Nicolas Otamendi

Nicolas Otamendi is an Argentine professional footballer who plays as a center-back for the Argentina national team and Portuguese Primeira Liga side Benfica.

Early Life

Otamendi was born on February 12, 1988, in Buenos Aires, Argentina. He grew up in the neighborhood of El Talar and began playing football at a young age. Otamendi started his career playing for local youth teams before joining Vélez Sarsfield's youth academy at the age of 13. He quickly rose through the ranks and made his professional debut for the club in 2008.

Club Career

During his time at Vélez Sarsfield, Otamendi won the Argentine Primera División and the Copa Libertadores, South America's most prestigious club competition. His performances earned him a call-up to the Argentine national team in 2009.

In 2010, Otamendi moved to Portuguese side Porto, where he played for three seasons and won three Primeira Liga titles, two Portuguese Cups, and the Europa League in 2011. He was a regular starter for Porto and was regarded as one of the best defenders in the league during his time there.

In 2014, Otamendi was signed by Valencia in La Liga. He played for the club for one season, making 25 appearances and scoring two goals. His performances earned him a move to Manchester City in the English Premier League in 2015.

Otamendi played for Manchester City for five seasons, during which he won two Premier League titles, one FA Cup, and four League Cups. He was a regular starter for the club and formed a strong defensive partnership with Vincent Kompany and later Aymeric Laporte.

In 2020, Otamendi moved to Portuguese side Benfica, where he currently plays. He has continued to play at a high level and has helped Benfica challenge for the Primeira Liga title.

International Career

Otamendi has been a regular member of the Argentine national team since making his debut in 2009. He has played in several major international tournaments and has established himself as a key defender for the team.

He was part of the Argentine squad that reached the quarter-finals of the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa. He played in three of the team's matches in the tournament, including their 4-0 victory over South Korea in the group stage.

He also played in the 2011 Copa America, where Argentina reached the quarter-finals before being eliminated by Uruguay. Otamendi was a regular starter throughout the tournament and played in all four of Argentina's matches.

Otamendi was part of the Argentine squad that reached the final of the 2014 FIFA World Cup in Brazil. He played in six of the team's matches in the tournament, including the final against Germany. Although Argentina were defeated in the final, Otamendi's performances throughout the tournament were praised by fans and analysts alike.

He also played in the 2015 and 2016 Copa America tournaments, where Argentina reached the final on both occasions but were defeated by Chile in penalty shootouts. He featured in the 2018 FIFA World Cup however Argentina were knocked out in the quarter-finals after a 4-3 loss to France.

His fortunes turned around in 2021 when he won the Copa America that year, starting the final against Brazil, which Argentina won 1-0. He added two more trophies to his collection in 2022 after winning the Finalissima against Italy and the 2022 FIFA World Cup. To date, he has featured 101 times for Argentina, scoring four goals.

Records

• Otamendi won the Copa Libertadores with Vélez Sarsfield in 2009, becoming the youngest player ever to win the competition with an Argentine club.

• He won the Europa League with Porto in 2011, becoming the first Argentine player to win the competition with a Portuguese club.

Awards and Achievements

Personal Life

He is a devout Christian and has spoken publicly about his faith and how it has helped him throughout his career. Otamendi is also known to be a car enthusiast and has a collection of high-end cars, including a Lamborghini and a Ferrari.

Net Worth

As of 2023, his net worth is estimated to be around $12 million.

Family

He was born to parents Gonzalo and Hernan Otamendi. He also has a brother and sister.

Wife

Otamendi is married to Sofía Herrero, and the couple has three children together. Their first child, a daughter named Mia, was born in 2012, while their second child, a son named Valentín, was born in 2015. Their third child, another daughter named Sienna, was born in 2018.

Houses

Not much is publicly known about his properties however he currently lives in Lisbon, Portugal, south of the River Tagus.