15 Greatest Argentine Players in Football History [Ranked]

More football icons have come from Argentina than from most other countries in the history of the game.
Diego Maradona and Lionel Messi, for example, both contend that they are the best players of all time.
The top Argentinians, such as Sergio Aguero and Angel Di Maria, have been listed, and many more celebrities hail from that region of South America.
Football comes to mind when you think of Argentina. Both pride and passion come to mind. You think of River Plate and Boca Juniors, but maybe most importantly, you think of all the stars this South American country has produced. Players who have accomplished everything, players who have enthralled the globe and transcended the sport.

With a population of about 45 million, Argentina has a long history of football. La Albiceleste, which translates to “the white and sky blue” and refers to their famous striped shirt, has won the FIFA World Cup three times. They participated in the first final on July 30, 1930, but lost to Uruguay, a neighbor, 4–2.

Argentina has achieved even greater success on their native continent, winning the Copa America 16 times, most recently in 2024 after defeating Colombia to become the most successful country in the competition’s history. Out of all those accomplishments, a few standout athletes who have worn the renowned white and sky blue shirt are the ones that most linger in our memories; they have adorned the sport with their flair, talent, and hard work, leaving a legacy that is felt across the world.

Factors that rank
Global accomplishments (awards, appearances, goals, assists, etc.)
Club accomplishments, including goals, assists, honors, and appearances
Individual honors
Tradition in football (15–11)

Claudio Caniggia played for Atalanta, Roma, River Plate, and Boca Juniors throughout his respectable club career. However, he was far more productive for Argentina, particularly when they advanced to the 1990 World Cup final when he scored crucial goals against Italy and Brazil. Ubaldo Fillol, a reliable goalkeeper for La Albiceleste in the 1970s and 1980s, is only ahead of him. Still considered the best ‘keeper in Argentina’s history, he helped his country win the 1978 World Cup and was awarded the tournament’s best shot-stopper.

Even though he may not have won the greatest award in international football, Sergio Aguero is still his country’s third-highest goalscorer ever. He most definitely deserves a place in the top 15 when you consider his club career with Manchester City, five Premier League championships, and a Copa America in 2021.

On the other hand, Jorge Burruchaga is one of the few men on this list who can claim this honor. The midfielder solidified his reputation as an Argentine great by scoring the game-winning goal against West Germany in the 1986 World Cup final. In addition to playing a significant role in that historic run, Oscar Ruggeri won two Copa America trophies in 1991 and 1993. The defender missed out on the top 10 due to the achievements of other players at the club and international levels, despite winning a league title with Real Madrid as well.

The All-Time Greatest Argentine Players (15–11)

Rank

The player

Duration of Career

Famous Clubs

15.

Caniggia Claudio

From 1985 to 2004

Rangers, Boca Juniors, Benfica, Roma, Atalanta, and River Plate

14.

Fillol Ubaldo

From 1965 to 1991

Racing Club, Atletico Madrid, River Plate, and Flamengo

13.

Aguero Sergio

2003–2021

Barcelona, Manchester City, and Atletico Madrid

12.

Burruchaga, Jorge

1979–1998

Nantes, US Valenciennes, Independiente

11.

Ruggeri, Oscar

1980–1997

Real Madrid, River Plate, and Boca Juniors

10Javier Mascherano

Career Span: 2003 – 2020

Javier Mascherano, who is currently the head coach of the Argentina Under 20s team, has the kind of illustrious career that many people aspire to. Like many of the players on this list, the midfielder came from the prestigious River Plate academy and made a name for himself in the Premier League after spending a season with West Ham United before being acquired by Liverpool.

Under Rafa Benitez, Mascherano established himself as a regular almost away. His maturity and understanding of the game at such a young age impressed both teammates and fans. He played a key role in the Reds’ march to the 2007 Champions League Final, and despite the team’s narrow defeat, Liverpool supporters chose the Argentinean as their Man of the Match (although Filippo Inzaghi received the objective award).

