A matured Almirón reflects on Newcastle while relishing his Atlanta return

Six years in the life of a footballer, in today’s modern game, can feel like an eternity. When most players turn 30, the hard running they’ve endured throughout their careers starts to catch up with them. Miguel Almirón insists, with a laugh, that he’s still young. But this winter he returned to Atlanta United, where he spent two formative seasons before heading for Newcastle United in the Premier League, with four new tattoos that reveal a more mature side of his outgoing personality.

A massive head of a gray wolf covers his right shoulder.

“I liked the wolf, because he’s the one who always leads the pack,” Almirón said.

A tattoo of a watch on his forearm represents the exact time that his son Francesco was born. There’s a tattoo of his wife’s eye above his right elbow as well, “because she sees everything at all times,” he joked with a cackle.

The eagle tattoo on his right arm is the one that best encapsulates Almirón, though. It’s inspired by a bible verse that reads, in part, “You will run and never tire. You will walk and never be fatigued.”

The passage describes Almirón’s top qualities as a player. He brushes off any notion that coming back to MLS is a sign that he’s set to dial down his intensity during the week and on match days. He brought his physio and nutritionist, who have both worked with him since 2018, back to Atlanta.

“I have to give 100 percent, but I need to give even more in order to sustain my fitness,” Almirón told The Athletic on Wednesday from Atlanta’s training ground. “I realized that in England. It was because of that commitment that I was able to re-sign my contract (with Newcastle) and was able to stay for as long as I did. It’s hard to do that. The competition for places is intense and I wanted to avoid injury and play in as many games as possible. To do so, one has to take care of their body.”

Still, becoming complacent is a challenge that elite athletes like Almirón face in MLS. The stigma that sometimes comes with playing in MLS took an interesting turn recently. Former LAFC winger Cristian Olivera, a 22-year-old Uruguayan who was transferred to Brazilian side Grêmio, told Punto Penal in Uruguay last month that national team manager Marcelo Bielsa had warned him about MLS’s pitfalls.

“Bielsa told me when I was with the U-23s that I should leave Los Angeles because (MLS) wasn’t a suitable league for me,” Olivera said. “He told me that the league makes players lazy, and I felt that, too. I couldn’t find my form. I realized it was the league. Here in Brazil we play every three days. It’s beautiful. The football here is incredible.”

Almirón was aware of Bielsa’s comments. He smiled and shook his head when the subject was brought up. He is often stopped by fans in Atlanta for a photo or an autograph, but Almirón appreciates being able to walk the streets of Atlanta relatively unnoticed. It’s a different lifestyle in the U.S. to what he was accustomed to in Argentina, Paraguay and England. Olivera’s point of view is unsurprising. Most South American players revel in high-pressure environments where one’s margin for error is virtually zero. It keeps them focused and on edge.

Almirón pointed to Cristiano Ronaldo as an example of professional perseverance. He mentioned Inter Miami’s Lionel Messi, Jordi Alba and Sergio Busquets as veteran players who continue to compete despite their ages. He lauded his new teammate Emmanuel Latte Lath’s decision to come to MLS, as well. Latte Lath, 26, was acquired by Atlanta from Middlesbrough this winter for a reported MLS record fee of $22 million plus add-ons. Almirón believes the Ivorian international has plenty still to prove.

“When a player comes to MLS and says ‘this is it,’ naturally they’re going to let themselves go,” Almirón said. “You have to have a winning mentality. (Latte Lath) is an ambitious player who wants to win. He didn’t come to this league to stop playing. I think he’s here to make a jump (to another league) and improve as a player. He’s young and he can easily do it because this league is being watched more and more. It’s global. I made the jump to Europe from here and I believe that if a player commits himself and works hard, they can get to a top league. MLS is a showcase for talent.”

Almirón left MLS in 2019, earning a move to Newcastle as a promising 24-year-old. He was a shining example of how potential can turn to stardom, coming from a league that has positioned itself as a landing spot for international prospects who dream of playing in Europe.

He helped to lead Atlanta to an MLS Cup title in 2018, in the club’s second year, and walked off into the sunset as a hero. Fans in Atlanta wished him well as they relied on YouTube highlights to relive his darting runs, explosive speed and wide smile in Atlanta United’s red and black striped kit. He was a tireless two-way player who could score and provide for his teammates. He represented the ideal player profile that MLS clubs have since tried to feverishly scout again and again. Almirón remains an MLS unicorn.

After six years in the Premier League, in which Almirón scored 30 goals with Newcastle, the left-footed playmaker is back as a more experienced player with still plenty more to give. But did Almirón expect to reverse his jump from MLS to Europe at 30?

“Honestly, yes,” Almirón said. “Of all the places I’ve been, and this doesn’t mean I’m discrediting Argentina, where I was well received, or Paraguay, but returning to the U.S., specifically Atlanta, was always an option. It was always going to be my first choice because of everything I experienced while I was here.

“I wanted to come back,” he continued. “The decision didn’t weigh on me. I’m really happy to be back.”

If Atlanta was a dream-like stint, Almirón’s half a dozen years in England were a mix of highs and lows. He admitted that his first year at Newcastle was difficult for him and his wife. The cultural change hit them hard. The weather in Newcastle and a new style of play under Rafa Benítez were obstacles that Almirón said tested his mental fortitude. In Atlanta, Almirón was an attacking No. 10 with freedom to find the game. Atlanta played through him and fed off his energetic personality.

Benítez, though, signed Almirón as a left-winger, restricting his movement. Steve Bruce succeeded the Spaniard and played Almirón in several attacking positions, which clouded the player’s place and value in the squad. For someone who has been defined by his work ethic and who was celebrated as an MLS-record transfer, Almirón was humbled by his reversal of fortune.

