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| Top 10 Best Argentine Footballers in History |
10 Best Argentine Footballers in History
The list of the best 10 players in the history of Argentina will not only include those who played for the Argentine national team, but it will also include those players who did not succeed in winning titles with the national team and whose achievements were limited to the clubs they played for.Do not expect the mention of the legend Alfredo Di Stefano in this article because his contribution and what he gave to Spanish football far exceeded what he gave to his homeland, Argentina. These are the best 10 players in the history of Argentina.
Who is Argentina's all-time greatest player?
- To you, here is a list of the top 10 players in the Argentina national team:
- Diego Maradona.
- Lionel Messi.
- Gabriel Omar Batistuta.
- Juan Roman Riquelme.
- Zanetti is nicknamed.
- Daniel Passarella.
- Jose Manuel Moreno.
- Mario Kempes.
- Fernando Redondo.
- Sergio Aguero.
Top 10 Argentine Footballers of all time
10- Sergio Aguero |
| Sergio Aguero |
We know that there will be many opponents to this choice, but we had to include Sergio Aguero in this list as he has achieved a lot in Europe, especially with Manchester City.
Undoubtedly, "Kun" is the best Argentine player in the history of the English Premier League, the strongest championship in the world. He has consistently delivered outstanding performances with the Citizens, breaking records one after another. Before that, he also left an unforgettable mark on his journey with Atletico Madrid, not leaving the Rojiblancos' fortress until he scored his 100th goal.
9- Fernando Redondo
Undoubtedly, "Kun" is the best Argentine player in the history of the English Premier League, the strongest championship in the world. He has consistently delivered outstanding performances with the Citizens, breaking records one after another. Before that, he also left an unforgettable mark on his journey with Atletico Madrid, not leaving the Rojiblancos' fortress until he scored his 100th goal.
9- Fernando Redondo
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| Fernando Redondo |
Fernando Redondo was the best player in Europe in 2000, despite being a defensive midfielder in a time filled with stars and legends. However, the Real Madrid legend was an incredible player. Redondo left an indelible legacy at the Santiago Bernabeu Stadium, as he alone possessed the ability to bring balance to the entire team. Despite this, Fernando only played a few international matches with the Argentine national team, which is not fitting for such a great player.
He participated in the 1994 World Cup in the United States and played alongside Gabriel Batistuta and Diego Armando Maradona.
8- Mario Kempes
He participated in the 1994 World Cup in the United States and played alongside Gabriel Batistuta and Diego Armando Maradona.
8- Mario Kempes
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| Mario Kempes |
We will call him the pre-Maradona star, the striker who needs no introduction and is actually nicknamed "El Matador" because his peak and best performances were with the Spanish club Valencia. He is the third all-time top scorer for Valencia with 146 goals.
Kempes was the top scorer of the 1978 World Cup with 6 goals, which was Argentina's first-ever world championship. Our player scored two goals in the final against the Netherlands. He participated in 44 international matches and scored 20 goals.
7- Jose Manuel Moreno
Kempes was the top scorer of the 1978 World Cup with 6 goals, which was Argentina's first-ever world championship. Our player scored two goals in the final against the Netherlands. He participated in 44 international matches and scored 20 goals.
7- Jose Manuel Moreno
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| Jose Manuel Moreno |
Jose Manuel Moreno is one of the eternal Argentine legends due to everything he has contributed, especially to the Argentine club River Plate in the early history of football. Moreno was a versatile player who could play in multiple positions and was able to win several titles, both with the clubs he played for and the Argentine national team. He achieved four Copa America titles with the national team, three of them consecutively.
FIFA officially selected him as one of the top 25 players of the 20th century, and the South American Football Confederation chose him as one of the top 5 players in its history.
6- Daniel Passarella
FIFA officially selected him as one of the top 25 players of the 20th century, and the South American Football Confederation chose him as one of the top 5 players in its history.
6- Daniel Passarella
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| Daniel Passarella |
The most famous defender in the history of Argentina, he became the captain of the national team at a very young age and is the second defender in history to score goals after the Dutchman Roland Koeman.
The great captain defended the colors of several clubs, most notably River Plate and Fiorentina. Passarella lifted the World Cup in 1978 as the first Argentine captain to achieve this great honor and also won the World Cup in 1986. However, the captain's armband went to Maradona at that time, and we have chosen him in a previous list as one of the top 10 defenders in history.
Javier Zanetti, the historical captain of Inter Milan and one of the icons of Calcio in its golden era, represented Argentine football in Europe to the highest degree. Many consider him the best right-back in the history of football, as we previously selected him in the list of the top 10 right-backs in history.
5- Zanetti is nicknamed
The great captain defended the colors of several clubs, most notably River Plate and Fiorentina. Passarella lifted the World Cup in 1978 as the first Argentine captain to achieve this great honor and also won the World Cup in 1986. However, the captain's armband went to Maradona at that time, and we have chosen him in a previous list as one of the top 10 defenders in history.
Javier Zanetti, the historical captain of Inter Milan and one of the icons of Calcio in its golden era, represented Argentine football in Europe to the highest degree. Many consider him the best right-back in the history of football, as we previously selected him in the list of the top 10 right-backs in history.
5- Zanetti is nicknamed
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| Zanetti is nicknamed |
Zanetti is nicknamed "The Tractor" and he can also play as a left-back or a central midfielder. Simply put, he is like a joker, you will find him wherever his team needs him, possessing a set of great abilities, most notably his high physical fitness. Pele chose him in 2004 as one of the best 125 living football players throughout the ages.
