Nico Paz

In this Spanish name, the first or paternal surname is Paz and the second or maternal family name is Martínez.
Nico Paz
Paz with Como in 2025
Personal information
Full name Nicolás Paz Martínez[1]
Date of birth (2004-09-08) 8 September 2004
Place of birth Santa Cruz de Tenerife, Spain[1]
Height 1.86 m (6 ft 1 in)[1]
Position Attacking midfielder
Team information
Current team
 Como
Number 10
Youth career
2011–2014 CD San Juan
2014–2016 Tenerife
2016–2022 Real Madrid
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2022–2024 Real Madrid B 49 (11)
2023–2024 Real Madrid 4 (0)
2024– Como 50 (11)
International career‡
2022 Argentina U20 8 (4)
2024– Argentina 6 (0)
* Club domestic league appearances and goals as of 22:15, 14 December 2025 (UTC)
‡ National team caps and goals as of 13:41, 15 October 2025 (UTC)

Nicolás Paz Martínez (born 8 September 2004) is a professional footballer who plays as an attacking midfielder for Serie A club Como. Born in Spain, he plays for the Argentina national team. He is considered one of the best young players in the world.[2][3][4][5][6]

Club career

Real Madrid

Early career

A youth product of CD San Juan and Tenerife, Paz joined the Real Madrid's La Fábrica in 2016.[7]

Initially starting his career as a central defender, Paz moved further up the pitch as he developed. After playing as a centre forward, he switched to the wing, where he played for the under-19 side. He is also comfortable operating as a central midfielder or playmaker.[8][9]

He made his debut for Real Madrid's B-team in a 3–1 win over Andorra in January 2022, coming on as an 82nd-minute substitute for Iván Morante.[8]

2023–24: First-team debut

On 8 November 2023, Paz made his first-team and Champions League debut for Real Madrid in a group stage match against Braga as a substitute in the 77th minute to replace Federico Valverde at Santiago Bernabéu Stadium.[10][11] On 11 November 2023, Paz made his La Liga debut for Madrid in a 5–1 victory over Valencia, coming on as a substitute in the 82nd minute for Dani Carvajal.[12][13] On 29 November, he scored his first goal in the Champions League, securing a 4–2 win against Napoli.[14]

Como

On 25 August 2024, Paz signed for newly promoted Serie A club Como on a four-year deal for a reported €6 million fee.[15][16] The following day, he made his debut for the club, coming on as a substitute in a 1–1 draw against Cagliari.[17] On 19 October, he scored his first goal for Como in a 1–1 draw against Parma.[18]

Paz was assigned the #10 shirt ahead of the 2025–26 season with Como, after a summer where Real Madrid declined to activate their first buyback option along with Como rejecting offers from other clubs interested in the player. He started in Como's opening Coppa Italia game against Südtirol in a 3–1 victory. On 24 August, on his anniversary of signing with the club, Paz provided an assist and scored a free-kick goal in a season-opening 2–0 win against Lazio.[19]

International career

Born in Santa Cruz de Tenerife, Canary Islands, Paz was eligible to represent both Spain and Argentina at international level.[1] He was first called up to the senior Argentina national team in March 2022.[8][20]

Paz also was called up to the Argentina under-20 side for the 2022 Maurice Revello Tournament in France.[21] He was later named in Argentina's preliminary 48-man squad for the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar.[22]

On 15 October 2024, Paz made his senior debut for Argentina in a 6–0 win over Bolivia in a 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifying match, recording an assist for Lionel Messi.

Style of play

Nico Paz is widely recognized as a modern, elegant "Number 10" and known for his dribbling, playmaking and shooting abilities.[23]

Personal life

Paz is the son of former Argentine international Pablo Paz, who played at the 1998 FIFA World Cup in France.[8][24] His mother is Spanish.[25]

Career statistics

Club

As of match played 15 December 2025[26]
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League National cup[a] Europe Other Total
Division Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Real Madrid Castilla 2021–22 Primera División RFEF 6 0 — — — 6 0
2022–23 Primera Federación 14 1 — — 4[b] 1 18 2
2023–24 Primera Federación 29 10 — — — 29 10
Total 49 11 — — 4 1 53 12
Real Madrid 2023–24 La Liga 4 0 1 0 3[c] 1 0 0 8 1
Como 2024–25 Serie A 35 6 — — — 35 6
2025–26 Serie A 15 5 1 0 — — 16 5
Total 50 11 1 0 — — 51 11
Career total 103 22 2 0 3 1 4 1 112 24
  1. ^ Includes Copa del Rey, Coppa Italia
  2. ^ Appearances in Primera Federación play-offs
  3. ^ Appearances in UEFA Champions League

International

As of match played 14 October 2025[26]
Appearances and goals by national team and year
National team Year Apps Goals
Argentina 2024 1 0
2025 5 0
Total 6 0

