After an illustrious 17-year career, Argentine defender Nicolas Otamendi on Friday announced his retirement from international football.
The 38-year-old leaves as one of Argentina’s most iconic and decorated defenders, having won the World Cup 2022 and two Copa America titles. His final appearance came in the FIFA World Cup 2026 final, where Argentina lost 1-0 to Spain.
Otamendi, who made 139 appearances for Argentina over nearly two decades, posted on Instagram.
He wrote, “Today I have to write the most difficult words of my career. As fate would have it, my last match was a World Cup final. It wasn’t the result we wanted, but I’m leaving with my head held high, knowing that this team gave it their all right up to the very last second. Thank you, Argentina, for allowing me to fulfil the dream of becoming a world champion”.
Decorated club and country career
Otamendi began his career at Argentine club Vélez Sarsfield before moving to Europe in 2010 to join Portuguese side Porto, where he won two league titles.
In 2014, he transferred to Valencia, moved to Manchester City in 2015 and played the rest of his European career out with Benfica from 2020 to 2026. He now plays for Argentine club River Plate.
He won the Premier League, Champions League, FA Cup, Carabao Cup and major trophies at all clubs he played at in a highly decorated career.
For Argentina, he made his debut in 2009 and was a part of the squad for the 2010 World Cup, where Argentina was knocked out in the quarter-final by Germany. History repeated itself in 2014, as Argentina again lost to Germany in the final, but Otamendi was not a part of the squad at this tournament. In the 2018 World Cup, as a part of the squad, he reached the Round of 16, losing to France.
He then won the 2021 and 2023 Copa Americas and the 2022 World Cup, capping off a highly decorated and celebrated international career.
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