Midfielder Thiago Almada, formerly of Botafogo and the target of intense dispute with Flamengo, made his debut for River Plate on August 16, 2026. The Argentine team managed to sign the player for 20 million euros, which represents around R$120.8 million, surpassing the Rio club’s investment and showing the strength of its investment in the market.
Almada’s arrival and financial impact on River Plate
Almada was named as a starter in the match against Argentinos Juniors, valid for the fifth round of the Clausura Tournament of the Argentine Championship. Eduardo Coudet’s team achieved a 2-0 victory at Monumental de Núñez, with goals from Montiel and Ángel Correa, breaking a sequence of four defeats in Clausura and recovering after elimination in the Argentine Cup.
Decisive performance and the world champions on the field
The midfielder was directly involved in the first goal of the match, in the 36th minute of the opening stage. After a move by Ángel Correa on the left, which triggered Almada, the player’s shot deflected off the opponent’s defense and the ball was free for Montiel to finish and open the score.
Three minutes after his participation in the goal, Almada received a yellow card due to a stronger foul on López Muñoz. The player, who wore the number 23 shirt, remained on the field for 83 minutes before being replaced by Lautaro Rivero in the 38th minute of the second half.
River Plate started the match with a robust lineup, including four world champions for Argentina: Almada, Otamendi, Montiel and Ángel Correa, demonstrating the high level of the squad that the club assembled. In second-half stoppage time, in the 43rd minute, Correa scored the team’s second goal by converting a penalty that he himself had conceded.