Honours

Real Madrid

Individual

References

  1. ^ a b c d Nico Paz at WorldFootball.net
  2. ^ "Nico Paz and the match stats that make him the most exciting talent in Serie A". FotMob. 23 October 2025. Retrieved 3 December 2025.
  3. ^ Melnikova, Olga (8 October 2025). "Paz is named Serie A's best young player for second month in row". Tribuna.com. Retrieved 3 December 2025.
  4. ^ "Nico Paz at Como: The Rise of Serie A Young Midfield Maestro - Breaking The Lines". 4 November 2025. Retrieved 3 December 2025.
  5. ^ Hepburn, Daniel (15 October 2025). "Messi has named 10 of the world's best young footballers - they get to wear his new Adidas boots". GiveMeSport. Retrieved 3 December 2025.
  6. ^ PFSA, The (13 January 2025). "Little wonder why Como phenom Nico Paz is attracting interest from all over". The PFSA. Retrieved 3 December 2025.
  7. ^ "Profile". Real Madrid CF. Archived from the original on 23 April 2022. Retrieved 17 April 2022.
  8. ^ a b c d Hall, Andy (7 March 2022). "Who is Nico Paz? From Real Madrid's youth academy to the Argentina senior side". en.as.com. Archived from the original on 4 November 2022. Retrieved 17 April 2022.
  9. ^ Valle, Tomás (7 March 2022). "¿Quién es Nico Paz y cuantos millones cuesta la gran promesa del Real Madrid?" [Who is Nico Paz and how many millions does the great promise of Real Madrid cost?]. elfutbolero.es (in Spanish). Archived from the original on 4 November 2022. Retrieved 17 April 2022.
  10. ^ "Nico Paz makes his Real Madrid debut". Real Madrid CF. 8 November 2023. Archived from the original on 9 November 2023. Retrieved 9 November 2023.
  11. ^ "Real Madrid-Braga: UEFA Champions League 2023/24 Group stage". UEFA. 8 November 2023. Archived from the original on 8 November 2023. Retrieved 9 November 2023.
  12. ^ "Real Madrid vs Valencia CF". La Liga. 11 November 2023. Archived from the original on 19 July 2023. Retrieved 12 November 2023.
  13. ^ "Real Madrid 5–1 Valencia: Player ratings as Los Blancos run riot". 90min. 11 November 2023. Archived from the original on 12 November 2023. Retrieved 12 November 2023.
  14. ^ "Nico Paz overwhelmed after scoring first Real Madrid goal in Napoli victory – "This is a dream"". Football España. 29 November 2023. Archived from the original on 29 November 2023. Retrieved 30 November 2023.
  15. ^ "Como 1907 annuncia l'astro nascente del Real Madrid e nazionale giovanile argentino Nico Paz" (in Italian). Como 1907. 25 August 2024. Archived from the original on 29 August 2024. Retrieved 25 August 2024.
  16. ^ "Official Announcement: Nico Paz". Real Madrid CF. 25 August 2024. Retrieved 25 August 2024.
  17. ^ "Serie A | Cagliari 1–1 Como: Match Report". Football Italia. 26 August 2024. Retrieved 26 August 2024.
  18. ^ "Serie A | Como 1–1 Parma: Paz replies to spectacular Bonny strike". Football Italia. Yahoo Sports. 19 October 2024. Retrieved 1 November 2024.
  19. ^ Fox Sports, foxsports.com (24 August 2025). "Official | Nico Paz shines as Como beats Lazio 2-0 in Serie A". Fox Sports.
  20. ^ Caballero, Jorge (7 March 2022). "¿Quiénes son Nico Paz y Alejandro Garnacho, los talentos españoles que sorprendieron a Scaloni?" [Who are Nico Paz and Alejandro Garnacho, the Spanish talents that surprised Scaloni?]. Marca (in Spanish). Archived from the original on 26 March 2022. Retrieved 17 April 2022.
  21. ^ "Convocados de la Sub 20 para el Torneo Maurice Revello" [Sub 20: all the information on the Maurice Revello Tournament]. afa.com.ar (in Spanish). Argentine Football Association. 20 May 2022. Archived from the original on 31 May 2022. Retrieved 30 May 2022.
  22. ^ Hancock, Greg Lea Contributions from Tom; published, Alasdair Mackenzie (2 November 2022). "Argentina World Cup 2022 squad: Lionel Scaloni announces 48-man longlist". fourfourtwo.com. Archived from the original on 18 December 2022. Retrieved 4 November 2022.
  23. ^ "Nico Paz at Como: The Rise of Serie A Young Midfield Maestro - Breaking The Lines". 4 November 2025. Retrieved 9 December 2025.
  24. ^ Sánchez, Borja (7 March 2022). "¿Quiénes son Nico Paz y Alejandro Garnacho, los talentos españoles que sorprendieron a Scaloni?" [Nico Paz, the promise of Real Madrid that falls in love with Scaloni: called up by Argentina at only 17 years old]. elespanol.com (in Spanish). Archived from the original on 17 April 2022. Retrieved 17 April 2022.
  25. ^ "Nico Paz padres, este es el origen del padre, madre y hermanas del futbolista del Real Madrid". December 2023.
  26. ^ a b Nico Paz at Soccerway
  27. ^ "Real Madrid crowned champions after Barca's defeat at Girona". BBC Sport. 4 May 2024. Retrieved 4 May 2024.
  28. ^ "El Real Madrid recupera su corona en la Supercopa (4–1)" (in Spanish). Royal Spanish Football Federation. 14 January 2024. Retrieved 15 January 2024.
  29. ^ "Real Madrid win Champions League: Carvajal and Vinícius Júnior see off Dortmund". UEFA. 1 June 2024. Archived from the original on 1 June 2024. Retrieved 2 June 2024.
  30. ^ Young, Peter (23 May 2025). "Official: All 2024-25 Serie A MVP award winners revealed". Football Italia. Retrieved 23 May 2025.
  31. ^ "EA Sports FC 25 – Serie A Team of the Season". Serie A. 24 May 2025. Retrieved 24 May 2025.
  32. ^ "The Athletic's end-of-season awards, 2024-25: Men's football". The Athletic’s. 28 May 2025.
  33. ^ "Nico Paz "Rising Star of the Month" for August" (Press release). Serie A. 10 September 2025. Retrieved 10 September 2025.
  34. ^ "Nico Paz "Rising Star of the Month" for September" (Press release). Serie A. 8 October 2025. Retrieved 8 October 2025.
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is available under Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 unless otherwise noted. Additional terms may apply for the media files.