We won't list all of the captain's achievements, but we will say that not every player can maintain their level for 15 years, only the legends can.
4- Juan Roman Riquelme
We won't list all of the captain's achievements, but we will say that not every player can maintain their level for 15 years, only the legends can.
4- Juan Roman Riquelme
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| Juan Roman Riquelme |
The wizard who was not lucky enough, yes Riquelme was unfairly treated, especially when he moved from Boca Juniors to Barcelona in 2002 when Louis van Gaal placed him on the wing instead of his original position as a playmaker. Therefore, he failed miserably and only scored 3 official goals in 30 matches with the Catalan club.
The legend's talent exploded when he moved to Villarreal, where he helped the Yellow Submarines secure the third position in La Liga, one of the club's greatest achievements in its history. He also reached the semi-finals of the UEFA Champions League with them but returned to Boca after conflicts with coach Manuel Pellegrini.
Riquelme returned to Boca definitively in 2007, playing for them for a total of 13 seasons and winning the Argentine League 5 times and the Copa Libertadores 3 times.
3- Gabriel Omar Batistuta
The legend's talent exploded when he moved to Villarreal, where he helped the Yellow Submarines secure the third position in La Liga, one of the club's greatest achievements in its history. He also reached the semi-finals of the UEFA Champions League with them but returned to Boca after conflicts with coach Manuel Pellegrini.
Riquelme returned to Boca definitively in 2007, playing for them for a total of 13 seasons and winning the Argentine League 5 times and the Copa Libertadores 3 times.
3- Gabriel Omar Batistuta
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| Gabriel Omar Batistuta |
Gabriel Omar Batistuta is the full name of the best center-forward in the history of Argentina. He is the second-highest scorer in the history of the national team after Lionel Messi, with 54 goals.
Batistuta spent most of his football career with Fiorentina, scoring 207 goals in 333 matches, making him the all-time leading scorer for La Viola.
Despite his lack of achievements and titles, Batistuta was exceptional in his performance. There was no one like him on his day. In terms of football fairness, it rewarded him with the Italian Serie A title in the 2000/2001 season with AS Roma, alongside Francesco Totti, Cassano, De Rossi, and others. With the national team, Batistuta won the Copa America twice in 1991 and 1993, and the FIFA Confederations Cup in 1992.
2- Lionel Messi
Batistuta spent most of his football career with Fiorentina, scoring 207 goals in 333 matches, making him the all-time leading scorer for La Viola.
Despite his lack of achievements and titles, Batistuta was exceptional in his performance. There was no one like him on his day. In terms of football fairness, it rewarded him with the Italian Serie A title in the 2000/2001 season with AS Roma, alongside Francesco Totti, Cassano, De Rossi, and others. With the national team, Batistuta won the Copa America twice in 1991 and 1993, and the FIFA Confederations Cup in 1992.
2- Lionel Messi
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| Lionel Messi |
He does not need a description or words because everything that can be said in praise, admiration, and poetry has been said about Messi and still continues. He is the best player in the world seven times (a record), easily dribbles, scores effortlessly, and places direct fouls wherever he wants as if they were penalties, also with ease.
Messi has scored more than 672 goals in his career with Barcelona, a number that surpasses the boundaries of the impossible. Alongside Barça, Leo has succeeded in winning numerous local, European, and international championships, accompanied by record-breaking numbers that will be an impossible legacy for anyone who dares to approach them. For example, we mention the 91 goals in 2012 (check Messi's record-breaking numbers here). Thus, he becomes undoubtedly the best Argentine and South American player to have ever played in the great continent of Europe.
1- Diego Maradona
Messi has scored more than 672 goals in his career with Barcelona, a number that surpasses the boundaries of the impossible. Alongside Barça, Leo has succeeded in winning numerous local, European, and international championships, accompanied by record-breaking numbers that will be an impossible legacy for anyone who dares to approach them. For example, we mention the 91 goals in 2012 (check Messi's record-breaking numbers here). Thus, he becomes undoubtedly the best Argentine and South American player to have ever played in the great continent of Europe.
The time period between Messi winning the Copa America 2021 and the World Cup 2022, and Maradona winning the World Cup 1986 differs, and the circumstances and factors differ as well. Therefore, we conclude that each person has the freedom to choose the best player in the history of Argentina.
1- Diego Maradona
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| Diego Maradona |
Diego Maradona is the best player in the history of the Argentine national team, but opinions and comparisons between him and Messi differ, and they may be in the same rank (everyone has the freedom to choose the first position).
Maradona is football, and there is no ranking that does not include the legends of the game, as he mesmerized the world with Napoli and led them to win championships almost single-handedly. It is not easy to win the Italian league in front of Juventus, Inter, and especially AC Milan.
The 1986 World Cup also had a special impact on the memories of the fans, and Maradona's performance at that time may be the best ever by any player in the World Cup. He lost in the following edition by luck against Germany, a tournament that Diego bid farewell to with tears, just like the day he retired at La Bombonera, the home of his beloved team, Boca Juniors.
Maradona is football, and there is no ranking that does not include the legends of the game, as he mesmerized the world with Napoli and led them to win championships almost single-handedly. It is not easy to win the Italian league in front of Juventus, Inter, and especially AC Milan.
The 1986 World Cup also had a special impact on the memories of the fans, and Maradona's performance at that time may be the best ever by any player in the World Cup. He lost in the following edition by luck against Germany, a tournament that Diego bid farewell to with tears, just like the day he retired at La Bombonera, the home of his beloved team, Boca Juniors.
