Otamendi: 'We know everyone will want to beat us, because we are the champions'

Nicolás Otamendi, at 38, is gearing up for his fourth and likely final World Cup, a tournament that begins for Argentina against Algeria.

The veteran defender recognizes the immense pressure on the reigning champions. "We know that everyone will want to beat us because we are the champions," Otamendi told reporters. He stressed the need for humility and hard work to navigate the competition.

Otamendi, who will join River Plate on July 1, expressed his enjoyment of the present moment. "I enjoy these moments because it will be my last World Cup, I enjoy the day-to-day, my teammates, it's a beautiful competition," he said, visibly emotional about defending his country's colors for a fourth time.

He also highlighted the healthy competition within the squad, noting how emerging young talents push the experienced players. "The more experienced players make us keep competing, and that's why Argentina has remained at the top in recent years," Otamendi explained. Regarding their first opponent, Algeria, he praised their individual talent but underscored the importance of defensive organization and sticking to their own game plan, drawing lessons from Argentina's surprising opening loss in the 2022 World Cup.

"We have to play our game, they have good players. And I think defensive organization is key," he stated. "We have to do our game. In general terms, we have to think about our game. With the quality of players we have, we can trouble the opponent at any time."