Few countries, if any, are as passionate about their football as Argentina. Incredibly, 90% of Argentines have sworn allegiance to one of the national football clubs. Argentina became one of the first FIFA members from outside Europe in 1891 and has produced some of its greatest stars ever since.
Argentina is a country that is now perhaps more remembered for being the birthplace of two of the world's greatest players than for the countries they have won the World Cup many times. Still, Argentina has a long history and there have been many players who have played a role in their success over the years. In this article, we will introduce some of the best Argentine football players of all time.
Based on the performance of the national team, club, stability, longevity and influence, here are the 10 best Argentine footballers of all time.
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While Sergio Aguero is often criticised for having difficulty replicating his club form on the international stage, there is no doubt that he is talented in front of the net. Although not much appreciated outside of Manchester's blue half, he has always been a constant force.
'El Kun' has been looking forward to great things ever since his sudden appearance as a 15-year-old Independiente prodigy, and he has certainly had success in Spain and England.
With four Premier League titles and more than 200 goals from Manchester City, fans at the Etihad Stadium have at least regarded Aguero as one of the greatest players in the club's history. He is also Argentina's third top scorer.
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Firoll is widely regarded as one of the greatest goalkeepers in the history of South American football. There's a good reason for this high accolade, having made 58 appearances during the 11 years of national team success.
Firoll has competed in three World Cups with his country, winning the tournament and being named the best goalkeeper in 1978. He was also included in the 1974 and 1982 squads, but nearly missed out on the squad in the 1986 successful campaign, although he helped the team qualify.
He is particularly known for his free throw ability, having saved a total of 25% of all the penalties he faced.
He spent most of his club career in Argentina, where he had the closest relationship with River Plate, where he made 360 appearances and won numerous domestic accolades. Personally, he was named Argentina's Footballer of the Year in 1977, becoming the first goalkeeper to receive the award.
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Before Maradona, Mario Kempez was Argentina's number one hero at the World Cup. In 1978, the Valencia star was the only player to play abroad and was called up by Cesar Luis Menotti, who repaid his coach's trust with six goals, two of which came in the final against the Netherlands.
Kempez has scored more than 300 goals in his career, and Cordoba's largest stadium is now named after him in honor of the province's most famous son.
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Sivori is a genius with the ball at his feet, his socks wrapped around his ankles, walking past unfettered defenders. He made 18 appearances for Argentina, scoring nine goals, helping Spain advance to the 1957 Copa America(s) where he was named the tournament's best player, but moved to Italy at the 1962 Fifacious World Cup.
His major achievements include winning two Argentine titles with River Plate, three Serie A titles at Juventus, Cabo Canonier in 1959 and the Ballon d'Or d'Or in 1961. Without a doubt, he is one of the best Argentine footballers of all time.
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Zanetti is a portrait of consistency. He is the most played Argentine ever, making his debut in 1994 and his 143rd appearance in 2011. At club level, he became a legend at Inter Milan, where he won five Serie A titles and the Champions League.
As a player, he was named to FIFA's top 125 players, while receiving five Team of the Year nominations between 2003 and 2010 and a FIFPro World XI nomination in 2010. Now a legend in football, few would object to the right-back as one of the best Argentine footballers of all time, and he deserves it.
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Batistuta remains one of the best strikers of modern times and one of the best Argentine footballers of all time. He is a legendary player for two Italian clubs: Fiorentina and Roma, who retired as one of the greatest strikers of all time.
Batistuta is born with the ability to score goals, as well as excellent shooting and header skills. He can quickly dodge his markings and has a lot of acceleration. He can also shoot hard from the edge of the penalty area and is very good at taking free kicks.
He is Argentina's best pure Number 9 player and is second in terms of 56 goals.
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Daniel Passarella is probably the greatest Argentine defender of all time, and despite being only 5 inches 8 inches tall, he is still the defensive giant of South America.
Known for his inspiring leadership and tough character, "Caesar" is an aggressive tackler who scores consistently from free kicks, penalties or headers.
A scavenger who scored 175 goals in his career, Passarella played for River Plate and Fiorentina, making 70 appearances for Argentina and leading the national team to a 1978 World Cup.
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Di Stefano was the promoter of three of the most famous teams of his time; the great team of the River Plate of the 1940s, the magnificent "Ballet Azul" team of Millionarios and the Real Madrid team that won the first five European Championships.
No matter where Di Stefano plays, it rains. He scored in all five successful European Championship finals and was the top scorer in Argentina, Colombia twice and Spain five times. Di Stefano also won the Ballon d'Or twice in 1957 and 1959, the pinnacle of his personal achievements.
He has played for three countries – Argentina, Spain and Colombia – but has never reached a World Cup final. Nevertheless, thanks to the large number of goals he scored in his career, he will be remembered forever in football and, of course, as a great argentine player, his name is well deserved.
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Messi was so far ahead of his contemporaries that instead of arguing about his place in the modern game, he turned to his place in history.
His quick dribbling and incredible ability to outpace defenders matched the precise, calm finish. His passing and vision are among the best in world football.
The diminutive Argentine broke all the records that preceded him and was Argentina's all-time top scorer, and with just one World Cup win, he could become an unrivalled all-time top scorer.
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The way Diego Maradona inspired Argentina to win the 1986 World Cup was miraculous, and we may never see anything like that again. El Diego is a natural winner, he has all the tools to take him to the top, and he has a strong desire to play. He scored 34 goals in 91 appearances for Argentina, won the 1986 Ballon d'Or and turned Napoli from a no-name to a champion.
On the pitch, the former Napoli star would surround his opponents, making world-class defenders look ordinary every week. Maradona regularly lists the best players of all time in most publications and is without a doubt one of the greatest players from Argentina.
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