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Argentina has a rich history when it comes to football. The South American country has won a couple of FIFA World Cups (1978 and 1986) and 15 Copa America trophies. They hold the joint record for most Copa America titles with Uruguay.
La Albiceleste have finished runners-up three times in the FIFA World Cup, adding to their legacy. Lionel Messi and Diego Maradona, two of the game's all-time greats, are both Argentineans. Lionel Scaloni's men won last year's Copa America crown, beating Brazil 1-0 in the showpiece final.
Argentina have been blessed with some world-class forwards
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Lionel Messi is not only Argentina's best player currently but is arguably their greatest ever. The South American nation has been known to produce great attacking talent. The likes of Lautaro Martinez and Paulo Dybala are two of the best forwards in the current crop.
Read on to find Argentina's five most valuable footballers right now.
#5 Rodrigo de Paul - €40 million
Rodrigo de Paul is a 27-year-old midfielder who plies his trade for Atletico Madrid. The Sarandi-born footballer was impressive during his five-year stint at Udinese in Serie A. He was influential in Argentina's Copa America win in 2021.
The midfield maverick was snapped up for a fee of €35 million in last year's summer transfer window. At the time of writing, his market value is €40 million. He is the highest valued Argentinian player who doesn't operate in the attacking positions.
Despite being relatively new to the national setup, de Paul has racked up 38 appearances already. His importance to Argentina cannot be understated as they are not blessed with many quality midfielders.
#4 Paulo Dybala - €40 million
Paulo Dybala has been vital to Juventus' domestic triumphs in recent times. However, he will leave the Bianconeri once his contract expires this summer, according to Fabrizio Romano. His unexpectedly low market value is a result of his expiring contract.
Dybala is currently valued at €40 million, which puts him on par with Rodrigo de Paul. "The Jewel," as fans refer to him, has scored 113 goals and recorded 48 assists in 283 matches for Juventus. He is a five-time Serie A winner with the Old Lady.
Dybala has shone at club level, be it league matches, the domestic cup, or the Champions League. However, he hasn't quite replicated his performances for his country. The 28-year-old has only two goals and six assists under his belt at international level in 32 games.
#3 Angel Correa - €45 million
Angel Correa, another Argentinean who plays his club football at the Wanda Metropolitano Stadium, is valued at €45 million. He isn't on the level of Paulo Dybala. However, the higher market value is due to four years left on his contract.
Correa has been a fine player for Atletico Madrid. The forward has 58 goals and 53 assists to his credit for the reigning La Liga champions. The 27-year-old has scored thrice in 20 outings for his national side.
The ongoing season has been particularly fruitful for the Atletico Madrid number 10. He has outscored the likes of Luis Suarez, Joao Felix and Antoine Griezmann with 12 goals across competitions this season.
#2 Lionel Messi - €60 million
Lionel Messi has consistently been among the top two footballers in the world for over a decade. The winger is one of the all-time greats. He spent 16 years in the Barcelona first-team setup before moving to Paris Saint-Germain last year.
Messi, now 34, is valued at €60 million, putting him second on the list of Argentina players with the highest market value. The right-winger is the all-time top goalscorer for his country with 81 goals in 159 matches. He also has 49 assists for La Albiceleste.
"La Pulga" hasn't been at his best this season, scoring just two goals in 18 Ligue 1 matches. Moreover, PSG have already been knocked out of the Champions League. Ardent Messi fans will hope that he can win the FIFA World Cup this year to cap off a fantastic career.
#1 Lautaro Martinez - €70 million
Lautaro Martinez's stock has been gradually rising since his Racing Club days. The Inter Milan striker has a market value of €70 million. He is not only the most valuable player for his nation but is also the highest valued member of the Inter Milan squad.
Martinez has been very prolific for club and country. The Inter Milan number 10 has scored 65 goals in 171 games in all competitions. As far as his national team performances are concerned, the 24-year-old has registered 19 strikes in 37 outings.
The Nerazzurri sold star players Romelu Lukaku and Achraf Hakimi last summer. However, Martinez's fine displays have ensured they stay within touching distance of the Serie A leaders AC Milan. He has scored 14 times in 27 matches in the league this term.
