Soccer player in a white and red uniform raising his fist in celebration during a match — Otamendi was Benfica's standout player | La Derecha Diario

Camara — Otamendi was Benfica's standout player | La Derecha Diario

Otamendi's posts and statements after saving Benfica against Boca

The Argentine defender played a key role in his team's comeback during their Club World Cup debut and, after the match, he did not hide his passion for River

17/06/2025 12:10:00h

Editorial Team

Boca's debut in the Club World Cup brought intense emotions and an unexpected protagonist: Nicolás Otamendi. Benfica's defender was vital for his team to come back from a 0-2 deficit against Xeneize and secure a dramatic 2-2 draw at the Hard Rock Stadium in Miami.

With the draw secured, the world champion center-back shared 19 photos on his Instagram account, many of them focused on his header goal, the first in the Portuguese comeback. The post was accompanied by a mention of the club and the tournament, and featured the song "Para la gilada" by the cumbia group Meta Guacha.

A player jumps to head the ball in front of the goal while the goalkeeper and several defenders try to prevent the goal, with a crowd of fans in the stands in the background.

One of the photos Otamendi posted on Instagram | La Derecha Diario

Among the most notable comments on the post, Ángel Di María wrote: "Jump, captain," while Arthur Cabral, his former teammate and current Botafogo player, commented: "Idol." The post also received likes from footballers such as Walter Benítez, Lisandro Martínez, Mariano Andújar, and Javier Pastore, among others.

Already in the mixed zone, Otamendi was asked about his celebration and answered bluntly: "Everyone knows I'm a River fan. Scoring a goal, I celebrate it like any goal I score against any opponent. The truth is, these are goals that one has to celebrate, I had to celebrate them."

Group of men posing together while two of them hold River Plate soccer jerseys with the names G. Rodríguez and Otamendi.

Otamendi wearing River's jersey | La Derecha Diario

He added: "The whole match they whistled at me, it happened that I had to score the goal and I was very happy. I celebrated it a lot, like all the goals I get to score. More than happy. We knew the demands they were going to put on us and we also had to focus on doing well to get the three points. The next match for us also has to be a final like today."

Regarding his performance and the draw, he emphasized: "We were down 2-0 and my goal helped us tie the match. We already know how Boca plays, how demanding they are in duels and those things. We found the equalizer and I am very happy. We know that they are strong in duels. Facing an Argentine team again after a long time, I think it's nice, it's a competition that must be enjoyed and done in the best possible way so that we, personally, can keep advancing."

A player wearing the number 30 on his jersey watches the opposing fans holding yellow and blue flags while several photographers capture the moment from the edge of the field.

Another photo published by Otamendi | La Derecha Diario

He also referred to his future, which is still undecided: "I still haven't solved my future. I am enjoying this competition, which is a competition any player would like."

➡️ Argentina