Otamendi ends his stint with Argentina

Defender Nicolás Otamendi has decided to end his career with the Argentine national football team at the age of 38, just days after the team’s loss in the 2026 FIFA World Cup final to Spain.

Otamendi, who recently joined Argentine club River Plate, announced his decision in a video and a message posted on social media.

He wrote, “I am leaving the national team with a sense of peace, knowing I gave everything I had. I never held back any effort, never stopped believing, and never ceased to consider this jersey the greatest honor of my life.”

Otamendi played 139 matches for the Albiceleste since his debut in 2009 under Diego Maradona, participating in four World Cup editions (South Africa 2010, Russia 2018, Qatar 2022, and North America 2026), and establishing himself as one of the key players of the squad that won the world title four years ago. His record also includes two Copa América titles (2021 and 2024), as well as the 2022 Finalissima victory over Italy, then European champions.

Otamendi had previously announced in 2025 that the 2026 World Cup would be his last tournament with the national team. He joined River Plate’s training center in Buenos Aires after more than 15 years playing in European stadiums, where he represented Porto and Benfica of Portugal, Valencia of Spain, and Manchester City of England, along with a brief stint in 2014 with Brazilian club Atlético Mineiro.