Nico Paz Ranked Fifth-Best Playmaker in the World by ESPN FC 100

He never lived in Argentina. He was born in Spain, came up through Real Madrid's youth academy, and could have even chosen to represent Spain. Instead, Nico Paz decided to play for Argentina because of his father's roots, and at 21 he's already far more than a prospect: according to the ESPN FC 100, he's one of the finest attacking midfielders on the planet.

The ranking placed him as the 5th-best playmaker in the world, trailing only Bruno Fernandes, Jude Bellingham, Dominik Szoboszlai and Rayan Cherki. Ranked above him were names like Martin Odegaard, Arda Guler, Dani Olmo and Jamal Musiala. For any player his age, just being part of that conversation would be an achievement. For Paz, it's simply confirmation of what he's been showing for a while now.

Because this didn't come out of nowhere. He'd already shown flashes of his quality at the youth level, but it was in the 2025/26 season that he truly broke out as a global star. He did it at Como, Serie A's surprise team under coach Cesc Fabregas, guiding the club to a historic fourth-place finish that secured qualification for the UEFA Champions League.

The numbers behind the leap in quality

The stats back up the impression. Paz racked up 18 direct goal contributions in Serie A (12 goals and 6 assists), the fourth-highest total in the entire competition and the third-best mark among players 21 or younger across Europe's top five leagues, behind only Lamine Yamal (27) and Yan Diomande (20). He's not just an elegant midfielder, he also runs, presses, and shows up wherever the team needs him.

ESPN FC 100 analyst James Tyler described him this way:

Como's outstanding season owes a lot to Paz's unpredictable creativity in the final third. He's the one who unlocks tight matches, whether through smart runs into the gaps between defenders or by playing progressive passes, and his physical presence lets him hold off pressure and drive the ball forward into shooting positions himself.James Tyler

That level of play has once again drawn interest from Real Madrid, the club where he came up and that came close to bringing him back. In the end, Paz will stay in Italy, with a chance to play Champions League football as Como's top man.

The pride of wearing the sky blue and white

He hasn't yet experienced a World Cup with the national team, but everything points to him being a key piece in this new cycle under Lionel Scaloni. Asked about his decision to play for Argentina, the midfielder himself was clear:

I was born in Spain. I love both countries, but in the end I decided to represent Argentina. I think it's the country that represents me best, because of how soccer is lived there and because of my father, since it's a point of pride to follow in his footsteps.Nico Paz

Between his present at Como and the future opening up for him with the national team, Nico Paz has already stopped being just a promise. The numbers, the performances, and even the interest from Europe's biggest clubs confirm it: today, he's one of the best players of his generation.