Few young players have risen as fast as Nico Paz. The 22-year-old playmaker went from Real Madrid’s reserve plan to the centerpiece of Como’s Champions League debut. He now carries Argentina’s creative hopes in the post-Messi era. This guide covers his profile, career, the €60 million transfer twist, playing style, and 2026–27 form, so you can see why everyone is talking about him.
Who Is Nico Paz?
Nicolás Paz Martínez was born on September 8, 2004, in Santa Cruz de Tenerife, Spain. He plays as an attacking midfielder for Como 1907 in Serie A and wears the club’s number 10 shirt. Although he is Spanish-born, he represents Argentina. His father, Pablo Paz, was an Argentine international defender, and that family link shaped his decision to wear the sky-blue and white stripes.
| Detail | Info |
|---|---|
| Full name | Nicolás Paz Martínez |
| Born | September 8, 2004 (Santa Cruz de Tenerife, Spain) |
| Height | 1.85 m (6’1″) |
| Position | Attacking midfielder / right winger |
| Preferred foot | Left |
| Club | Como 1907 (#10) |
| National team | Argentina |
Paz is a left-footed creator who mostly lines up in the number 10 role, though he can also drift to the right wing. At 6’1″ (1.85 m), he is taller than most playmakers, which helps him shield the ball and win duels. Scouts praise his vision, dribbling, and long-range shooting. Those traits explain why European giants keep monitoring the Argentine’s situation every transfer window.
How old is Nico Paz?
He is 22 years old. Paz was born on September 8, 2004, in Santa Cruz de Tenerife, Spain.
Career Path From La Fábrica to Como
Paz grew up in Real Madrid’s academy, La Fábrica, and earned a first-team chance quickly. During the 2023–24 season, he scored in the Champions League against Napoli. Still, the senior squad was crowded with stars. He needed regular minutes to keep developing, so he looked for a move where a young creator could play every week instead of waiting for opportunities.
In August 2024, Paz joined Como 1907 on a four-year deal and began working under Cesc Fàbregas. The fit worked immediately. Paz became the face of Como’s rise, and his breakout 2024–25 season earned him Serie A’s Best Under-23 Player award. By 2025–26, he had 13 goals and eight assists in 40 games across all competitions, helping Como reach the Champions League for the first time.
Here is the timeline at a glance:
- Real Madrid’s La Fábrica academy develops him.
- He scores against Napoli in the 2023–24 Champions League.
- He joins Como in August 2024.
- He debuts for Argentina in October 2024.
- Argentina reach the 2026 World Cup final.
- Como make his move permanent in June 2026.
Nico Paz Transfer: The €60 Million Deal Explained
Real Madrid held a buy-back clause worth about €9 million, and the club activated it in June 2026. Many expected Paz to return to the Bernabéu. Instead, Madrid offered Como a second chance: buy him outright. Paz wanted to stay under Fàbregas, and Como agreed to pay roughly €60 million to secure the player permanently, a massive commitment for a club that returned to Serie A only in 2024.
The deal is not completely closed, though. Reports say Real Madrid kept a buy-back option of about €80 million, exercisable as early as summer 2027, plus a share of any future sale. That clause keeps Paz’s future open. For now, Como has its star for the 2026–27 Champions League campaign, and Paz has the stable platform and clear leadership role he wanted.
| Deal stage | Amount | What it meant |
|---|---|---|
| Original buy-back (Madrid) | About €9M | Madrid re-signed him, briefly |
| Como’s permanent purchase | About €60M | Paz stays in Italy |
| New buy-back (Madrid) | About €80M | Possible return from summer 2027 |
Playing Style and Strengths
Paz thrives between the lines. He receives the ball in tight pockets, turns quickly, and plays a forward pass before defenders react. His left foot does most of the damage, whether he slips a through ball to a striker or curls a shot from distance. Fàbregas gives him freedom to roam, and Paz repays that trust with constant involvement in Como’s attacks.
His main strengths include:
- Vision: He spots runs early and threads passes through crowded areas.
- Dribbling: He escapes pressure in small spaces.
- Long-range shooting: His curling left-footed strikes threaten any goalkeeper.
- Pressing: He wins the ball high and attacks the space immediately.
His game still has areas to grow. Like many young playmakers, he can go quiet against disciplined low blocks, and his defensive work needs steady consistency over a long season. Yet his pressing has improved, as his second goal against Manchester United showed, when he won the ball high and finished. That mix of craft and effort makes him a modern number 10.
Argentina and the Messi Torch
Paz made his senior Argentina debut in October 2024 and set up a goal for Lionel Messi right away. He later joined the squad that reached the 2026 FIFA World Cup final, where Argentina lost 1–0 to Spain in New Jersey. The run gave him major-tournament experience at 21 and placed him firmly in coach Lionel Scaloni’s long-term plans for the next cycle.
The symbolic moment came on October 6, 2026, in Messi’s farewell match against Benin at Buenos Aires’ Monumental stadium. Paz entered as a substitute, and within two minutes Messi slipped him in. Paz curled a left-footed finish past the goalkeeper in Argentina’s 3–0 win. Media outlets quickly called it a passing of the torch, though Paz himself faces the harder task of earning that legacy over years.
2026–27 Stats and the Man United Performance
The Manchester United game showed Paz at his best. On October 21, 2026, he scored after about two minutes, added a second goal, and assisted Anastasios Douvikas in Como’s 4–1 Champions League win. Opta noted that he became the youngest player to be directly involved in three goals in a Champions League game against United. Few performances this season have shaped the Nico Paz conversation more.
| Competition | Verified numbers |
|---|---|
| Champions League 2026–27 (3 games) | 2 goals, 3 assists |
| vs Manchester United (Oct 21) | 2 goals, 1 assist |
| Argentina vs Benin (Oct 6) | 1 goal |
Those numbers matter because they arrive on the biggest stage. Como is playing its first Champions League campaign, and it has already won both home games so far. Paz also scored in the 3–1 league win over Fiorentina days earlier, which shows steady form rather than a one-night spike. Check live FotMob or Sofascore pages before matchdays, since totals change every week.
What to Watch Next
The next big question is Real Madrid’s buy-back option. If Paz keeps producing at this level, the €80 million figure may start to look reasonable to Madrid or other suitors. Como, meanwhile, wants to build around him, and Paz has publicly spoken about enjoying life under Fàbregas. Expect the transfer talk to intensify as the Champions League phase continues and the summer window approaches.
On the international side, Argentina enters a new cycle without Messi, and the attack needs fresh creators. Paz will compete with Franco Mastantuono, Julián Álvarez, and Enzo Fernández for creative responsibility. His Champions League form gives Scaloni a strong argument for trusting him in big games. Use this simple checklist to follow his progress through the rest of the season:
- Goal contributions in Serie A and Europe
- Minutes and role under Fàbregas
- Real Madrid buy-back news before summer 2027
- Argentina call-ups in the next international window
- Como’s Champions League qualification race
Conclusion
Nico Paz has gone from a Real Madrid academy graduate to one of Europe’s most talked-about creators. He is 22, left-footed, and central to Como’s Champions League story. The €60 million deal kept him in Italy, while Real Madrid’s buy-back keeps the future open. For Argentina, his goal from Messi’s pass felt symbolic. Keep watching Nico Paz, because his next chapter may arrive sooner than expected.
