Not a month has passed since the World Cup 2026 ended, but its stars are already on the move. And two of them are making their way to Argentine football’s biggest clubs, Boca Juniors and River Plate.
Last week, Boca secured the signing of Ecuador’s Enner Valencia. On Saturday, River announced that Argentine creative midfielder Thiago Almada will be a reinforcement for the club.
COMUNICADO OFICIAL
River Plate acordó con Atlético de Madrid la transferencia definitiva del jugador Thiago Almada.
El futbolista viajará en las próximas horas al país para sumarse al plantel. pic.twitter.com/79Vx5WbwqS
— River Plate (@RiverPlate) August 8, 2026
They arrive in Argentina at different stages of their careers.
At 36, Valencia is writing the last few chapters of his football story, one that saw him become an Ecuadorian legend in his own right.
Having come through one of Ecuador’s biggest teams in Emelec, Valencia quickly showed his skill as a striker, earning moves to Mexico’s Pachuca first and England’s West Ham later.
He was part of the generation that brought Ecuador back to the World Cup after 8 years in 2014. He went on to become his national team’s all-time leading goalscorer.
A traditional center forward, Valencia is strong in the air and has a great ability to finish in the box. The striker could be key for a Boca team that’s looking to capitalize on the many scoring opportunities it creates.
He arrives at the Xeneize on a free transfer after spending the last season with Mexico’s Pachuca.
River gets another Qatar 2022 winner
At just 25, Thiago Almada is on the other end of his career.
The creative midfielder, who came through at Vélez Sarsfield, is coming off a season at Spain’s Atlético Madrid, where he struggled to impose himself. He only started 18 games with the Colchoneros, scoring four goals and assisting two and earning fewer than 600 minutes in the first semester of 2026.
A World Champion at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, Almada combines dribbling skills, creativity, and determination on the pitch. He can play in the middle as a number 10 or out wide and will look to unlock a River Plate offense that has stagnated in the last few games under Eduardo Coudet.
River was reported to have paid just over 20 million euros to sign Almada, making him the most expensive signing in Argentine football history.
He will be the Millonario’s sixth former Qatar 2022 winner, after Gonzalo Montiel, Marcos Acuña, Nicolás Otamendi, and Ángel Correa, with Germán Pezzella set to depart the club soon.
