Atlanta United in Leagues Cup: the young prospect and the star to follow

The Five Stripes have been one the Eastern Conference’s best performers so far this season, with the team currently sitting in fifth place and in a good position to make the MLS playoffs, having missed out last season with a disappointing 11th-place finish. Prolific striker Giorgios Giakoumakis and Argentine prospect Thiago Almada have been leading the way in their return to form.

At this year’s Leagues Cup, which kicks off on July 21, the Georgian outfit will find themselves in the South 3 group. They will first take on Lionel Messi’s Inter Miami on July 25 at the DRV PNK Stadium. Four days later, Atlanta United will go up against Cruz Azul - the winners of the inaugural 2019 tournament - at their home ground, the Mercedes-Benz Stadium.

How are Atlanta United looking, going into their Leagues Cup games?

The 2022 MLS campaign saw Gonzalo Pineda’s men finish 11th out of 14 in the Eastern Conference - a far cry from the heights of their second-place finish in 2019. A busy transfer window - which notably saw club legend Josef Martínez leave for Inter Miami - has seen a squad overhaul ahead of the current season. 

The team are now sitting in fifth place, having successfully negotiated a potentially tough run of games this past month with wins over play-off rivals Philadelphia Union and CF Montréal. Overall, the Five Stripes have nine wins, eight draws, and five losses.

Key to their hopes of Leagues Cup success this year will be Greek striker Giorgos Giakoumakis, as well as the in-form young World Cup winner Thiago Almada.

Giorgos Giakoumakis - the Greek international making an instant impact

The Crete-born marksman made the move to MLS back in February, when he joined from Scottish champions Celtic. Although he has struggled with injury of late, his 10 goals in 16 appearances place him among the very best strikers in the country this season.

Having played for Platanias and AEK Athens back in his home country, Giakoumakis broke onto the scene with a prolific campaign for Dutch side VVV-Venlo in 2020/21, in which he scored 29 goals in 33 appearances. That form soon earned him his move to Scotland.

The 28-year-old’s recent muscle injury was undoubtedly a major factor in Atlanta United’s dip in form, and the team will be hoping the striker can make a return to full fitness before their Leagues Cup campaign begins.

Thiago Almada - The World Cup winner

The 22-year-old arrived from Vélez Sarsfield in his native Argentina at the start of last season, and made an instant impact in his first campaign with the Five Stripes.

Having found the net six times and set up another seven goals that year, Almada’s impressive form earned him a call-up to the national team in September of 2022. At the end of the calendar year, he was in the squad that went all the way at the World Cup, making one appearance in the tournament.

The attacking midfielder has shown no signs of slowing down this season, having scored eight goals and provided nine assists so far. Although all eyes will be on his compatriot Lionel Messi, Almada is in line to be one of this year’s Leagues Cup stars as well.