Every La Liga side outside the elite needs one. The midfielder who stands in front of the back four, takes the yellow card nobody else wants and makes sure the opposition's best passer never gets a quiet minute. At Alavés, that job has largely belonged to Carlos Protesoni, a 28-year-old from Montevideo whose name rarely makes the headlines his work deserves.
He isn't a household name, and that's sort of the point. Players like Protesoni are judged in team meetings and video sessions, not on social feeds. So it's worth looking properly at what he brings, what he probably earns and where his value sits as the 2026/27 season gets going.
| Detail | What we know |
|---|---|
| Full name | Carlos Nahuel Benavidez Protesoni |
| Born | 30 March 1998, Montevideo, Uruguay |
| Age | 28 |
| Nationality | Uruguayan |
| Height | About 1.85 m (roughly 6 ft 1 in) |
| Position | Defensive midfielder, can play central midfield |
| Club | Deportivo Alavés, commonly listed with shirt number 23 |
| Strong foot | Right |
| Net worth (Icon Polls estimate) | $4 million to $6 million |
| Transfer value (Icon Polls estimate) | Around EUR 1 million |
| FC26 overall | About 73 to 74, depending on the update |
Montevideo, Avellaneda, Vitoria
Protesoni's route to Spain is a familiar one for Uruguayan footballers, and it runs through two of the toughest midfield schools in South America. He came through at Defensor Sporting, a club with a long record of producing technically sound, tactically switched-on players. From there he moved to Argentina with Independiente, where the football is physical, the crowds are unforgiving and young midfielders learn quickly whether they can handle pressure.
Then came Alavés. For a player of his type, a club like this makes a lot of sense: a side that usually has to fight for results, values organisation and needs midfielders who will run rather than wait for the ball.
Along the way he represented Uruguay at youth level, including the under-20 and under-23 categories. He hasn't become a regular in the senior national team, which is hardly a mark against him given the depth Uruguay usually have in central midfield.
Built for the Second Ball
At 1.85 m, Protesoni has the frame you'd design for the role. That height helps in aerial duels and in the scrappy moments after a clearance, when the ball drops between two midfields and somebody has to win it. Plenty of tall midfielders feel heavy on the turn. He doesn't, or at least not enough to cost him much.
But size is only part of it. His game is about intensity and positioning, and a willingness to do the unglamorous stuff without complaint. Fans tend to describe him as combative, and that's fair. You won't see him carrying the ball forty yards past three players or picking out a disguised pass through the lines every few minutes. What you will see:
- Pressing that sets the tone for the players around him
- Cover in front of the centre backs, filling gaps when full backs push on
- Duels, on the ground and in the air, plus the occasional tactical foul
- Safe passing that keeps possession ticking rather than taking big risks
Coaches tend to rate this sort of player more highly than casual viewers do. In a tight away game, discipline and physical edge are often worth more than flair.
Why Goals Are the Wrong Measuring Stick
If you judge Protesoni by goals and assists, you'll come away unimpressed, and you'll have missed the point. He can chip in with a late run into the box or a header from a set piece, but that's a bonus, not the brief. His contribution shows up in recoveries, interceptions, tackles, fouls won and how compact the team stays when he's on the pitch. Those numbers rarely make the post-match graphics. They do decide matches.
The Money, as Best We Can Tell
Alavés haven't published Protesoni's salary, and that's normal for players outside football's superstar bracket. Any figure you see online is an estimate, ours included.
Icon Polls estimates his net worth at $4 million to $6 million in 2026. That reflects several years as a senior professional across Uruguay, Argentina and Spain, with the Spanish stint likely doing the heavy lifting, since La Liga wages sit well above what most South American clubs can pay. His income is assumed to come mainly from his club salary, plus appearance and performance bonuses and any contract renewals.
On a reasonable reading, his yearly earnings at Alavés probably sit somewhere in the low to middle seven-figure range once bonuses and other club benefits are counted. Treat that as a ballpark, not a payslip. Appearances, injuries and contract clauses can all move it in either direction.
The honest summary: he isn't paid like a celebrity footballer, but he's comfortably beyond the fringe professional. That's a solid living built on doing a hard job reliably.
A One Million Euro Midfielder?
Icon Polls places his market value around EUR 1 million in 2026. That might sound low for a regular in Spain's top flight, but the logic holds. He's 28, so clubs see him as a finished product rather than an asset who'll grow in value. Injury interruptions have held him back at times. And defensive midfielders who don't score rarely attract bidding wars.
On the other side of the ledger: La Liga experience, versatility across the midfield, a strong physical profile and leadership qualities. For a buyer who needs structure immediately rather than in two years, that's a sensible purchase. Whether he ever moves would come down to playing time, the project on offer and the wage package, not the fee.
The FC26 Card Nobody Brags About
In FC26, Protesoni usually sits around 73 or 74 overall, depending on which database update you check. That's an accurate reflection of the real player: a dependable top-flight squad midfielder, not a showpiece card.
If you want pace or five-star skill moves, look elsewhere. If you're running a realistic Alavés save or building a budget La Liga career mode squad, he's genuinely useful as a holding midfielder who wins the ball back, holds his ground physically and adds depth without eating your wage budget. Park him in front of the defence and leave him there.
Think holding midfielders get too little credit in the all-time conversation? Make your case in our vote for the best football players of all time.
Quick Answers
Is Carlos Protesoni the same player as Carlos Benavidez?
Yes. His full name is Carlos Nahuel Benavidez Protesoni, so you'll see both surnames used in different listings.
Does he play for Uruguay's senior team?
His international experience has come at youth level, including the under-20 and under-23 sides.
Is he worth signing in FC26 career mode?
For a defensive midfield role on a budget, yes. He won't create much, but he'll protect your back line and fill out a squad cheaply.
