The Argentinian national soccer team, also know as La Albiceleste (The White and Sky Blue), is one of the most loved and successful teams around the world. Their style of play is something that fans travel across the globe to watch. For now, we will have a look at the most famous Argentine soccer players of all time.
Argentina has won the FIFA World Cup twice, Copa América fourteen times, Copa Roca four times, and the Confederations Cup once.
Soccer, or association football is easily the most popular sport in Argentina, with nearly 3,400 clubs spread all over the country. This great footballing nation has given us many superstars overs the decades. The fact that so many talented footballers have come through the ranks in Argentina is what makes this country so successful at international events. The game is governed in the country by the Argentine Football Association (AFA).
With the kind of history and system that it has in place, it is no surprise that Argentina has produced players of the highest standard over the decades. And these players, in turn, have helped their country win numerous major trophies all across the globe. Let’s check out the best Argentinian soccer players to have played the game. The list provided here is purely in alphabetical order.
Famous Argentine Soccer Players
Alfredo Di Stéfano
Lived: July 4, 1926 – July 7, 2014
Position: Forward
Clubs
River Plate (1945 – 1951)
Millonarios (1951 – 1953)
Real Madrid (1953 – 1964)
Espanyol (1964 – 1966)
National Team
Argentina (1947)
Colombia (1949)
Spain (1957 – 1961)
Ángel di María
Born: February 14, 1988
Position: Winger, Attacking Midfielder
Clubs
Rosario Central (2005 – 2007)
Benfica (2007 – 2010)
Real Madrid (2010 – present)
National Team
U20 (2007)
Argentina (2008 – present)
Ariel Ortega
Born: March 4, 1974
Position: Attacking Midfielder, Forward
Clubs
River Plate (1991 – 1996)
Valencia (1997 – 1998)
Sampdoria (1998 – 1999)
Parma (1999 – 2000)
River Plate (2000 – 2002)
Fenerbahçe (2002 – 2003)
Newell’s Old Boys (2004 – 2006)
River Plate (2006 – 2012)
Herminio Arrieta de Ledesma (2014 – present)
National Team
Argentina (1993 – 2010)
Carlos Tevez
Born: February 5, 1984
Position: Forward
Clubs
Boca Juniors (2001 – 2004)
Corinthians (2004 – 2006)
West Ham United (2006 – 2007)
Manchester United (2007 – 2009)
Manchester City (2009 – 2013)
Juventus (2013 – present)
National Team
U17 (2001)
U23 (2004)
Argentina (2004 – 2011)
Daniel Bertoni
Born: March 14, 1955
Position: Right Winger
Clubs
Quilmes (1971 – 1972)
Independiente (1973 – 1977)
Sevilla (1978 – 1980)
Fiorentina (1981 – 1984)
Napoli (1984 – 1986)
Udinese (1986 – 1987)
National Team
Argentina (1974 – 1982)
Daniel Passarella
Born: May 25, 1953
Position: Center Back, Sweeper
Clubs
Sarmiento (1971 – 1973)
River Plate (1974 – 1982)
Fiorentina (1982 – 1986)
Internazionale (1986 – 1988)
River Plate (1988 – 1989)
National Team
Argentina (1974 – 1986)
Diego Maradona
Born: October 30, 1960
Position: Attacking Midfielder, Striker
Clubs
Argentinos Juniors (1976 – 1981)
Boca Juniors (1981 – 1982)
Barcelona (1982 – 1984)
Napoli (1984 – 1991)
Sevilla (1992 – 1993)
Newell’s Old Boys (1993 – 1994)
Boca Juniors (1995 – 1997)
National Team
U20 (1977 – 1979)
Argentina (1977 – 1994)
Diego Milito
