Otamendi turns 38, Argentine coach hails Benfica captain | OneFootball

Nicolás Otamendi - who celebrated Anísio Cabral's goal - turns 38 and marks another special date in a long professional journey. To recall the path taken, Ricardo Gareca, a coach who had just arrived at Vélez in 2009, saw potential in the defender, who at the time was only 21 years old and had only played two matches as a substitute: he gave him a place in the starting eleven.

"He has always been a great professional. You don't reach this level at 38 without being a great professional. I hope everything goes well for him until the end of his career", expressed the coach, in statements to the newspaper Record, praising the work ethic of the Benfica captain.

Ricardo Gareca did not hide what Otamendi symbolizes for their country. "I am proud of what he represents for Argentina. He has always been an ambassador for the country. Sharing some time with him was a source of pride for me. It doesn't surprise me that he is at the level he is. He has always been very competitive. I could see that. His entire career speaks for itself. He is a player who always competes, gives his best. It doesn't surprise me", he emphasized.

The 68-year-old coach, who was the national coach of Peru and Chile, remembers the first impact the Argentine international had among the older players. "When we saw him for the first time, we were surprised by everything he showed. He was there because of some problems with other colleagues. We didn't know him. Then, we were amazed by what he showed", he highlighted.

This Friday, against Santa Clara, Otamendi will enter a very exclusive group and become the sixth player in history to play a game for Benfica at 38 years old. And, in this group, there is only one member who was not a goalkeeper. It is the former full-back António Veloso, who played his last game at 38 years, four months, and 20 days. The center-back, moreover, will only reach Veloso if he renews his contract with the Club.

Locker room celebrates Otamendi's birthday:

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