Nicolás Otamendi

Nicolás Otamendi is a veteran Argentine centre-back who captains Benfica and is widely regarded as one of his country's most accomplished defenders. A commanding presence at the back, he was a cornerstone of Argentina's 2022 World Cup-winning squad, playing every minute of the tournament.

Otamendi came through the ranks at Vélez Sarsfield before moving to Europe, spending four productive seasons at Porto where he won three Primeira Liga titles. He then joined Valencia and later Manchester City, where he spent five years and claimed back-to-back Premier League titles alongside multiple domestic cup wins.

In 2020 he moved to Benfica on a permanent deal, becoming club captain and adding another Portuguese league title to his collection. Alongside his club career, Otamendi has been a long-serving fixture in the Argentina national team, earning over 130 caps across three World Cups and five Copa América tournaments, and lifting the Copa América in both 2021 and 2024.