Argentina has produced some of the best players in history and has won the World Cup three times, including in 2022.
The South American country has become synonymous with pure passion and unforgettable football moments, winning countless trophies.
Below are the greatest Argentine footballers of all time, ranked by statistics, trophies, and influence at club and international level.
rank | player | career span |
|---|---|---|
20 | Amadeo Cariso | (1945-1968 |
19 | Oscar Ruggeri | 1980-1997 |
18 | Juan Sebastian Veron | 1993-2014 |
17 | carlos tevez | 2001-2022 |
16 | Fernando Redondo | 1985-2004 |
15 | Claudio Caniggia | 1985-2004 |
14 | Ubaldo Fillol | 1969-1990 |
13 | Alfredo Di Stefano | (1945-1966 |
12 | hernan crespo | 1993-2012 |
11 | sergio aguero | 2003-2021 |
10
Javier Mascherano
Career: 2003-2020
While he’s definitely not the flashiest name on this list, Javier Mascherano is certainly one of the most underrated players in Argentina’s recent history, and his influence has enabled the attacking players in front of him to thrive.
The River Plate academy midfielder’s defensive prowess in midfield earned him the nickname ‘El Jefecito’, meaning Little Chieftain.
He enjoyed a successful career in the Premier League, playing for the likes of West Ham United and Liverpool, making 99 appearances in England’s top flight before moving to Barcelona in 2010, where he switched to a centre-half role and showed his versatility.
But it was for his country that his qualities shined brightest, with Mascherano racking up 147 caps and appearing in the 2014 World Cup final, where Argentina lost 1-0 to Germany.
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9
angel di maria
Career: 2005-present
One player whose career has arguably been overshadowed by other Argentinians in his position is winger Angel Di Maria.
The former Real Madrid star has enjoyed a 20-year professional career and has continued to achieve the unthinkable since making his debut for his hometown club Rosario Central in 2005.
He scored in the 2014 Champions League final against Madrid’s rivals Atlético and won one of his 36 club trophies during a sensational career across Europe.
He was equally successful internationally, making 145 appearances for his country and scoring 31 goals, including winning the 2022 World Cup, forever cementing his place in Argentina’s lore.
8
Javier Zanetti
Career: 1992-2014
Continuing the trend of underrated players, we arrive at full-back Javier Zanetti. The length of his career definitely pushes him up on this list.
The right-back played for almost one club throughout his career, making 858 appearances for Italian giants Inter Milan after joining from his hometown club Tarares in 1995.
Zanetti was Inter’s club captain from 2001 until his retirement in 2014 at the age of 40, but he is still at an unusual age to continue playing football at an elite level. Zanetti captained the club and will always be remembered for his pivotal role in Inter’s historic treble in 2009/10 under Jose Mourinho.
The Argentine’s leadership and versatility contributed greatly to the success of his career, and in addition to his natural right-wing role, he often played in midfield or at left-back.
His international career was equally successful, reaching 144 caps for Argentina between 1994 and 2011, making him the third-highest cap in Argentina’s history before retiring from international football.
7
Omar Shibori
Career period: 1954-1969
Although many modern soccer fans have never heard of his qualities, Omar Sivori paved the way for the likes of Lionel Messi and Diego Maradona to excel with his dribbling skills, becoming the first Argentine player to display speed and trickery in the attacking third.
Like Mascherano, he was a product of River Plate’s academy and took little time to introduce himself to the world, bursting onto the world stage at the 1957 South American Championship as part of the formidable attacking trio known as the Deadly Trio, which included forwards Humberto Maschio and Valentin Angelillo.
As a result of his performance in this competition, Sivori moved to Italy and joined Juventus for a fee of £90,000, a world record at the time.
He ended his career with 180 goals in 326 games, averaging one goal every two games, making him one of the most underrated talents in the country.
6
Juan Roman Riquelme
Career: 1996-2015
Juan Roman Riquelme, a modern-day Maradona.
The player was unable to fully demonstrate his talent in Europe and spent most of his 19-year career in Argentina, where he played for Boca Juniors and Argentinos Juniors.
