.jpg) Gaitán playing forBenfica in 2016 | |||
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Osvaldo Nicolás Fabián Gaitán | ||
| Date of birth | (1988-02-23)23 February 1988 (age 37) | ||
| Place of birth | San Martín, Argentina | ||
| Height | 1.74 m (5 ft 9 in) | ||
| Position(s) | Attacking midfielder,winger | ||
| Youth career | |||
| 2001–2008 | Boca Juniors | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2008–2010 | Boca Juniors | 66 | (12) |
| 2010–2016 | Benfica | 152 | (25) |
| 2016–2018 | Atlético Madrid | 29 | (3) |
| 2018–2019 | Dalian Yifang | 28 | (2) |
| 2019 | Chicago Fire | 27 | (4) |
| 2020 | Lille | 4 | (0) |
| 2020–2021 | Braga | 18 | (2) |
| 2021–2022 | Peñarol | 10 | (1) |
| 2022–2023 | Paços de Ferreira | 33 | (5) |
| 2024 | Sarmiento | 16 | (1) |
| International career‡ | |||
| 2009–2016 | Argentina | 19 | (2) |
| * Club domestic league appearances and goals as of 17:15, 14 January 2025 (UTC) ‡ National team caps and goals as of 18 October 2016 | |||
Osvaldo Nicolás Fabián "Nico"Gaitán (Spanish pronunciation:[osˈβaldofaˈβjannikoˈlasˈnikoɣajˈtan];[a] born 23 February 1988) is an Argentine professionalfootballer who plays as anattacking midfielder orwinger.
A product ofBoca Juniors, he joinedBenfica in Portugal, where he won threePrimeira Liga titles, oneTaça de Portugal, fiveTaça da Liga and oneSupertaça Cândido de Oliveira in six seasons.
Born inSan Martín, Buenos Aires, Gaitán rose from the ranks atBoca Juniors, having entered its youth system at the age of 13 in spite of doubts regarding his future due to his small frame.[1] He made his competitive debut with the club on 1 June 2008 in a 3–1 win againstArsenal de Sarandí,[2] and scored his first twoPrimera División goals two months later in a 3–0 success atHuracán.[3]
On 23 September 2008 Gaitán netted his first goal in an international tournament,that year'sCopa Sudamericana, againstLiga de Quito. Two days later he again made the scoresheet, in the 4–2 win overNewell's Old Boys where he alsoset upLucas Viatri for his side's final goal.[4]
Gaitán scored seven times in 33 games inhis last season with Boca, who only managed to finish 11th in theApertura and 16th in theClausura.
On 3 May 2010, Portugal'sBenfica confirmed they had reached an agreement to sign Gaitán for €8.4 million,[5] as a replacement for countrymanÁngel Di María who had just been sold toReal Madrid.[6] He made his official debut for his new team by starting and playing 66 minutes in a 1–2 away loss toNacional, opening his scoring account also with a brace, at home againstNaval on 14 November (4–0).
Gaitán finishedhis first year with theLisbon side with 48 appearances all competitions comprised, scoring nine times as it finished second inthe league andwon thedomestic league cup. For his performances, he was namedPortuguese League Breakthrough Player of the Year.[7]
In the2011–12 campaign Gaitán led theUEFA Champions League assists table, until the knockout stage.[8] In2013–14 he contributed with eight goals overall as his team conqueredthe treble, includingthe game's only goal in thePortuguese Cup'sdecisive match againstRio Ave on 18 May 2014;[9] His performances were praised throughout the season.[10][11] On 31 August 2014, Gaitán scored his first goal of the season againstSporting CP, while also being named 'Man of the Match'.[12]
On 11 November 2014, he extended his contract with Benfica until 30 June 2018 and set a release clause of €35 million.[13] On 30 September 2015, Gaitán scored a goal and later assisted the second goal in a win atAtlético Madrid (1–2) in theUEFA Champions League.[14] On 9 December 2015, he signed an improved contract through June 2019, increasing his release clause to €45 million.[15][16] On 9 March, Gaitán scored his fourth goal of theseason in the Champions League, againstZenit Saint Petersburg in the second leg of theround of 16, helping Benfica to reach the quarter-finals of the competition with a 3–1 aggregate score, after a 2–1 win in Russia.[17][18] On 15 May, he scored twice in a 4–1 home win against Nacional, helping Benfica to secure the league title for the third consecutive season.[19] Five days later, he scored Benfica's fourth goal in a 6–2 win overMarítimo in theTaça da Liga final. A minute later, he was substituted and received a standing ovation while leaving the pitch in tears. After the final whistle, he said it was probably his last match with Benfica.[20][21]
On 16 June 2016, Benfica and Atlético Madrid agreed on the transfer of Gaitán for €25 million, with the contract to be signed after medical exams in July.[22][23][24] His official presentation for the Spanish side was held on 19 July at theVicente Calderón stadium.[25]
On 26 February 2018, along with teammateYannick Carrasco, Gaitán joinedChinese Super League newcomersDalian Yifang, which was also owned by Atlético Madrid's partial ownerWanda Group.[26] On 3 March, he made his Chinese league debut in an 8–0 away loss toShanghai SIPG.[27][28] He temporarily lost consciousness and was taken to hospital following an elbowing fromLi Lei during a league match againstBeijing Guoan on 16 March 2018.[29] On 7 April 2018, he scored his first goal in China as well as assistedWang Jinxian's goal in a 2–2 home draw withChongqing Dangdai Lifan.[30]
