Nicolás Otamendi facts for kids
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Otamendi with Argentina at the 2018 FIFA World Cup
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| Full name | Nicolás Hernán Gonzalo Otamendi | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Date of birth | 12 February 1988 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Place of birth | Buenos Aires, Argentina | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Height | 1.83 m (6 ft 0 in) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Position(s) | Centre-back | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Team information | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Current team
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Benfica | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Number | 30 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Youth career | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1995–2007 | Vélez Sarsfield | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Senior career* | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2007–2010 | Vélez Sarsfield | 40 | (1) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2010–2014 | Porto | 77 | (7) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2014–2015 | Valencia | 35 | (6) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2014 | → Atlético Mineiro (loan) | 19 | (1) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2015–2020 | Manchester City | 136 | (8) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2020– | Benfica | 148 | (10) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| International career‡ | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2009– | Argentina | 126 | (7) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2024 | Argentina Olympic (O.P.) | 4 | (0) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Medal record
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| *Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 30 May 2025 ‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 10 June 2025 |
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Nicolás Hernán Gonzalo Otamendi (born on February 12, 1988) is a professional footballer from Argentina. He plays as a centre-back for Primeira Liga club Benfica, where he is the team captain. He also plays for the Argentina national team.
Otamendi started his career playing for Vélez Sarsfield and Porto. With Porto, he won eight major titles, including three Primeira Liga championships and the 2011 Europa League. In 2014, he joined Valencia and spent four months on loan at Atlético Mineiro in Brazil.
In 2015, Otamendi moved to Manchester City. There, he won two Premier League titles in a row (2018 and 2019). He also won four League Cups and an FA Cup. In 2020, Otamendi returned to Portugal to play for Benfica. He has since won another league title (2023) and the Portuguese League Cup with them.
Nicolás Otamendi has played for Argentina since 2009. He has played in over 120 matches for his country. He has represented Argentina in three FIFA World Cups and five Copas América. After finishing second twice in the Copa América, Otamendi finally won the 2021 Copa América in his fourth attempt. The next year, he helped Argentina win the 2022 World Cup, playing every minute of their games. In 2024, Otamendi won his second straight Copa América title.
Contents
Club Career Highlights
Starting at Vélez Sarsfield
Nicolás Otamendi was born in Buenos Aires, Argentina. He made his first professional football appearance for Club Atlético Vélez Sarsfield on May 10, 2008. This was in a 2–1 home win against Rosario Central.
At first, he was not a regular starter. But when Ricardo Gareca became coach, Otamendi got his chance. He became a key player in the team that won the 2009 Clausura tournament. He played in 17 of the 19 games.
Otamendi scored his first professional goal in 2009. It was in a 3–1 victory against Arsenal de Sarandí. His great performances that year led to him being chosen for the South American Team of the Year.
Success with Porto
On August 23, 2010, Otamendi moved to the Portuguese club FC Porto. He signed a five-year contract. He scored in his very first game for Porto, a 2–0 win. In his first season (2010–11), he played 15 games and scored five goals. Porto won the Primeira Liga championship that year.
Porto bought the rest of Otamendi's player rights in September 2011. He played 30 official games during the 2011–12 season. He helped the club win two more major titles, including another league championship.
Time at Valencia
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On February 5, 2014, Otamendi was sold to Valencia CF in La Liga for €12 million. His contract started on July 1. He was immediately loaned to Clube Atlético Mineiro in Brazil. He played 19 games for them and scored one goal.
Otamendi made his debut in the Spanish top league on August 23, 2014. He started in a 1–1 draw against Sevilla FC. He scored his first goal for Valencia on October 4, helping them win 3–1.
On January 4, 2015, Otamendi scored the winning goal for Valencia in a 2–1 home win against Real Madrid. This win ended Real Madrid's amazing 22-match winning streak. He helped Valencia qualify for the UEFA Champions League. He was the only player from his team to be named in the La Liga Team of the Year.
Winning Trophies with Manchester City
In August 2015, Otamendi joined Manchester City on a five-year deal. He made his debut on September 15, 2015, in a Champions League game. His Premier League debut was four days later.
On October 31, 2015, Otamendi scored his first goal for Manchester City. He played all 120 minutes when City won the Football League Cup on February 28, 2016. They beat Liverpool in a penalty shootout in the final.
