Nicolás Otamendi opens up on leaving Benfica and makes it clear: It’s done | OneFootball

Nicolás Otamendi - who has been in the spotlight recently - leaves open the possibility of leaving Benfica after his current contract ends, which expires at the end of the season. In an interview with the Argentine television station Telefe, the captain of the Eagles also denied having met with any River Plate official.

"I have one more year on my contract, and after the World Cup, I’ll see what I’m going to do. I never spoke with [Marcelo] Gallardo. I never had the opportunity to talk to him. My whole family supports River Plate,” said Nicolás Otamendi, addressing the possibility of staying at Benfica beyond 2026.

Nicolás Otamendi also revealed that the 2026 World Cup, which will be played in the United States, will mark the end of his international career: “It will be my last competition with the national team and that’s it. Every time I got to wear the national team shirt, I always tried to give my best.”

“First, it was very hard for me to make it to the senior national team, and after I got there, my family taught me that everything is hard, and that in life, you have to be a warrior and always try to give your best. And if things don’t go well, you have to try again the next day. That’s life,” concluded Nicolás Otamendi.

This season, wearing only the Benfica shirt, Nicolás Otamendi - valued at 1 million euros - has played eight matches: four in the Champions League, three in Liga Portugal Betcic, and one in the Supertaça Cândido de Oliveira. In the 720 minutes he spent on the pitch, the Argentina international has performed at a very high level.

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