This is a list of the greatest soccer players of all time from Argentina.
Argentinians live and breathe soccer. So, it’s no surprise that the country has produced some of the biggest soccer stars.
On this list, you’ll find legends like:
- Lionel Messi
- Diego Maradona
- Javier Zanetti
- Alfredo Di Stefano
- And many more!
I’ll also tell you why these icons deserved to be on this list.
So, let’s get started and look at the 10 best soccer players from Argentina!
10. Ubaldo Fillol
- Position: Goalkeeper
- International Caps/Clean Sheets: 51 / 18
Clubs: River Plate, Atlético Madrid, Flamengo, Racing Club
Coming in at No. 10 in our list of the greatest Argentine soccer players ever is the goalkeeper Ubaldo Fillol.
Fillol holds the title of the best Argentinian goalkeeper of all time in the hearts of many fans. They also lovingly called him ‘el Pato’ (the duck).
Fillol donned the Argentinian jersey 58 times throughout his illustrious career.
His remarkable journey includes participation in
- 1974 World Cup,
- 1978 World Cup (winner and the Best Goalkeeper of the tournament), and
- 1982 World Cup.
Fillol was a major part of the team for the South American qualifiers of the 1986 World Cup. Sadly, he missed out on being a part of the World Cup winning team.
Despite this, his legacy endures.
He’s one of the greatest Argentinian goalkeepers and players of all time.
9. Hernán Crespo
- Position: Centre-Forward
- International Caps/Goals/Assists: 64 / 35 / 6
- Club Level Apps/Goals/Assists: 540 / 248 / 50
Clubs: AC Parma, Lazio, Inter Milan, Chelsea, AC Milan, Genoa, River Plate
Next up on our list of the greatest Argentine soccer players is none other than Hernán Crespo.
He was a goal-scoring machine, scoring over 300 goals across his 19-year career.
Internationally, he is Argentina’s fourth-highest goalscorer with 35 goals to his name. He’s behind only Sergio Agüero, Gabriel Batistuta, and Lionel Messi.
Crespo has also represented Argentina in three FIFA World Cups in 1998, 2002, and 2006.
Crespo also made headlines as the world’s most expensive player in 2000. This was after Lazio secured him from Parma for a staggering €56 million (£35.5 million).
His goal-scoring ability reached its peak in the 2000–01 Serie A season. Here he claimed the top scorer title with 26 goals.
The accolades continued further with
- three Serie A titles,
- a Copa Libertadores trophy,
- a Premier League title with Chelsea, and
- an Olympic Games silver medal.
Recognized among the soccer elite, Crespo also earned a spot on Pelé’s prestigious FIFA 100 list in 2004.
And to top all that. Throughout his career, Crespo never saw a red card.
8. Juan Roman Riquelme
- Position: Attacking Midfield
- International Caps/Goals/Assists: 51 / 17 / 20
- Club Level Apps/Goals/Assists: 478 / 130 / 97
Clubs: Boca Juniors, Villareal, Barcelona, Argentinos Juniors
Juan Román Riquelme is often overlooked because he spent the majority of his career outside Europe.
But he was a true wizard with the ball. He was full of brilliance, elegance, and unmatched talent.
He played as a midfielder in the classic “enganche” role from 1996 to 2015. Due to this role, he’s recognized as one of the greatest playmakers in soccer history.
Riquelme is also regarded as the greatest player to grace Boca Juniors’ blue and yellow.
He left Boca Juniors for FC Barcelona in 2002. But it was a brief stint due to a bad relationship with coach Louis van Gaal.
The playmaker found his stride at Villarreal though. Here, he led the team to a historic Champions League semi-final in 2005.
In 2007, Riquelme returned to Boca. He immediately added to his trophy cabinet, clinching another Copa Libertadores.
After a brief stint with Argentinos Juniors, Riquelme retired from soccer in 2015.
On the international stage, Riquelme was a huge success ever since his youth days.
He began his national career by winning the 1997 South American U-20 Championship and the 1997 FIFA World Youth Championship.
His success extended to the senior team as he won gold at the 2008 Summer Olympics as captain of the team.
He has also won several individual awards. Some of them are:
- Best Argentine Soccer Player of the Year
- Copa Libertadores MVP
- Most Artistic Player by Marca
- several nominations for Ballon d’Or awards
So an easy pick for one of the best soccer players from Argentina.