After three years on Merseyside, Mascherano, a tenacious defensive midfielder, moved to Barcelona and transformed into an all-action central defender. The 39-year-old’s greatest talents were displayed for his nation. During his remarkable 15-year international career, the enforcer earned 147 caps, captaining his team from 2008 to 2011 and playing a key role in Brazil as they advanced to the 2014 final.

The International Career of Mascherano

Caps of Argentina

147

Argentina’s goals

3.

Argentina Helps

One

Argentina’s Honors

Gold Medal in the Olympics (x2)

9 Javier Zanetti’s Work History: 1992–2014

Javier Zanetti is a special person. After joining I Nerazzurri in 1995 from Argentinian club Tallares, the now 50-year-old, who was born in Buenos Aires but is very much an adopted Milanese, dedicated an incredible 19 years and 858 career appearances to Inter Milan, making him the foreign player with the most Serie A appearances in history.

The right-back, who was Inter’s captain from 2001 until his retirement in 2014 at the age of 40, is currently the club’s vice-president and holds the record for most Champions League games played as captain. The Argentinean, who was equally skilled at playing midfield as he was at fullback on either flank, was well-known for his durability, leadership, and adaptability.

He also had a successful international career, earning 144 caps for Argentina between 1994 and 2011, which is the third-highest total in the nation’s history. On the international front, Zanetti unfortunately missed out on any hardware, but he will always be remembered for his enormous contribution to Inter’s historic treble-winning season in 2009–10.

The International Career of Zanetti

Caps of Argentina

144

Argentina’s goals

5.

Argentina Helps

5.

Argentina’s Honors

Not one

8 Omar Sivori Work History: 1954–1969

Omar Sivori, whose name is probably unfamiliar to many fans nowadays, epitomized everything that made Argentinean football players so seductive and mysterious. Standing only 5’4″, the offensive midfielder was renowned for his quickness, cunning, and technique. A graduate of the River Plate academy, Sivori, who was only 21 years old at the time, made his world debut at the 1957 South American Championships as a member of the Trio of Death, a powerful attacking trio that also included Humberto Maschio and Valentin Angellilo. All three won moves to Italy as a result of their tournament achievements; Sivori joined Juventus for £91,000, a world-record amount at the time.

Playing 32 of a possible 34 league games and scoring 22 goals, he led Juventus to the Scudetto that season. The Argentine won the prized Ballon d’Or trophy in 1961 after switching allegiance to Italy, and he also won the Serie A Golden Boot in 1960. Before moving to Napoli for four seasons in 1965, Sivori stayed in Turin, but injuries kept him from achieving the same success.

7Angel Di Maria

Career Span: 2005 – Present

Over the course of his 19-year career, Angel Di Maria has proven to be one of the most underappreciated players of his generation. The winger made his European debut with Portuguese powerhouse Benfica in 2007 after making his debut as a 17-year-old for his boyhood club Rosario Central in 2005, whose academy he joined at the age of four.

Di Maria moved to Real Madrid in the summer of 2009 and stayed there for five years, where he continued to thrive. Fideo, which translates to “noodle” due to his thin build, was named Man of the Match in the Champions League Final as Real Madrid defeated city rivals Atletico Madrid in what ended up being his final season in Spain. He was also named Argentine Footballer of the Year and included in UEFA’s Team of the Season.

Di Maria had a short and difficult time after failing at Manchester United in a move that at the time set a British transfer record. He then went on to Paris Saint-Germain, where he won five of seven league titles, before spending the previous season at Juventus. He is regarded as one of the best wingers in European football history because of his propensity for playing at crucial times throughout his career.

His contributions to his nation undoubtedly reflect this as well. The 36-year-old won the penalty for the first goal and scored the second when La Albiceleste defeated France on penalties in the World Cup final the following year. He also scored the lone goal in a fiercely contested 2021 Copa America Final, Argentina’s first since 1993. The 2024 Copa America final was his last game with Argentina, and he won another trophy, capping off an amazing international career.

The Global Career of Di Maria

Caps of Argentina

145

Argentina’s goals

31

Argentina Helps

32

Argentina’s Honors

Olympic Gold Medal (x1), Copa America (x2), and World Cup (x1)