“The first year in England was challenging for me,” Almirón said. “I think I scored one goal that season. I changed as a person. It was honestly really hard. But I’ve always maintained a low profile. I always came to work and focused on improving myself. I’m aware when things aren’t going well. After all of the places that I’ve been in my career, I’ve realized that football is about patience and hard work. It’s about moments.”

There were several defining moments for Almirón on Tyneside. In spite of his lack of production, Almirón’s relentless play, his emphatic celebrations and unselfish demeanor immediately endeared him to the Newcastle faithful. His output changed when the club signed Eddie Howe as manager in 2021. Almirón enjoyed his most prolific season under the Englishman in 2022, scoring 11 goals. He solidified his place in Howe’s starting XI at a time when Newcastle’s player acquisition strategy became more progressive.

“When Eddie arrived I think that everything changed,” Almirón said. “He changed our mentality. Then the club acquired some really good players. That really helped. There was more ambition. (Howe) really helped me from an individual point of view. He changed my mentality, too. He helped me in training and always told me to get better, whether it was playing on the left, the right or with my finishing. I think all of that was evident on the pitch, not just for me but for the entire group. We qualified for the Champions League and played in the Carabao Cup final against Manchester United. The club improved.”

When Almirón is asked about the affection Atlanta fans feel for him, he smiles and feels somewhat awkward with all the flattery. His time with Newcastle, however, left an enduring mark on him that conjures a different type of emotion. Almirón, arms crossed and still perspiring from a recent training session, talked about what he will cherish most from the English club.

“It’s such a strong feeling,” he said. “The Newcastle supporters are so passionate. It’s honestly incredible. Newcastle fans cheer a tackle, so to be honest, that experience, even when I was going through a difficult time, the fans always supported me. I felt that and I’m so grateful. I’ll always be grateful to the people of Newcastle.”

Almirón wasted no time when asked to provide his most memorable moment in a Newcastle shirt. “My goal against PSG,” he said.

After a 20-year drought, Newcastle was back in the Champions League in 2023 and hosting a PSG side led by manager Luis Enrique and star striker Kylian Mbappé. St James’ Park became an inferno, and the French side struggled. And Almirón, starting on the right-hand side for Howe, was the unlikely goal-scorer of Newcastle’s first Champions League goal in two decades.

“That day was important because of what it meant to us when we walked onto the pitch,” he said. “Not only because we won 4-1 or because I scored a goal. The feeling at the stadium was different. It didn’t feel like a Premier League game. It felt different. And I believe it had been 20 years since Newcastle was in the Champions League. … It’s the most beautiful memory that I have from my time in England.”

Almirón fires away for Newcastle vs. PSG in the UEFA Champions League in 2023. (Photo by Michael Regan/Getty Images)

In 2018, a lesser-tattooed Almirón was open about his desire to play in Europe. Atlanta as a club didn’t hide from that fact, either. Now 30, and a father of a young boy, Almirón’s goals have changed. He insisted he can still play at the Premier League level, but with Paraguay in contention for one of South America’s six automatic World Cup qualifying spots, consistent playing time became a priority.

“I needed to play. I needed to find my form,” Almirón said. “The World Cup will be played here in the United States. I think destiny has put all the pieces together.”

If a big transfer to Europe is no longer his objective, what will drive Almirón at the club level?

“Every player has to want to win,” he said. “That never changes. I want to give my best to Atlanta so that the club can go back to the top and challenge the best teams in the league. It would be great for the city to relive what we experienced before, because Atlanta is a wonderful city, the people here are warm and affectionate. My job is to help the club get better, to help my teammates. I have a lot of energy to give, a lot of football to play. The goal is to put Atlanta back at the top.”

Atlanta has not impressed so far under new manager Ronny Deila. Spells of attractive football have been quelled by inconsistent play and naive defending to start the 2025 season. Atlanta is also scoreless in its last two matches, with a 2-0 loss to Charlotte FC on March 1 followed by a 0-0 draw to the New York Red Bulls a week later.

“I still can’t get over those types of results,” Almirón said. “It’s still hard for me. My son has helped me a lot but I get really frustrated. I consider myself to be very disciplined so when things don’t go my way, when we lose or draw, I still struggle to accept it.”

Almirón said that he has felt comfortable in Deila’s 4-2-3-1 system. The freedom to roam from the right flank into the middle suits him. He hasn’t scored yet, but Deila’s hard pressing style and attacking football are similar to Howe’s tactics, he added. Chemistry with his new teammates remains a work in progress, but there’s little time to work it out. Messi and Inter Miami visit Atlanta on Sunday in the league’s marquee match of the weekend.

“I have a greater responsibility because of where I just came from,” he said. “The fans will expect more of me and that’s fine. That pressure helps a player improve on a daily basis. That doesn’t go away, at least not for me. I have to work twice as hard now to be the example and to drive the team forward. And my teammates have to do the same. I want to set the standard, because eventually some of these young players will want to play in the Premier League or other important leagues. That would be great for them.”

But will Atlanta be Almirón’s last destination as a professional?

“Hopefully Atlanta doesn’t kick me out of here,” he joked. “I don’t know what the future holds. Only God knows. But I came here to stay. I’m going to do everything possible to stay in Atlanta. In the end, this is a job. You can’t become emotionally attached. But I will work incredibly hard to help the team, to help the club and avoid anything that will stop me from playing. I want to be in Atlanta as long as possible.”

(Top photo: Brett Davis/Imagn Images)

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