Gonzalo Montiel
A tough, reliable right-back with ice in his veins — scorer of the penalty that won Argentina the 2022 World Cup and Sevilla the 2023 Europa League.
Playing Style Summary
Montiel is a right-back built on defensive reliability, competitive intensity and composure under pressure. A River Plate academy graduate, he spent four years in Europe with Sevilla and on loan at Nottingham Forest before returning to River in January 2025. He is best known for scoring the decisive penalties in the 2022 World Cup final and the 2023 Europa League final. At the 2026 World Cup he started the final against Spain at right-back.
Defining Traits
Composure Under Pressure
Two decisive final penalties — for Argentina and for Sevilla — show a player who does not shrink when the stakes are highest.
Front-Foot Defending
Aggressive and competitive in duels, he steps in to stop wingers turning and is willing to defend high up the pitch.
Supporting Runs
Overlaps the wide midfielder or winger when space opens on the right, offering an extra crossing option.
Tactical Reliability
He follows defensive instructions, holds his position in a back four and is trusted by coaches in big matches.
Strengths
- Composure and technique from the penalty spot
- Competitive, aggressive one-v-one defending
- Disciplined positioning within a back four
- Experience in finals for club and country
Limitations
- Not an elite crosser or creator in the final third
- Aggressive defending can lead to fouls and bookings
- Lacks the top-end recovery pace to cover against the quickest wingers
More Argentina players
See the full squad →
Nahuel Molina
“An energetic, attack-minded right-back who arrives in the box like a winger — now back in Serie A as a wing-back at Roma.”
Nicolás Otamendi
“A fierce, front-foot centre-back and serial winner — the veteran leader who played a World Cup final at 38 and now captains River Plate.”
Cristian Romero
“A proactive, front-foot centre-back who defends by stepping into midfield — aggressive, dominant in the air and built for big games.”
Marcos Senesi
“A left-footed centre-back built for possession football — calm on the ball, good at reading the game, and comfortable as the left-sided defender in a team that builds from the back.”
Lisandro Martínez
“An undersized centre-back who plays far bigger — aggressive, front-foot defending combined with some of the best left-footed line-breaking passing of any defender in the world.”
Nicolás Tagliafico
“A tenacious, tactically disciplined left-back — relentless in duels, reliable in his positioning and experienced enough to have started a World Cup final and a Champions League semi-final run.”
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