Born: June 12, 1979
Position: Striker
Clubs
Racing (1999 – 2003)
Genoa (2003 – 2005)
Zaragoza (2005 – 2008)
Genoa (2008 – 2009)
Internazionale (2009 – 2014)
National Team
Argentina (2003 – 2011)
Diego Simeone
Born: April 28, 1970
Position: Defensive Midfielder
Clubs
Vélez Sársfield (1987 – 1990)
Pisa (1990 – 1992)
Sevilla (1992 – 1994)
Atlético Madrid (1994 – 1997)
Internazionale (1997 – 1999)
Lazio (1999 – 2003)
Atlético Madrid (2003 – 2005)
Racing (2005 – 2006)
National Team
U20 (1989)
Argentina (1988 – 2002)
Esteban Cambiasso
Born: August 18, 1980
Position: Central Midfielder
Clubs
Independiente (1998 – 2001)
River Plate (2001 – 2002)
Real Madrid (2002 – 2004)
Internazionale (2004 – 2014)
National Team
U17 (1995)
U20 (1997 – 1999)
Argentina (2000 – 2011)
Fernando Redondo
Born: June 6, 1969
Position: Defensive Midfielder
Clubs
Argentinos Juniors (1985 – 1990)
Tenerife (1990 – 1994)
Real Madrid (1994 – 2000)
Milan (2000 – 2004)
National Team
Argentina (1992 – 1999)
Gabriel Batistuta
Born: February 1, 1969
Position: Striker
Clubs
Newell’s Old Boys (1988 – 1989)
River Plate (1989 – 1990)
Boca Juniors (1990 – 1991)
Fiorentina (1991 – 2000)
Roma (2000 – 2003)
Al Arabi (2003 – 2005)
National Team
Argentina (1991 – 2002)
Hernán Crespo
Born: July 5, 1975
Position: Striker
Clubs
River Plate (1993 – 1996)
Parma (1996 – 2000)
Lazio (2000 – 2002)
Internazionale (2002 – 2003)
Chelsea (2003 – 2008)
Internazionale (2008 – 2009)
Genoa (2009 – 2010)
Parma (2010 – 2012)
National Team
U23 (1996)
Argentina (1995 – 2007)
Javier Mascherano
Born: June 8, 1984
Position: Center Back, Defensive Midfielder
Clubs
River Plate (2003 – 2005)
Corinthians (2005 – 2006)
West Ham United (2006 – 2007)
Liverpool (2007 – 2010)
Barcelona (2010 – present)
National Team
U20 (2003 – 2004)
U23 (2004 – 2008)
Argentina (2003 – present)
Javier Saviola
Born: December 11, 1981
Position: Striker
Clubs
River Plate (1998 – 2001)
Barcelona (2001 – 2007)
Real Madrid (2007 – 2009)
Benfica (2009 – 2012)
Málaga (2012 – 2013)
Olympiacos (2013 – present)
National Team
U20 (2001)
Argentina (2000 – 2007)
Javier Zanetti
Born: August 10, 1973
Position: Right Wingback, Defensive Midfielder
Clubs
Talleres RE (1992 – 1993)
Banfield (1993 – 1995)
Internazionale (1995 – 2014)
National Team
U23 (1996)
Argentina (1994 – 2011)
Jorge Burruchaga
Born: October 9, 1962
Position: Attacking Midfielder
Clubs
Arsenal de Sarandí (1979 – 1981)
Independiente (1982 – 1985)
Nantes (1985 – 1992)
Valenciennes (1992 – 1993)
Independiente (1995 – 1998)
National Team
U20 (1981)
Argentina (1983 – 1990)
José Sanfilippo
Born: May 4, 1935
Position: Striker
Clubs
San Lorenzo (1953 – 1962)
Boca Juniors (1963)
Nacional (1964 – 1965)
Banfield (1966 – 1967)
Bangu (1968)
EC Bahia (1968 – 1971)
San Lorenzo (1972)
San Miguel (1978)
National Team
Argentina (1957 – 1962)
Juan Román Riquelme
Born: June 24, 1978
Position: Attacking Midfielder
Clubs
Boca Juniors (1996 – 2002)
Barcelona (2002 – 2005)
Villarreal (2005 – 2007)
Boca Juniors (2008 – present)
National Team
U20 (1997 – 1998)
U23 (2008)
Argentina (1997 – 2008)
Juan Sebastián Verón
Born: March 9, 1975
Position: Attacking Midfielder
Clubs
Estudiantes (1994 – 1996)
Boca Juniors (1996)
Sampdoria (1996 – 1998)
Parma (1998 – 1999)
