Otamendi sets exit date after Argentina v Venezuela, Benfica skipper decides | OneFootball

Nicolás Otamendi played his last game on Argentine soil for the national team in the early hours of Friday, September 5. The assurance was given by the captain of Benfica, after the Argentina – Venezuela match, which was marked by the farewell of Lionel Messi, in a match where he scored two goals.

“If there is no official game in Argentina, it was also my last game. I enjoyed it a lot. Happy because I wanted to finish this way. My family was here. Very happy”, said Nicolás Otamendi, who, at 38 years old, is preparing to represent the national team in the 2026 World Cup.

About Lionel Messi's farewell, the captain of Benfica did not hide his emotion: “Obviously Leo [Messi] deserves everything. He is the best player in history, by a large margin. It was necessary to finish this way. There were many children. Very happy that everyone could enjoy this moment”.

“It's an emotion to play in this field, with our audience. The qualifiers are complicated, but we have a very good group, with players who handle the ball very well. Very happy”, concluded Nicolás Otamendi, who, despite his age, continues to be an undisputed starter for Benfica and Argentina.

This season, only with the jersey of Benfica, Nicolás Otamendi - valued at 1 million euros - has played eight matches: four in the Champions League, three in the Liga Portugal Betcic and one in the Supertaça Cândido de Oliveira. In the 720 minutes he was on the field, the international for Argentina was at a high level.

Check out Nicolás Otamendi's statements after the Argentina - Venezuela match:

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