7. Gabriel Batistuta
- Position: Centre-Forward
- International Caps/Goals/Assists: 78 / 55 / 9
- Club Level Apps/Goals/Assists: 448 / 245 / 27
Clubs: Fiorentina, AS Roma, Boca Juniors, Inter Milan, Newell’s Old Boys, River Plate
There’s no discussion about the best soccer players from Argentina without Gabriel Batistuta.
He may not have dazzled with all-round brilliance. But Batistuta’s goal-scoring prowess places him in a league of his own.
Fans knew him as “Batigol” and “El Ángel Gabriel” due to his powerful strikes while on the move.
Batistuta started his career in Argentina. He played at Newell’s Old Boys, River Plate, and Boca Juniors, before moving to Italy.
At Fiorentina, he etched his name in history as their all-time top scorer with an impressive 151 goals.
Despite facing relegation, Batistuta’s loyalty to Fiorentina also made him a fan favorite.
This led to the club honoring him with a life-size bronze statue.
From there, his journey continued with Roma. There he won the 2000–01 Serie A title.
But Batistuta’s impact wasn’t limited to clubs.
Internationally, he held the record for Argentina’s top goalscorer until Lionel Messi took over in 2016.
He’s also a World Cup icon with 10 goals across three tournaments.
With Argentina, Batistuta has won:
- a Copa América,
- a CONMEBOL–UEFA Cup of Champions, and
- the FIFA Confederations Cup.
6. Javier Zanetti
Position: Right Wing-Back
International Caps/Goals/Assists: 145 / 5 / 5
Club Level Apps/Goals/Assists: 858 / 21 / 37
Clubs: Inter Milan, Talleres, Banfield
Javier Zanetti’s career speaks volumes about dedication and excellence.
Yet he played just one World Cup with Argentina, a blip in an otherwise legendary 20-year career.
Zanetti’s reputation as one of his generation’s finest players stems from his career at Inter. He played for them from 1995 to 2004 and was also a part of the historic treble-winning 2009–10 season.
Zanetti holds the record for most appearances by a foreign player (615) in Serie A.
He also holds the record for most appearances (858) at Inter, along with a cabinet full of trophies. At Inter, he won several Scudetti, domestic cups, and European titles.
His impact at Inter Milan was immeasurable. This is evident by the retirement of his number 4 jersey and his appointment as the club’s Vice President.
Zanetti was also a versatile player. He was great across both flanks as a wing-back and also in midfield.
Zanetti’s impact wasn’t just confined to the club scene though. With Argentina, Zanetti made 145 appearances, the third-highest of all time.
He also reached the finals in many Copa América and Confederations Cup tournaments.
Off the pitch, Zanetti has been actively involved in humanitarian efforts. He’s the ambassador for the SOS Children’s Villages project in Argentina and the Special Olympics.
5. Daniel Passarella
- Position: Sweeper / Center-Back
- International Caps/Goals/Assists: 62 / 20 / 5
- Club Level Apps/Goals: 479 / 143
Clubs: River Plate, Fiorentina, Inter Milan, Sarmiento
The first entry in the top 5 of our list is the great Argentine captain, Daniel Passarella.
He captained Argentina during the nation’s victorious 1978 World Cup campaign. He was also a part of the Argentina side that won the 1986 World Cup.
Despite being a sweeper center-back, Passarella was a great goal-scorer.
He held the record of highest-scoring defender with 134 goals until Ronald Koeman took over.
In 2004, Pelé included Passarella in the list of the 125 greatest living soccer players.
After retirement, Passarella transitioned into coaching. He managed Argentina and Uruguay, as well as various club sides.
He also took the helm as the president of River Plate for four years.
4. Mario Kempes
- Position: Centre-Forward
- International Caps/Goals/Assists: 43 / 20 / 4
- Club Level Apps/Goals: 555 / 302
Clubs: Valencia, St. Pölten, Kremser SC, First Vienna FC, Hércules CF, Rosario Central, River Plate
Mario Kempes is one of the greatest Argentine soccer players of all time. And he could’ve been the greatest if he played in a less star-studded nation.
After all, he was Argentina’s World Cup trailblazer before Maradona.
As Valencia’s sharpshooter, he won La Liga’s top goalscorer title twice, scoring 116 goals for the club.
