamas on June 8 the 21-year-old midfielder has tallied six caps and one goal U-19 Men’s Youth National Team for its training camp in South America The squad will travel to Buenos Aires to take on Argentina on June 7 before heading to Montevideo on June 11 to face Uruguay Hibbert will join Jamaica for two 2026 World Cup Qualifying matches against the Dominican Republic on June 6 and Dominica on June 9 Hibbert has two appearances with Jamaica after joining the squad in March for two friendlies Lobjanidze returns to the Georgian National Team ahead of the UEFA European Championships Georgia features in Group F of the tournament and will face off against Turkey (June 18) Lobjanidze has tallied 36 caps for Georgia and has scored three goals since his international debut in 2017 Slisz was called up to join Poland for the 2024 UEFA European Championships Poland is featured in Group D of the competition and will face the Netherlands (June 16) The defensive midfielder has totaled eight senior caps with Poland since 2021 Men’s Olympic Soccer Team for its final 2024 Pre-Olympic Training Camp in Kansas City The camp will run from June 3-11 and the squad will take on Japan in a friendly on June 11 at Children’s Mercy Park Youth National Teams and has two caps with the senior USMNT squad since his debut in April 2023 Atlanta United midfielder Thiago Almada is finalizing a move to Brazilian club Botafogo after two and a half seasons in Major League Soccer According to a league source with knowledge of the negotiations Atlanta will receive an MLS-record $21million for Almada The deal could potentially reach up to $30m in total value if conditions for additional payments are met The 23-year-old Argentine joined Atlanta from Velez Sarsfield in 2022 for a reported fee of $16m He won the MLS Newcomer of the Year award and he also became the first player to win the World Cup as an active MLS player that year Almada scored Atlanta’s first goal in a 2-1 win over Toronto FC on Saturday he acknowledged that it could be his last for Atlanta I can’t confirm anything without getting ahead of the club I have a lot of respect for the institution that I’m at and probably yes but I’m waiting for it to be announced officially.” He added: “ Scoring a goal at home and with a win is a happy ending Though the one thing I didn’t do was win a title here but I think that I tried to do my best and give everything for the club.” Almada scored 24 goals in 81 appearances across all competitions for Atlanta He was also named MLS Young Player of the Year in 2023 “I think I grew a lot (with Atlanta),” Almada said “There’s a reason why I was called up to the World Cup and I was on the Argentine national team’s radar I think it was a very important step from Velez to Atlanta.” The MLS players to watch in the summer transfer window (Rich von Biberstein/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) she won the show by the highest margin to date dancing and opening the eyes of the British public She looks back on how her life changed for ever racking up almost 4m votes despite starting the show as a 50-1 outsider she was also Big Brother’s first transgender winner – her gender identity shared with the viewers but not her fellow housemates It is inconceivable that producers would sanction a similar arrangement today in particular given the heat around the question of trans women accessing women-only spaces But Almada says the reason for not telling other housemates about her gender identity “was about claiming my time All my life I’ve been dictated to about my identity by state – but inside the Big Brother house I made my own rules.” Her victory was a very personal triumph – she spoke powerfully afterwards of how it felt to be accepted on her own terms. But, coming in the same year as Labour’s Gender Recognition Act allowed transgender people to change their legal sex it was also a pivotal moment in the public recognition of trans identity later put it: “Britain opened their eyes.” Now Almada lives mainly out of the public gaze but she has agreed to speak to the Guardian to mark the 20th anniversary of her win and reflect on what has changed for trans women View image in fullscreenNadia Almada on Big Brother in 2004 during a wedding task Photograph: Shutterstock“I didn’t go in there with any plans to be a role model or a reference point,” she says I became that person and there is that whole generation since that still uses me as their first moment of understanding what a trans woman could be.” Almada is both a little more chic and a lot more relaxed than her younger self Gone are the corset dresses and unruly dark curls; in their place are a sleek blond hairstyle and pale blue shirt dress surrounded by the friends she has known since they were teenagers together on the Portuguese island of Madeira Back then “we thought we were the bee’s knees” “but then nothing is as glamorous as we perceive it to be” She made the most of the opportunities that Big Brother presented – releasing a single that reached No 27 in the charts and dipping in and out of other reality TV formats – but she was always a realist about her instant fame “I know how superficial this industry is,” she told the Observer in her first newspaper interview after leaving the Big Brother house confounding expectations by not signing up for a tabloid tell-all “If people want to consider me a celebrity I’m very flattered but I don’t really think I’m worthy I took part in an experience and had an amazing response and I’m quite content with that.” when it seems that every aspect of human experience has been pulped through a reality format it is easy to forget the impact and ubiquity of Big Brother the original “social experiment” entertainment Arguments raged about whether it democratised celebrity or revealed the viewing public’s own banal narcissism with a 24-hour live feed available online where viewers could watch the contestants living in a specially constructed house and gradually eliminated by public vote until just one remained It’s also worth remembering how contained celebrity was back then attention was not yet atomised between TikTok feeds and it was newspapers and magazines that guided the public on who to love and hate View image in fullscreenAlmada with Davina McCall after the Big Brother finale in 2005 Photograph: Stuart Atkins/ShutterstockThis was the landscape when Almada “Big Brother celebrated real people,” she