On November 1, 2017, Otamendi scored his first UEFA Champions League goal. A month later, he scored the winning goal in the Manchester derby. This helped City get an 11-point lead in the Premier League. City went on to win the Premier League title that season with a record 100 points. This was Otamendi's first league title in England.
In the 2018–19 season, Otamendi helped Manchester City make history. They became the first English men's team to win a domestic treble. This means they won the League Cup, Premier League title, and FA Cup all in one season. In his last season with Manchester City, Otamendi played 39 games. He also helped his team win the League Cup for the third season in a row in March 2020. This was his final trophy with City.
Return to Portugal with Benfica
On September 29, 2020, Otamendi moved to Benfica, a rival of his former club Porto. He signed a three-year contract. He made his league debut on October 4, in a 3–2 win.
International Career for Argentina
In April 2009, Nicolás Otamendi was called up to the Argentina national team by coach Diego Maradona. He had only played 11 professional games at that time. He started the friendly match on May 20, which Argentina won 3–1.
During the 2010 FIFA World Cup qualifying games, Otamendi played in several important matches. He helped Argentina qualify for the World Cup in South Africa. In the 2010 World Cup, he played in the final group stage game against Greece. Maradona said he was the best player on the field in that match.
Otamendi also played in the round-of-16 game against Mexico, which Argentina won 3–1. His last game in the tournament was a 0–4 loss to Germany in the quarter-finals.
Otamendi scored his first goal for Argentina on September 2, 2011. It was in a 1–0 friendly win against Venezuela. He headed in a corner from Lionel Messi.
After not being chosen for the 2014 World Cup, he was selected for the 2015 Copa América. He played almost every minute as Argentina lost to Chile in the final. He was named in the Team of the Tournament.
Otamendi started all games in the Copa América Centenario in 2016. Argentina again faced Chile in the final and lost in a penalty shootout. He scored the first goal in a 5–0 win against Panama in the group stage.
He was part of Argentina's squad for the 2018 World Cup. Argentina was knocked out by France in the round-of-16.
In June 2021, he was included in the squad for the 2021 Copa América. On July 10, he played the whole match as Argentina beat Brazil 1–0 in the final to win the Copa América.
On June 1, 2022, Otamendi played the entire match as Argentina won 3–0 against Italy in the 2022 Finalissima.
He was chosen for Argentina's squad for the 2022 World Cup. On December 18, 2022, in his 100th international game, he played in the final. Argentina won the World Cup by beating France 4–2 in a penalty shootout after the game ended 3–3. Otamendi played every single minute of the tournament.
On November 21, 2023, he scored the winning goal in a 1–0 victory over Brazil. This was Brazil's first ever home defeat in World Cup qualification games.
In June 2024, Otamendi was again part of Argentina's squad for the 2024 Copa América. During the tournament, he scored the winning penalty against Ecuador in the quarter-finals.
Career Statistics
Club Appearances
| Club | Season | League | National cup | League cup | Continental | Other | Total | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Vélez Sarsfield | 2007–08 | Argentine Primera División | 1 | 0 | — | — | 0 | 0 | — | 1 | 0 | |||
| 2008–09 | 18 | 0 | — | — | — | — | 18 | 0 | ||||||
| 2009–10 | 19 | 1 | — | — | 14 | 0 | — | 33 | 1 | |||||
| 2010–11 | 2 | 0 | — | — | 0 | 0 | — | 2 | 0 | |||||
| Total | 40 | 1 | — | — | 14 | 0 | — | 54 | 1 | |||||
| Porto | 2010–11 | Primeira Liga | 15 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 13 | 1 | — | 31 | 6 | |
| 2011–12 | 20 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 30 | 2 | ||
| 2012–13 | 29 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 8 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 43 | 1 | ||
| 2013–14 | 13 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 20 | 1 | ||