The peak of Kempes’ international career was the 1978 World Cup win. He was the focal point of the team, scoring crucial goals, including a brace in the final.
His performance earned him both the Golden Boot and the Golden Ball at the tournament.
Kempes’ has also won several individual awards including:
- South American Footballer of the Year
- Onze d’Or European Footballer of the Year
- Named in the 125 greatest living soccer players list by FIFA.
3. Alfredo di Stefano
- Position: Second Striker
- International Caps/Goals: 6 / 6
- Club Level Apps/Goals: 521 / 376
Clubs: Real Madrid, Millonarios, River Plate, Espanyol
Alfredo di Stefano was a bit of a dilemma for this list.
While he was an Argentine soccer player, he also played for the Spanish national team.
So, if this list was about the greatest Spanish soccer players, di Stefano would also be present there.
His legacy is inseparable from Real Madrid’s golden era in the 1950s and 1960s. There, he played a pivotal role in the club’s dominance of the European Cup and La Liga.
Alongside Francisco Gento and José María Zárraga, Di Stéfano contributed to all five of Madrid’s European Cup victories.
Di Stefano began his career with River Plate in Argentina. Then he moved to Millonarios in Colombia before joining Real Madrid.
At Madrid, he scored 216 league goals in 282 games, forming a great partnership with Ferenc Puskás.
He also won the Ballon d’Or twice, in 1957 and 1959.
The soccer world unanimously recognizes Di Stefano as a true legend.
To recognize his legacy, he was named in the FIFA 100 list of the world’s greatest living players. He was also awarded the special Presidents’ award from UEFA and Real Madrid.
2. Diego Maradona
- Position: Attacking Midfield
- International Caps/Goals/Assists: 84 / 32 / 20
- Club Level Apps/Goals/Assists: 491 / 259 / 94
Clubs: Napoli, Argentinos Juniors, Barcelona, Boca Juniors, Sevilla FC, Newell’s Old Boys
Diego Maradona takes the second spot on our list of the greatest soccer players from Argentina.
A soccer deity, Maradona commands an eternal place in the hearts of fans worldwide.
Whatever you think of Maradona as a person, you have to agree with his soccer greatness. He had it all you’d want from a soccer player.
Amazing skills, soccer IQ, ball control, and dribbling.
Because of his impact on the pitch, FIFA named Maradona as the greatest player of the 20th Century with Pele.
Maradona is also seen as a god among Napoli fans.
And why won’t he? He singlehandedly took the club to another level by leading the club to two Serie A titles.
Internationally, Maradona’s 1986 World Cup triumph with Argentina remains etched in soccer history. Apart from winning the trophy, Maradona also had iconic incidents at the tournament.
Especially, the infamous “Hand of God” goal and the “Goal of the Century” against England.
Maradona has a godlike status in Naples and adoration from soccer fans worldwide. But he was a flawed genius.
His unique story and genius make him one of the greatest soccer players of all time.
1. Lionel Messi
- Position: Right Winger / Forward
- International Caps/Goals/Assists: 180 / 106 / 56
- Club Level Apps/Goals/Assists: 889 / 721 / 344
Clubs: Barcelona, Paris Saint-Germain, Inter Miami
Lionel Messi is not just the greatest soccer player from Argentina. He’s also the greatest soccer player of all time.
Messi has spent most of his career at Barcelona, where he secured a record 34 trophies.
Starting at Barcelona aged 13, Messi’s rise was meteoric. He would go on to win eight Ballon d’Ors and set new records in La Liga and European soccer.
Then he had a brief spell at PSG before moving on to Inter Miami in 2023.
Messi has rewritten history books and redefined the meaning of world-class soccer.
He’s also seen his fair share of international success. As crowning achievements, Messi led Argentina to victory in the 2021 Copa América and the 2022 FIFA World Cup.
Since a young age, Messi’s left-footed magic has drawn comparisons to Diego Maradona. And Messi has delivered on it more than any could’ve imagined.
Messi’s influence also extends beyond the pitch.
He has won accolades like the Laureus World Sportsman of the Year. He also earned the recognition as one of Time’s most influential people.
Whether playing for Barcelona or Argentina, Lionel Messi’s impact on soccer is incomparable.
Thank You For Reading
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