Nico Paz

Born in Santa Cruz de Tenerife, Canary Islands, to an Argentine father and a Spanish mother, Paz was eligible to represent both Spain and Argentina at international level. He was first called up to the senior Argentina national team in March 2022. Paz was also included in the Argentina under-20 squad for the 2022 Maurice Revello Tournament in France. He was then named in Argentina's preliminary 48-man squad for the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar, but did not make the final cut. On 15 October 2024, Paz made his senior debut for Argentina as a substitute in a 6–0 FIFA World Cup qualifying win over Bolivia, recording an assist for Lionel Messi. He scored his first international goal on 27 March 2026, converting a free kick in a 2–1 friendly win against Mauritania. On 27 May 2026, despite a knee injury scare while playing for Como a few weeks prior, Paz was selected in Argentina's 26-man squad for the 2026 FIFA World Cup in Canada, Mexico and the United States. On 17 June, he made his World Cup debut in Argentina's 3–0 group stage win against Algeria, coming on as a substitute for Lionel Messi in the final ten minutes. Paz then started in Argentina's final group match against Jordan on 27 June, playing the first hour of a 3–1 victory. He would not make another appearance at the tournament, remaining an unused substitute in Argentina's five knockout stage matches as they went on to lose in the final against Spain, Paz's birth country.

Paz has been described as a modern "number 10" and has been praised for his dribbling, playmaking and shooting abilities.

La Fábrica

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

Real Madrid

Paz made his senior debut for Real Madrid Castilla in a 3–1 win over Andorra in January 2022, coming on as an 82nd-minute substitute for Iván Morante. 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 the Santiago Bernabéu. On 11 November 2023, Paz made his La Liga debut in a 5–1 victory over Valencia, coming on as a substitute in the 82nd minute for Dani Carvajal. On 29 November, he scored his first goal in the Champions League, securing a 4–2 win against Napoli.

Como

On 25 August 2024, Paz signed for newly promoted Serie A club Como on a four-year deal for a reported €66 million fee. The following day, he made his debut for the club, coming on as a substitute in a 1–1 draw against Cagliari. On 19 October, he scored his first goal for Como in a 1–1 draw against Parma. After registering six goals and nine assists in his debut season in Italy, Paz was named Best Under-23 player at the 2024–25 Serie A Awards. He was also included in…

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