Lazio (1999 – 2001)
Manchester United (2001 – 2003)
Chelsea (2003 – 2007)
Estudiantes (2007 – 2012)
Brandsen (2012 – 2013)
Estudiantes (2013 – 2014)
National Team
Argentina (1996 – 2010)
Leopoldo Luque
Born: May 3, 1949
Position: Striker
Clubs
Gimnasia de Jujuy (1967 – 1969)
Central Norte (1969 – 1971)
Unión (1971)
Rosario Central (1972)
Unión (1973 – 1975)
River Plate (1975 – 1980)
Unión (1980 – 1981)
Racing Club (1981 – 1982)
Santos (1983)
Chacarita Juniors (1983 – 1984)
Santos (1984)
Textil Mandiyú (1984 – 1985)
National Team
Argentina (1975 – 1981)
Lionel Messi
Born: June 24, 1987
Position: Forward
Clubs
Barcelona (2004 – present)
National Team
U20 (2004 – 2005)
U23 (2007 – 2008)
Argentina (2005 – present)
Mario Kempes
Born: July 15, 1954
Position: Striker
Clubs
Instituto (1970 – 1973)
Rosario Central (1974 – 1976)
Valencia (1977 – 1981)
River Plate (1981 – 1982)
Valencia (1982 – 1984)
Hércules (1984 – 1986)
First Vienna (1986 – 1987)
St. Pölten (1987 – 1990)
Kremser SC (1990 – 1992)
Fernández Vial (1995)
Pelita Jaya (1999)
National Team
Argentina (1973 – 1982)
Martín Palermo
Born: November 7, 1973
Position: Striker
Clubs
Estudiantes (1992 – 1997)
Boca Juniors (1997 – 2000)
Villarreal (2001 – 2003)
Betis (2003 – 2004)
Alavés (2004)
Boca Juniors (2004 – 2011)
National Team
Argentina (1999 – 2010)
Matías Almeyda
Born: December 21, 1973
Position: Defensive Midfielder
Clubs
River Plate (1991 – 1996)
Sevilla (1996 – 1997)
Lazio (1997 – 2000)
Parma (2000 – 2002)
Inter Milan (2002 – 2004)
Brescia (2004 – 2005)
Quilmes (2005)
Lyn (2007)
Fénix (2009)
River Plate (2009 – 2011)
National Team
Argentina (1996 – 2003)
Osvaldo Ardiles
Born: August 3, 1952
Position: Central Midfielder
Clubs
Instituto de Córdoba (1973)
Belgrano (1974)
Huracán (1975 – 1978)
Tottenham Hotspur (1978 – 1988)
Blackburn Rovers (1988)
Queens Park Rangers (1988 – 1989)
Ft. Lauderdale Strikers (1989)
Swindon Town (1989 – 1991)
National Team
Argentina (1975 – 1982)
Pablo Aimar
Born: November 3, 1979
Position: Attacking Midfielder
Clubs
River Plate (1996 – 2000)
Valencia (2001 – 2006)
Zaragoza (2006 – 2008)
Benfica (2008 – 2013)
Johor Darul Takzim (2013 – 2014)
National Team
U17 (1995)
U20 (1997)
Argentina (1999 – 2009)
Rogelio Funes Mori
Born: March 5, 1991
Position: Striker
Clubs
River Plate (2009 – 2013)
Benfica (2013 – present)
National Team
U20 (2011)
Argentina (2012 – present)
Sergio Agüero
Born: June 2, 1988
Position: Striker
Clubs
Independiente (2003 – 2006)
Atlético Madrid (2006 – 2011)
Manchester City (2011 – present)
National Team
U17 (2004)
U20 (2005 – 2007)
Argentina (2006 – present)
Ubaldo Fillol
Born: July 21, 1950
Position: Goalkeeper
Clubs
Quilmes AC (1965 – 1971)
Racing Club (1972 – 1973)
River Plate (1974 – 1983)
Argentinos Juniors (1983)
Flamengo (1984 – 1985)
Atlético Madrid (1985 – 1986)
Racing Club (1986 – 1989)
Vélez Sársfield (1989 – 1991)
National Team
Argentina (1974 – 1985)
These were the most famous soccer players from Argentina. It would be safe to say that Argentina, with the consistent high standard that it has maintained through the decades, will definitely give us many more greats as the years go by. For now, let’s just enjoy the likes of Messi and Co. dazzle everyone with their play on the pitch.