On 14 March 2019, Gaitán signed forMLS sideChicago Fire on a free transfer for one season, with a club option until 2020.[31]
On 31 January 2020, Gaitán joinedLille inFrance on a six-month contract until the end of theseason.[32] Gaitán left the Lille in June, having played only four games before the season was suspended due to the coronavirus pandemic.[33]
On 11 August 2020, Gaitán signed for Portuguese clubBraga on a one-year deal with an option for a further year, that season they won theTaça de Portugal.[33][34]
After his one-year contract with Braga ended he signed forUruguayan sidePeñarol where he joined former teammate and friendMaxi Pereira, at the end of 2021 they celebrated winning theleague.[35][36]
On 31 January 2022, after already reaching an agreement with his previous club to end their contract,Paços de Ferreira and Gaitán reached a deal for a six-month contract with an option for a further year.[37] At the end of the2022–23 season, following Paços' relegation to theLiga Portugal 2, Gaitán left the club.[38]
On 20 July 2024, Gaitán returned to Argentina to joinSarmiento, signing a contract until the end of 2025.[39]
Gaitán made his international debut forArgentina on 13 October 2009, as a substitute in a 2–0friendly win overGhana,[40] and he made his first start in a 3–2 success againstCosta Rica on 26 January of the following year.[41] DuringSergio Batista term, he made three appearances, playing against Costa Rica,[42]Nigeria[43] andPoland.[44] WithSabella, Gaitán did not make an appearance but with the appointment ofGerardo Martino, he returned after a two-year absence, playing the final minutes, after replacingSergio Agüero on 3 September 2014 in an away win againstGermany.[45]
Gaitán began playing as amidfielder, sometimes leaning to theleft. After moving to Benfica he assumed a moreadvanced role, where he seemed more comfortable.
A left-footer who is also able to play on the right, with gooddribbling skills and close control, Gaitán's main asset is ball distribution as he is able tocross from either flank, and while on the right he possesses the vision to pick holes when cutting inside.[46][47]
| Club | Season | League | National cup | League cup | Continental | Other | Total | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Boca Juniors | 2007–08 | Argentine Primera División | 1 | 0 | — | — | 0 | 0 | — | 1 | 0 | |||
| 2008–09 | 32 | 5 | — | — | 11 | 1 | — | 43 | 6 | |||||
| 2009–10 | 33 | 7 | — | — | 2 | 0 | — | 35 | 7 | |||||
| Total | 66 | 12 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 13 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 79 | 13 | ||
| Benfica | 2010–11 | Primeira Liga | 26 | 7 | 5 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 13[b] | 1 | 1[c] | 0 | 48 | 9 |
| 2011–12 | 25 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 14[d] | 1 | — | 44 | 4 | |||
| 2012–13 | 23 | 3 | 6 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 13[e] | 1 | — | 44 | 5 | |||
| 2013–14 | 26 | 4 | 5 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 10[f] | 2 | — | 43 | 8 | |||
| 2014–15 | 27 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 5[d] | 0 | 1[c] | 0 | 37 | 4 | ||
| 2015–16 | 25 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 3 | 8[d] | 4 | 1[c] | 0 | 37 | 11 | ||
| Total | 152 | 25 | 20 | 3 | 15 | 4 | 63 | 9 | 3 | 0 | 253 | 41 | ||
| Atlético Madrid | 2016–17 | La Liga | 23 | 3 | 4 | 1 | — | 5[d] | 0 | — | 32 | 4 | ||
| 2017–18 | 6 | 0 | 2 | 0 | — | 5[g] | 0 | — | 13 | 0 | ||||
| Total | 29 | 3 | 6 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 10 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 45 | 4 | ||
| Dalian Yifang | 2018 | Chinese Super League | 28 | 2 | 2 | 0 | — | — | — | 30 | 2 | |||
| Chicago Fire | 2019 | MLS | 27 | 4 | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | 28 | 4 | |||
| Lille | 2019–20 | Ligue 1 | 4 | 0 | — | — | — | — | 4 | 0 | ||||
| Braga | 2020–21 | Primeira Liga | 18 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4[h] | 1 | — | 23 | 3 | |
| Peñarol | 2021 | Uruguayan Primera División | 8 | 0 | — | — | 2[i] | 0 | — | 10 | 0 | |||
| Paços de Ferreira | 2021–22 | Primeira Liga | 6 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 6 | 2 | |
| 2022–23 | 27 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 29 | 3 | |||
| Total | 33 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 35 | 5 | ||
| Sarmiento | 2024 | Argentine Primera División | 16 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 16 | 1 | ||
| Career total | 381 | 54 | 30 | 4 | 17 | 4 | 92 | 11 | 3 | 0 | 523 | 73 | ||
| National team | Year | Apps | Goals |
|---|---|---|---|
| Argentina | 2009 | 1 | 0 |
| 2010 | 2 | 0 | |
| 2011 | 3 | 0 | |
| 2014 | 3 | 2 | |
| 2015 | 3 | 0 | |
| 2016 | 7 | 0 | |
| Total | 19 | 2 | |
| Goal | Date | Venue | Opponent | Score | Result | Competition |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | 14 October 2014 | Hong Kong Stadium,Wanchai, Hong Kong |  Hong Kong | 3–0 | 7–0 | Friendly |
| 2. | 6–0 |
Boca Juniors
Benfica
Atlético Madrid
Braga
Peñarol
Argentina
Individual
Nico Gaitan foi o «Man of The Match» e recebeu o prémio em pleno relvado.
