Nicolás Otamendi, with Clarín: “We see people who are happy with this team, we get excited and we enjoy it”

For Nicola Otamendi, Panama was not another rival in his life. The Central American team leaves great memories for the Argentine central scorer. It is that, before the Panamanians, he made his debut with the albiceleste and celebrated obtaining the World Cup. Between the two parties there are almost 16 years of difference and a tour that has left its mark until it reaches the maximum a footballer can aspire to.

“It’s difficult to explain, memories of everything we’ve been through come back to me up to the most important thing for a footballer, personally what I’m experiencing with the national team is very important to me”said Otamendi after the victory in the friendly match against Panama and the big party at the Monumental.

On May 20, 2009, again in a friendly, but in Santa Fe and with a team made up of local players, a young 21-year-old Otamendi made his debut with the Argentine shirtsummoned by nothing more and nothing less than Diego Armando Maradonawho saw potential in that young defender who already excelled at Vélez.

What if Otamendi had a difficult time in the national team, in which he went from illusions to blows, until the story changed and he reached the top. Suffered elimination in South Africa 2010, where he exposed himself playing at right-back in the 0-4 draw against Germany; he was excluded from the list for Brazil 2014; He suffered the two final losses against Chile for the Copa América in 2015 and 2016 and was part of the disaster in Russia in 2018.

But this – as the song says – is over. Because the Copa América was won at the Maracana. Because the Final was reached by beating Italy at Wembley. And because the third came. So now the Selection is enjoyed. “Weeks before coming to Argentina, I was already anxious about having fun with people, I had trouble sleeping, woke up at dawn and couldn’t sleep. And in three hours I had to go to training. But that’s the beauty of being able to enjoy our country, our people, the recognition. We hear all the fans with us”Otamendi said clarion in the middle of the press conference he held in the inner ring of the Monumental.

And he went on to talk about the people with whom these players have a special communion: “I think this game was important for people. We know the effort they made to get a ticket. We knew they sold out quickly, within two hours, and those who were here were lucky enough to enjoy the team. And there were people who couldn’t do it, but who also give us their affection. It’s a sign of affection that we live day by day, we see excited, happy people, from the youngest to the oldest, happy with this team. And this excites us and we enjoy it”.

Faced with this situation, Otamendi admitted that it was “complicated” to go out and play with everything that was experienced in the previous one, but “We decided to continue on the same line even if it was a friendly match”. They felt that they should leave everything as usual and not relax because of the celebration. Furthermore, it is the plan in the continuity of this successful process. “We were focused, in the same line with which we faced the America’s Cup and the World Cup. This selection is a commitment and we want to continue on the same line in order to continue to compete and achieve results. That’s the idea”assured the 35-year-old defender.

Otamendi also referred to Messi. “At one point it seemed like Leo was training because he had free kicks left and couldn’t score them, like he was playing to hit the crossbar (laughs)… And that’s how it is, sometimes he kicks inside and it’s the first leg and sometimes not, the great thing is that he keeps trying with the same ambition and wants to keep scoring goals for the national team and bring joy to the people”. “It’s crazy that he’s scored 800 goals in his career. We are happy with what he does for us and because he wants to continue to give everything ”.

Otamendi shared with Leo – and also with Angel Di María, the three remaining of the old guard – a thousand battles. And since that distant 2009 he has defended the national team shirt, the one he enjoys today more than ever after being world champion.

A red and white future?

Nicolás Otamendi is an avowed River fan. He has dreamed more than once of wearing the red sash. And apparently the big break would be closer than ever. It is that the central scorer’s contract with Benfica de Portugal expires in June and he has not yet signed a renewal. “I’m a River fan, you already know that. And I’m grateful to River. It’s a source of pride that a club of this magnitude praises you like it does, I get a lot of love from people and that makes me happy”, Otamendi said after Argentina’s victory over Panama.

And although he stressed that he remains focused on Benfica, where he is competing for both the Portuguese championship and the Champions League, in which his club is in the quarter-finals, in which case they will face Inter Milan, he has not closed the doors on a future dyed red and white. He even winked again at the institution he’s a fan of. “The Monumental was very nice and enjoying it with the national team is something very nice because it can connect with us”said the defender.

Otamendi’s words are placed in context: when he referred to the “praises” he indicated not only those he receives from fans through social networks, but also those of Martín Demichelis and the management. In December, the River manager and his former teammate at Manchester City and the national team, who had begun to tempt him. “I came out as world champion and then I got to the River,” Micho had sent Otamendi as a direct public message when the World Cup was still under discussion. Thursday evening, before retiring from the Monumental, he launched: “I know Micho, I know him and I’m flattered by what he said about me”.

After Demichelis, Franco Armani, Otamendi’s teammate in the national team, also attempted it. “We’ll wait for it,” he said at his first post-World Cup press conference. And Nacho Fernández did the same: “There is a world champion who is talking about who could come. Let him come, we are waiting for him”.

And the leadership does its job too. On Thursday evening, in addition to giving away shirts to Messi, the former River and Armani, he also gave one to Otamendi. Yes, Ota brought his red armband with the 19 on his back to his house. And posed with a beaming smile. Will it be the jacket he will wear from July? This story will continue…