However, he spent five years in Spain with Barcelona and Villarreal, and it was with the latter that he achieved his best results in La Liga.
Riquelme scored 36 goals in 106 appearances for the Yellow Submarines, helping the club finish third in La Liga and advance to the Champions League semi-finals for the first time in club history.
He enjoyed international success with Argentina, scoring 17 goals and providing 20 assists in 51 games before retiring from international football in 2008.
5
Daniel Passarella
Career: 1971-1989
Daniel Passarella will always be regarded as one of the best centre-backs in the history of football, purely for his impact on both ends of the pitch.
He led Argentina to their first World Cup as captain in 1978 and was part of the team that won the tournament again in 1986, becoming the only player in the country’s history to win the trophy twice.
He spent most of his career at River Plate, before spending six years in Italy with Fiorentina and Inter Milan before retiring with his beloved River of Silver in 1989.
At just 5 feet 8 inches tall, on the short side for a central defender, Passarella scored an astonishing 143 goals during his career, an unprecedented number for a defender, including 20 for his country during his 10 years playing for his country.
4
Gabriel Batistuta
Career: 1988-2004
Striker Gabriel Batistuta scored an astonishing 56 goals in 78 appearances, becoming Argentina’s top scorer until he was overtaken by the inevitable Messi in 2016.
He enjoyed a glittering international career with his country, winning the Copa America twice, finishing as top scorer in the 1991 competition and joining the scoring list in the 2-1 victory over Mexico in the 1993 final.
Batistuta represented his country in three World Cups and had an incredible club career, scoring 245 goals in 448 games, including 183 in Serie A with Roma, Fiorentina and Inter Milan.
Although his scoring record was impressive, it wasn’t enough to push him into the top three as other players took their pick after their respective times as professionals.
3
mario kempes
Career: 1970 – 1996
Dubbed by Maradona as the man who put Argentina on the map, Mario Kempes was the star of Argentina’s victory at the 1978 World Cup, becoming one of only three players in history to win the World Cup, win the Golden Boot for top scorer and the Golden Ball for best player in the same year.
He single-handedly won the tournament for his home country, finishing as the tournament’s top scorer with six goals, including two in the final against the Netherlands.
Throughout his international career, he made 43 appearances for the Argentina national team, scoring 20 goals and etching his name in Argentina’s history following his iconic performance in 1978.
2
Diego Maradona
Career: 1976-1997
Narrowly missing out on the top spot is the iconic Maradona, who has captured the hearts of supporters around the world during his international and club career, particularly with Napoli.
The attacking midfielder burst onto the scene, scoring 116 goals in 166 league games for his boyhood team Argentinas Juniors throughout the first six years of his professional career.
Arguably, his best performance in his club career was with Napoli in Italy, where he made 187 appearances and contributed 129 goals and assists, making him a hero at the Stadio San Paolo.
Maradona’s most iconic moment was most notable for his beloved Argentina, coming at the 1986 World Cup, where he played a major role in leading his country to their second World Cup victory.
En route to lifting the trophy, in the semi-final against England, Maradona produced two of the most iconic moments in football history. His first goal was symbolic, and his effort, now called “The Hand of God,” went unnoticed and caused great controversy.
His second goal in the same match was a stark contrast, scoring home after a 60-yard wander and going down as arguably one of the greatest goals in World Cup history.
1
lionel messi
Career: 2004-present
Lionel Andres Messi is the greatest player of all time, past and present.
He joined Barcelona in 2000 at the age of 13 and quickly rose through the club’s youth ranks, winning every possible victory during his time at Camp Nou.
As part of that iconic team, he won 10 La Liga titles, 7 Copa de España trophies, 7 Copa del Rey trophies and 4 Champions League trophies.
Messi has won a record eight Ballon d’Or trophies, won the Copa America twice and finally achieved glory at the 2022 World Cup.
There was always a question mark over whether he could become the ‘GOAT’ if he failed to win an international trophy, but after the country’s recent success, there is no doubt that he is the best player to ever grace the game.
