'He was always behind Messi's back' Argentina's defensive heart, ending a 17-year national team career... Otamendi's World Cup final as the 'last dance'

*This content was translated by AI.

Veteran defender Nicolas Otamendi (38, River Plate) of the Argentina national football team is retiring from the national jersey.

On the 24th (Korean time), Otamendi announced his retirement from the national team via his social media (SNS), saying, "I am closing the most special chapter of my life. Playing for the Argentina national team was the greatest privilege football has given me." This marks the end of his A-match career that continued for 17 years since his first selection in 2009.

His final A-match became the 2026 FIFA North, Central America and Caribbean World Cup final against Spain on the 20th, which ended in a 0-1 loss after extra time. Otamendi stated, "The result was not what I wanted, but I gave everything until the last moment, so I am leaving with my head held high."

He also did not forget to offer words of advice to his country and younger teammates. Otamendi emphasized, "Knowing what this jersey means to millions of Argentine people, I protected it with all my soul and pride. Even if insurmountable trials come, never lose faith. The jersey always rewards players who fight with humility and sacrifice."

Otamendi made his A-match debut under former coach Diego Maradona in 2009, appearing in a total of 139 matches with 8 goals and 2 assists, placing him among Argentina's all-time most-capped players. He participated in four World Cup stages from the 2010 South Africa tournament through to the 2026 North America tournament.

Otamendi shared numerous twists and triumphs of Argentine football alongside national team captain Lionel Messi. Although he suffered consecutive defeats in the Copa América finals in 2015 and 2016, starting from the 2021 Copa América victory, he helped sustain Oh Reu-myeo (CEO)'s golden era with back-to-back titles at the 2022 Qatar World Cup and the 2024 Copa América. Notably, during the Qatar World Cup, he played nearly full time in every match, making a decisive contribution to becoming world champions.

Having concluded his national team career brilliantly, Otamendi plans to focus on his club schedule for the foreseeable future. After playing for Porto, Valencia, Manchester City, and Benfica in Europe, he recently returned to his former club, Argentina's River Plate, where he continues his playing career.

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*This content was translated by AI.