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Nicolás Otamendi portraitDF
Photo: Bryan Berlin · CC BY-SA 4.0

Player profile

Nicolás Otamendi

Defender · River Plate

ArgentinaActive

Nicolás Otamendi captains River Plate after signing as a free agent on 29 May 2026, going home to the club he supported once his Benfica contract ended.

Career

Vélez, Porto, a Valencia year with an Atlético Mineiro loan, Manchester City (2015–20) and six seasons as Benfica captain. ESPN reported the River deal the day after it was signed, running through 2027.

Wikipedia has six Argentine league appearances by late August. FotMob logged 90 minutes in a 1–1 with Santa Fe on 27 August 2026 and in the 2–2 with Vélez four days earlier. Transfermarkt: joined 1 July 2026, contract to 31 December 2027.

How they play

A right-footed centre-back who defends on the front foot and still plays every minute at 38. River have handed him the armband; FotMob’s August ratings sit in the 6.8–7.7 range.

Where they are now

AS, FotMob and Transfermarkt all list him at River Plate. He went to the 2026 World Cup with Argentina before reporting for the Clausura.

Bio

Date of birthFebruary 12, 1988 (age 38)
BirthplaceBuenos Aires
Height183 cm
PositionDefender
StatusActive
Current clubRiver Plate

Club career

  1. Club Atlético River Plate2026
  2. S.L. Benfica2020–2026
  3. Manchester City F.C.2015–2020
  4. Valencia CF2014–2015
  5. Clube Atlético Mineiro2014
  6. FC Porto2010–2014
  7. Club Atlético Vélez Sarsfield2007–2010

International career

  1. Argentina men's national football teamSince 2009Current

Honours

No honours on record yet.

Defining moments

  1. World Cup winner2022

    Otamendi started in Argentina’s 2022 World Cup-winning defence and remains in Lionel Scaloni’s group into 2026.

  2. The River return2026

    On 29 May 2026 River Plate announced the free signing. “Arriving at the club I support is a dream come true,” he said in the club’s welcome video (ESPN).

Latest season stats (ESPN)

Starts (sub-ins): 0 (0)Goals: 0Assists: 0Tackles: 0

In our archive

1 appearance0 goals0 assists
  • Argentina 0–1 SpainLSubstitute · #19 · on 44'FIFA World Cup · Final · Jul 19, 2026

Sources

Read for this profile

Profile written / last reviewed August 27, 2026.

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Comments

0/2000

Be decent. No links. Slurs are held for review, not published.

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