| Total | 77 | 7 | 6 | 1 | 7 | 1 | 31 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 124 | 10 | ||
| Atlético Mineiro (loan) | 2014 | Série A | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 7 | 0 | 7 | 1 | 19 | 1 | |
| Valencia | 2014–15 | La Liga | 35 | 6 | 3 | 0 | — | — | — | 38 | 6 | |||
| Manchester City | 2015–16 | Premier League | 30 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 12 | 0 | — | 49 | 1 | |
| 2016–17 | 30 | 1 | 5 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 7 | 0 | — | 43 | 1 | |||
| 2017–18 | 34 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 8 | 1 | — | 46 | 5 | |||
| 2018–19 | 18 | 0 | 5 | 1 | 4 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 33 | 1 | ||
| 2019–20 | 24 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 8 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 39 | 3 | ||
| Total | 136 | 8 | 17 | 1 | 15 | 1 | 40 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 210 | 11 | ||
| Benfica | 2020–21 | Primeira Liga | 27 | 1 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 38 | 1 |
| 2021–22 | 28 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 13 | 0 | — | 43 | 0 | |||
| 2022–23 | 31 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 13 | 1 | — | 46 | 2 | |||
| 2023–24 | 31 | 2 | 5 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 12 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 51 | 4 | ||
| 2024–25 | 31 | 6 | 4 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 12 | 1 | 4 | 1 | 54 | 8 | ||
| Total | 148 | 10 | 16 | 1 | 6 | 1 | 56 | 2 | 6 | 1 | 232 | 15 | ||
| Career total | 438 | 32 | 42 | 3 | 28 | 3 | 147 | 4 | 18 | 2 | 673 | 44 | ||
International Appearances
| National team | Year | Apps | Goals |
|---|---|---|---|
| Argentina | 2009 | 5 | 0 |
| 2010 | 5 | 0 | |
| 2011 | 5 | 1 | |
| 2012 | 0 | 0 | |
| 2013 | 1 | 0 | |
| 2014 | 2 | 0 | |
| 2015 | 12 | 0 | |
| 2016 | 13 | 2 | |
| 2017 | 8 | 0 | |
| 2018 | 8 | 1 | |
| 2019 | 11 | 0 | |
| 2020 | 4 | 0 | |
| 2021 | 13 | 0 | |
| 2022 | 13 | 0 | |
| 2023 | 9 | 2 | |
| 2024 | 14 | 1 | |
| 2025 | 3 | 0 | |
| Total | 126 | 7 | |
- Scores and results list Argentina's goal tally first, score column indicates score after each Otamendi goal.
| No. | Date | Venue | Cap | Opponent | Score | Result | Competition |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 September 2011 | Salt Lake Stadium, Kolkata, India | 12 |  Venezuela |
1–0 | 1–0 | Friendly |
| 2 | 10 June 2016 | Soldier Field, Chicago, United States | 34 |  Panama |
1–0 | 5–0 | Copa América Centenario |
| 3 | 6 September 2016 | Metropolitano de Mérida, Mérida, Venezuela | 40 | Venezuela |
2–2 | 2–2 | 2018 FIFA World Cup qualification |
| 4 | 27 March 2018 | Wanda Metropolitano, Madrid, Spain | 53 |  Spain |
1–2 | 1–6 | Friendly |
| 5 | 12 October 2023 | Estadio Monumental, Buenos Aires, Argentina | 106 |  Paraguay |
1–0 | 1–0 | 2026 FIFA World Cup qualification |
| 6 | 21 November 2023 | Estádio do Maracanã, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil | 109 |  Brazil |
1–0 | 1–0 | 2026 FIFA World Cup qualification |
| 7 | 10 October 2024 | Estadio Monumental, Maturín, Venezuela | 120 | Venezuela |
1–0 | 1–1 | 2026 FIFA World Cup qualification |
Honours and Awards
Vélez
- Argentine Primera División: 2009 Clausura
Porto
- Primeira Liga: 2010–11, 2011–12, 2012–13
- Taça de Portugal: 2010–11
- Supertaça Cândido de Oliveira: 2011, 2012, 2013
- UEFA Europa League: 2010–11
Manchester City
- Premier League: 2017–18, 2018–19
- FA Cup: 2018–19
- Football League/EFL Cup: 2015–16, 2017–18, 2018–19, 2019–20
- FA Community Shield: 2018, 2019
Benfica
- Primeira Liga: 2022–23
- Taça da Liga: 2024–25
- Supertaça Cândido de Oliveira: 2023
Argentina
- FIFA World Cup: 2022
- Copa América: 2021, 2024
- CONMEBOL–UEFA Cup of Champions: 2022
Individual Awards
- South American Team of the Year: 2009
- O Jogo Primeira Liga Team of the Year: 2012
- La Liga Team of the Season: 2014–15
- Copa América Team of the Tournament: 2015, 2016
- PFA Team of the Year: 2017–18 Premier League
- ESM Team of the Season: 2017–18
- Primeira Liga Team of the Year: 2022–23, 2024–25
See also
In Spanish: Nicolás Otamendi para niños
