FIFA confirm Nicolas Otamendi handed one-match ban | OneFootball

It’s official. FIFA has confirmed that Nicolas Otamendi has received a one-match suspension and will miss the first match of the 2026 World Cup as a result of his sending off against Ecuador in the last round of the Qualifiers.

This confirms the news previously reported by Doble Amarilla, that the vice-captain of the Argentina National Team will miss the World Cup opener, but will be able to play in the Finalissima against Spain in 2026.

On Ecuadorian soil, the “Scaloneta” fell by the minimum against the “Tri” on a tough night in which Otamendi was shown a straight red for stopping a local attacking play at the feet of Enner Valencia.

It’s worth noting that the Benfica defender escaped a much longer suspension, as rumors suggested he could receive more than one match, although that version has now been dismissed.

Otamendi, between catharsis and pride: the defender’s letter after his last Qualifiers match

Nicolás Otamendi experienced a mix of emotions in Guayaquil on September 9, playing his last Qualifiers match with the Argentina National Team, a match he did not finish due to his sending off, but which brought a sense of relief for the experienced defender.

The former Vélez player used his social media to “say goodbye” and “vent” about his red card, “the first with this shirt, it wasn’t my day”, wrote ‘Ota’, adding: “I’ll remember the Qualifiers we played based on hard work, commitment, and above all, joy.”

In addition to announcing that it was his last “chapter of the Qualifiers”, the player who wore the captain’s armband this Tuesday in Ecuador reflected: “For things to go well, you have to come to enjoy and know how to represent this shirt. Proud of this group today, tomorrow, and always.”

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇪🇸 here.