Forwards
Trending
The only footballer ever to win the Ballon d’Or five times, Lionel Messi is an absolute phenomenon. Although he has not been as successful with Argentina as he has been with Barcelona, Messi will be hoping to be at his best and silence his critics once and for all at the Copa America Centenario.
His pace and technical ability enable him to undertake individual dribbling runs towards goal, in particular during counterattacks, usually starting from the halfway line or the right side of the pitch. Tactically, Messi plays in a free attacking role; a versatile player, he is capable of attacking on either wing or through the centre of the pitch. Messi is quite simply a phenomenon.
Batigol as he was fondly known, Batistuta is Argentina’s all-time top scorer with 56 goals. Batistuta was as complete a striker as you could see. Clinical finishing, powerful header, and pinpoint free kicks. At his best, he was a joy to watch. He played in 3 World Cups, in 1994, 1998 and 2002, and scored 2 World Cup hat-tricks, against Greece in 1994 and Jamaica in 1998. Batistuta had all the attributes of a conventional centre-forward, and easily makes any all-time Argentina XI.
Mario Kempes was the first man to win the Golden Ball, Golden Boot and the World Cup in the same tournament. He was served brilliantly in the triumphant 1978 World Cup campaign by Ardilles. He scored six goals in the 1978 World Cup Campaign, and was instrumental in his country’s triumph.
He was brilliant in that final against the Netherlands, scoring 2 goals, as the Argentines won 3-1 after extra time. Like Batistuta, he was a typical centre forward – strong, pacey, and clinical. He would have been remembered by many as Argentina’s greatest footballer ever, if not for a certain Diego Armando Maradona, or a Lionel Andres Messi.
