Julián Álvarez Rejoins Atlético Training After Argentina's 2026 World Cup Run

New mustache, trimmed beard and the same hunger as ever on the pitch. That's how Julián Álvarez returned to the Ciudad Deportiva in Majadahonda, where he trained for the first time this Wednesday alongside the rest of the Atlético Madrid squad following his run with the Argentina national team at the 2026 World Cup. Diego Simeone, watching closely from the sideline, can once again count on one of his most important pieces.

The return didn't happen overnight. The forward from Córdoba arrived at the club's training facility on Tuesday at 11:30 a.m. and worked alone with fitness coach Luis Piñedo, first on the field and then in the gym. It's the standard protocol the club applies to players who report back late after playing in the World Cup: a few days of individual work before joining the group session. This Wednesday, barely 48 hours after passing his medical and fitness tests in Madrid, Julián took that step and completed the morning session with his teammates.

The scene carries extra weight given how the summer ended for the Spider. On June 22, after Argentina's match against Austria at the World Cup, the forward was blunt about his future:

"The best thing for both parties is a transfer," he said, adding that he wanted "to fulfill his dream."Julián Álvarez

Those words set off a saga that ran through much of the transfer window. Barcelona emerged as the club most interested in signing him, but Atlético never budged from its position. CEO Miguel Ángel Gil Marín made clear that no offers for the Argentine would be entertained. Álvarez is under contract through 2030 and carries a release clause of 500 million euros.

A Dispute That Reached the Spanish Football Federation

The back and forth didn't stay confined to public statements. The situation escalated into a direct clash between the two clubs and led the Disciplinary Committee of the Royal Spanish Football Federation to open an extraordinary disciplinary proceeding against Barcelona, over alleged contacts with the player's camp while he was still under contract with Atlético.

With that noise still fresh, Wednesday's scene feels almost reassuring for Atlético fans. Julián is back to his normal routine, training with the group, and Simeone regains one of his top offensive references just as the start of the season begins to come into view. It remains to be seen how his contract situation evolves in the coming months, but for now, at least on the training pitch in Majadahonda, everything is back on track.