Nicolas Otamendi has ended his international career after Argentina’s loss to Spain in the 2026 World Cup final, becoming the first member of that squad to announce his retirement from the national team. At 38, the defender concludes a tenure with The Albiceleste that lasted almost twenty years.
Otamendi’s retirement naturally invites comparison with his long‑time teammate Lionel Messi, whose international career has been longer and yielded far more appearances. While Otamendi finishes with 139 caps, Messi stands at the summit of Argentina’s all‑time list with 207 appearances.
The two shared the pitch throughout nearly all of Argentina’s most successful era, collecting a series of titles that reshaped the nation’s standing in world football.
Otamendi’s exit signals the end of that generation’s active presence, even as Messi’s own future with the squad remains an open question after this tournament.
Otamendi’s Statistics and Trophies Won Alongside Messi
Otamendi made his Argentina debut on May 20, 2009, in a friendly versus Panama under Diego Maradona, eventually amassing 139 appearances and seven goals over more than 17 years with the national team. His rise to prominence accelerated under Lionel Scaloni, becoming a defensive cornerstone of the team’s most successful era.
Alongside Messi, Otamendi captured the 2021 Copa America, the 2022 Grand Final, the 2022 World Cup in Qatar and the 2024 Copa America—a trophy collection matched by very few players in the national team’s history.
Argentina’s Most Capped Players of All Time
With his retirement finalized, here’s where Otamendi lands among Argentina’s most capped players ever: