When it comes to certain footballing nations, it's relatively easy to define their style of play.
Take the Netherlands or Spain, for example—both have long embraced a fluid, possession-heavy approach rooted in the philosophy of Rinus Michels and later refined, arguably perfected, by Johan Cruyff and Pep Guardiola.
Italy, by contrast, is synonymous with defensive mastery, while Brazil dazzles with "," a samba-inspired blend of flair and finesse.
Argentina, however, is harder to box in.
Their national identity on the pitch has always been a fascinating contradiction: a blend of mesmerizing, creative attackers and no-nonsense, hard-nosed defenders and midfielders. Think balletic wingers alongside bruising ball-winners; moments of genius layered over raw, relentless grit—more Sunday league brawl than tiki-taka elegance, yet equally captivating.
It's this duality that has defined La Albiceleste and made them one of soccer's true powerhouses. With three FIFA World Cups, 16 Copa América titles, and a legacy of producing some of the most iconic players in the history of the game, Argentina’s footballing culture is as rich and layered as the nation itself.
With that in mind, we’ve ranked the 10 greatest Argentine players of all time—factoring in pure talent, impact, and success at both club and international level.
Before we dive in, a quick note: though Alfredo Di Stéfano did represent Argentina six times, he’s been left off this list due to his greater international impact with Spain. And shouts to Pablo Aimar, Ángel Di María, Jorge Burruchaga, and Javier Mascherano—greats in their own right, but narrowly missing the cut.
Let’s get into it.
10. Sergio Agüero
Despite scoring 41 goals in 101 appearances for Argentina, Sergio Agüero’s international career never quite hit the heights many expected. Aside from lifting the Copa América in 2021, his time with La Albiceleste was largely marked by near-misses and underwhelming campaigns—his influence often limited by injuries and a national side that only truly began to flourish after his career was curtailed.
At club level, however, Agüero’s legacy is undeniable. A Manchester City legend and one of the Premier League’s greatest-ever strikers, the Argentine forward was a nightmare for defenders—blessed with a razor-sharp eye for goal, a low center of gravity, and movement inside the box that was second to none.
Across a decade with the Citizens, he scored an astonishing 260 goals in all competitions, winning five Premier League titles and 10 other major honors. His most iconic moment came in his debut season’s final game, when he scored a last-gasp winner against Queens Park Rangers to seal City’s first-ever Premier League title—in dramatic fashion—snatching it from rivals Manchester United on goal difference.
The goal, immortalized by Martin Tyler’s legendary "AGUEROOOOOO!" call, remains one of the most unforgettable moments in soccer history.
9. Juan Román Riquelme
Unlike many of Argentina’s iconic playmakers—known locally as —such as the likes of Pablo Aimar, Jorge Burruchaga, Diego Maradona, and even Lionel Messi, Juan Román Riquelme didn’t stand out for his physical traits. He lacked the pace, explosiveness, and athleticism that helped define many of his peers.
But technically? The boy from La Boca could go toe-to-toe with any of them.
Nicknamed —the last No. 10—Riquelme embodied the end of a now-extinct breed: the classic playmaker who relied not on physicality, but on intelligence, vision, and flawless technique. He didn’t outrun or outmuscle opponents; he outthought them with eagle-eyed passing, premeditated first touches, and graceful footwork.
It’s a style that might struggle in today’s fast-paced, high-pressing game—but back then, it was magic. As his former FC Barcelona coach Louis van Gaal once put it, in a quote that perfectly captures both his genius and his limitations: “When we have the ball, we have the world’s best player. But when we lose the ball, we play with 10 men.”
8. Ubaldo Fillol
Argentina isn’t typically known for producing world-class goalkeepers—but Ubaldo Fillol stands as a notable exception. But his legendary career might never have taken off were it not for a twist of fate.
Rising from obscurity in Argentina’s eighth division, Fillol was so little-known early in his international career that teammates reportedly nicknamed him (“The Duck”)—simply because no one knew who he was. By the time the 1978 World Cup arrived, he had still only made a handful of appearances for La Albiceleste.
But an injury to first-choice keeper Hugo Gatti just before the tournament handed Fillol his chance—and he seized it. He starred throughout Argentina’s title-winning campaign under César Luis Menotti, pulling off key saves in crucial victories over France and Poland, and delivering a standout performance in the final against the Netherlands.
While striker Mario Kempes received most of the headlines for Argentina’s triumph, many recognized Fillol as the unsung hero. The New York Times, writing ahead of the final, captured that sentiment perfectly: “If there is one man chiefly responsible for Argentina reaching the World Cup final for the first time in 48 years, it is Ubaldo Fillol.”
7. Omar Sívori
Omar Sívori walked so the likes of Maradona and Messi could run.
The first truly world-class Argentine attacker, Sívori was a diminutive forward—standing just 5'4"—but what he lacked in size, he more than made up for with speed, flair, and dazzling dribbling skills. He was a nightmare for defenders, particularly during his time at Juventus, where he left an indelible mark.
In eight seasons in Turin, Sívori scored 168 goals and helped the club win three Serie A titles and three Coppa Italias. Midway through that golden spell, however, he switched his international allegiance from Argentina to Italy—after being banned from representing La Albiceleste by the Argentine Football Association for choosing to play in Europe rather than domestically.
Argentina's loss was very much Sívori’s gain. Now technically classified as a European, " went on to win the Ballon d'Or in 1961.
6. Daniel Passarella
Daniel Passarella was the first Argentine to lift the World Cup and remains the only player from his country to have won the tournament twice—a feat that alone secures his place among Argentina’s all-time greats.
But Passarella’s legacy extends far beyond silverware. As both a player and a pioneer, he redefined what it meant to be a center-back. Standing just 5'8"—short by the standards of his position—he was as tough as they came, regularly outmuscling far larger opponents and proving deceptively dominant in the air.
What truly set him apart, though, was his ability on the ball. At a time when defenders were expected to stay back and play it safe, Passarella was surging forward, breaking lines, and scoring goals—lots of them. He netted an astonishing 175 times over the course of his career, a record for defenders that stood until Ronald Koeman surpassed it.
5. Javier Zanetti
Javier Zanetti was never the flashiest name on the team sheet—he wasn’t known for wonder goals, marauding runs, or racking up cards. But what he brought to the pitch was something far more valuable: consistency, intelligence, versatility, and leadership. A model professional, Zanetti read the game superbly, was two-footed, and could seamlessly slot into multiple positions across the pitch.
He also rarely put a foot wrong, maintained peak fitness well into his late 30s, and captained Inter Milan with quiet authority for nearly two decades—helping the club to 16 major trophies, including five Serie A titles and the UEFA Champions League.
If you're after a modern comparison, think James Milner—but more polished, more decorated, and far more influential at the elite level.
4. Mario Kempes
Mario Kempes may have had a relatively short career—cut down by injuries sooner than most—but during his peak, he was a goal machine.
In his early days with Rosario Central, Kempes lit up the Argentine league, scoring an incredible 97 goals in just 123 matches. That prolific form earned him a move to Spain with Valencia, where he continued to thrive. Across two spells at the club—split by a brief return home with River Plate—he netted 140 times and helped fire Valencia to several major trophies.
But it was on the international stage where Kempes truly etched his name into history. In just 43 appearances for Argentina, he scored 20 goals—six of which came during the 1978 World Cup, including a match-winning brace in the final.
Not only did he finish as the tournament's top scorer, but he also won the Golden Ball as best player—making him one of only three players ever to claim the Golden Boot, Golden Ball, and World Cup title in the same tournament, alongside Garrincha (1962) and Paolo Rossi (1982).
3. Gabriel Batistuta
When modern strikers are asked to name the greatest out-and-out No. 9 of all time, many understandably point to Ronaldo Nazário—the Brazilian icon who led the Seleção to World Cup glory in 2002.
Not Luis Suárez, though.
"The ultimate? Gabriel Batistuta," the former Barcelona and Liverpool striker told the Daily Mail in 2016 when reflecting on his soccer idols. "He was a spectacular No. 9—great at finding space, shooting from outside the box, good in the air. He was always a reference for me."
Nicknamed "Batigol," Batistuta was an absolute force in the final third—a striker who could do it all. Whether it was with his head, his dominant right foot, or even his so-called weaker left, from close range or distance, off a volley, a cut-back, or a dead ball—he always seemed to find the back of the net.
Over the course of his glittering career, he scored more than 350 goals for club and country, winning two Copa América titles with Argentina and lifting silverware in Italy with both Fiorentina and Roma.
Had he been less loyal to Fiorentina during the 1990s—remaining with them even after relegation to Serie B—his legacy might be even grander. He was linked with nearly every major club in Europe but turned down bigger stages because he preferred to stay out of the spotlight.
"If I had gone to [Real] Madrid, I would have scored more than 200 goals, but I knew I’d have gotten bored. The same thing would’ve happened at Milan," he once said—a humble flex if there ever was one.
2. Diego Maradona
Though his career and personal life were shrouded in controversy, there’s simply no denying that Diego Armando Maradona was one of the greatest footballers to ever grace the game—perhaps second only to the man who edges him out on this list.
Wherever Maradona went, brilliance, chaos, and success followed in equal measure—a volatile mix that made him mesmerizing to watch and impossible to ignore, both on and off the pitch.
Win the Copa del Rey with Barcelona in 1983? Check. Start one of the most infamous brawls in soccer history a year later in the final against Athletic Bilbao—headbutting one opponent and elbowing another? Naturally.
Lead Napoli to their first—and then second—Serie A title, forever engraving his name in Italian soccer folklore? Of course. See that same chapter end in scandal after a failed cocaine test and alleged ties to the Mafia? Sadly, yes.
Lift the World Cup with Argentina in 1986, scoring both the most controversial goal in football history ("The Hand of God") and arguably the greatest solo goal ever in the same match? Absolutely.
An ethereal talent who made defenders look like traffic cones and turned the pitch into his personal playground, Maradona was a chaotic genius—a player whose legacy, for better or worse, will remain etched in soccer history forever.
1. Lionel Messi
At this point, so much has been said about Lionel Messi—the greatest soccer player of all time, bar none—that it feels almost impossible to find new words to describe him.
Revered as a footballing God by fans, pundits, and fellow players alike, Messi possesses a kind of magic that defies explanation. His brilliance isn’t something that can be fully captured in stats or sentences; it's something you have to witness to truly understand—because he hasn’t just been better than everyone else in the game’s history, he’s been something altogether different.
Watching Messi thread a pass is like watching Magnus Carlsen play chess—he’s five moves ahead, operating in a future no one else can see, executing with unerring precision. Watching him dribble is like watching Simone Biles on the balance beam—seemingly one misstep from falling, but in total control, floating through chaos with grace and mastery.
Watching him shoot is like watching Steph Curry fire from deep—when the ball leaves his foot, it feels inevitable. And observing his off-the-ball movement is like watching Jon Jones stalk an opponent in the Octagon—calculated, patient, eyes always locked on the kill, striking with devastating efficiency when the moment arrives.
There has never been, and may never again be, a player—nor sportsperson—quite like Lionel Messi: a once-in-a-lifetime genius whose game is a form of art, painted with the creativity of Picasso, the intensity of Van Gogh, and the elegance of Monet.
