Otamendi's Argentina farewell sets alarm bells ringing at Benfica | OneFootball

In recent hours, after Nicolás Otamendi revealed that he would be ending his international career, some doubts have begun to arise regarding the Argentine’s continuity with Benfica next season. The number 30 renewed his contract this year, however, his future remains uncertain due to his age.

A starter in the match against Venezuela—the last he will play at home, just like Lionel Messi—both Argentines will still be available to participate in the 2026 World Cup. However, the fact that the tournament will take place after his contract with the Club of Light expires raises the question of whether the Eagles will move forward with the center-back’s continuity, who will already be 38 years old by then.

The same source states that, due to his strong presence as a group leader, the Eagles did well to renew with the defender in order to strengthen the squad for the 2025/26 season.

After the end of the South American qualifiers, Otamendi still wants to take part in the preparation friendlies, so he can say goodbye to fans around the world. However, this decision by the Benfica captain is not 100% aligned with the club, which wants him to play just one match for the Albiceleste in October.

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 Betclic, and one in the Supertaça Cândido de Oliveira. In the 720 minutes he spent on the pitch, the Argentine international performed at a very high level.

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