says now “and it brought forward minorities who were less visible on TV that it brought to the forefront conversations that needed to be had.” But she applies the same realism to the public’s response to her as she does to the celebrity it generated “The humanity of Nadia is what became relatable and endearing to people,” she says “But I’m still debating: was it that seeing a trans woman in that scenario highlighted a curiosity or a voyeurism?” the public discourse around transgender issues was in its infancy she points out: “Even the word ‘transgender’ wasn’t so common – the word ‘transsexual’ was still used She still hears of individuals who saw her in the show and “even though they weren’t ready at that time that was the first reference they could relate to “I believe deep down that I transcended all those things Almada certainly brought her own tempestuous form to what was already an explosive selection of housemates – notoriously there was such a serious fight during series five that security had to intervene and the live feed was temporarily halted But there was also a vulnerability to Almada that shone through in quieter moments: “For once in my life I feel like I’m a normal person,” she said in one Diary Room confessional “I wish I still had that Nadia in my life,” she says today Earlier she told me that she had closed her TikTok account because of disparaging comments about her appearance But that’s not why she’s feeling so vulnerable she insists: “It’s just that invincibility that confidence that you have in your 20s is difficult to locate later on.” “Twenty years on we’re still debating the existence of trans women and that means that we have not moved forward as quickly as I would have hoped back then more united and there’s a lot to be proud of if the question itself still exists …” She shakes her head “I need to make clear that even though there is that toxic discourse in politics I don’t believe it reflects the whole of this country But there is a small minority who say these vile things – I don’t even know if they believe them but they do so for political advantage and the consequence is to dehumanise.” Has she experienced those consequences herself whether with online abuse or encounters on the street … I can’t finish the full question before she is agreeing: “All my life but now I am more attuned to it and I will not allow you to speak to me like that I have a plan of action where I will report you or I will be very aware of my surroundings.” So perhaps what has also changed is her response “I grew up believing that all these things physical abuse was part of being a trans woman because everything was so underground,” she says “So I grew up believing the abuse was my own doing and I had to just cry about it and move on to the next day” Almada was born the eldest of six siblings and spent the first decade of her life in Madeira before the family emigrated to South Africa along with his emotional and physical abuse and her mother returned to the island with the children when Almada was a teenager who grew up under the Salazar dictatorship and was drafted as a youth to fight for Portugal in Africa because everything was so underground“I now understand PTSD But by me talking openly about domestic violence we break the cycle of shame and isolation that traps us.” She remembers questioning her identity from a young age and “being told not to behave in certain ways because I was not corresponding to my gender.” The disconnect was especially tough in a strictly Catholic environment It was only after she moved to England that she “cemented” her “true identity” who referred her to a gender identity clinic “but for some bizarre reason that self-belief was so present I had it in me and I was able to move forward.” “She said she was going to pray to the Virgin Mary it was her appearance on Big Brother that helped bring her family together again – her “lovely” mother was waiting for her when she left the house as the winner “It really helped us to unite as a family and allowed me to reconnect as a sister View image in fullscreenAlmada with fellow Big Brother contestants including Jade Goody (next to Almada) and Marco Sabba (pink T-shirt) Photograph: Chapman/ShutterstockShe keeps up with the latest iterations of Big Brother – a rebooted version started on ITV2 last year – and felt “very protective” of Hallie an 18-year-old contestant who came out as transgender on the show last autumn and the questions it provoked “about our place in this country” but for Almada: “Woking is my home.” Between friends and work “I live the most heteronormative sort of lifestyle,” she jokes “The energy has shifted a bit from the loud “Now I’m a little bit more calm and reflective She recently celebrated the 20th anniversary of her appearance on the show with Marco Sabba who later qualified as a lawyer: “Marco is a dear friend to this day and we share great memories.” She tells me a story about visiting the Shard in London with Sabba The Shard is not famed for its dog-friendliness but somehow Almada talked the security guards around and when we got to the security barriers we had to ask them to let him through We were laughing about how we managed to get my good boy all the way up to the top.” Nadia Almada: still a force to be reckoned with An earlier version said that Nadia Almada was the only transgender winner of Big Brother According to a report from RMC Sport Lille have filed an official complaint with the LFP regarding Lyon’s signing of Thiago Almada (23) on loan from Botafogo The signing of the Argentine attacking midfielder has been viewed as controversial Les Gones are currently under a transfer embargo which prevents them from signing players until their financial situation improves OL will face relegation to Ligue 2 if they cannot prove that they have made efforts to improve their finances they were able to complete the signing of Almada on loan without a fee from their sister club Les Dogues are not the first club to file a complaint when Almada was starting against them Toulouse and Reims have also filed official complaints when Lyon have selected the World Cup winner in their matchday squad to face the respective Ligue 1 sides none of these complaints have seen further action taken against Lyon GFFN | Liam Wraith Lyon aimed a playful dig at Cristiano Ronaldo when announcing Thiago Almada’s transfer with Lionel Messi seemingly drafted in to help