Top 10 Argentina footballers of all time

#8 Javier Zanetti

Javier Zanetti is an Inter Milan legend

Javier Zanetti is one of the few remaining symbols of longevity in a game that is becoming increasingly unpredictable today. The Argentina defender was a loyal servant of both club and country for nearly two decades.

Zanetti made as many as 143 appearances for Argentina and his versatility and intelligence usually guaranteed him a place in his country's national team. The Inter Milan legend was perfectly capable of playing on both flanks and could also ply his trade in a defensive midfield position.

Javier Zanetti was one of the most reliable defenders of his time and his exclusions from the 2006 and 2010 World Cups may well go down in history as two of the most significant blunders in Argentina football history.

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#7 Gabriel Batistuta

Gabriel Batistuta was one of the most prolific strikers of his era

Fondly known as 'Batigol', the sheer power that Gabriel Batistuta's shots generated made him one of the most fearsome strikers the game has ever seen. The legendary Argentine forward became a Serie A behemoth with an incredible Italian career that continues to be cherished in Florence to this day.

Gabriel Batistuta scored 45 league goals in three seasons as an embattled Fiorentina outfit strived to stay in Italy's top division. The arrival of Portuguese maestro Rui Costa in 1995 managed to bring the best out of the imposing Argentine and the duo's exploits inspired Fiorentina to a famous Coppa Italia victory against one of the best AC Milan sides in history.

Peter Brackley commentating on Rui Costa and Gabriel Batistuta. pic.twitter.com/2TEmDAsgJx

— James Nalton (@JDNalton) October 14, 2018

Gabriel Batistuta was also a record goalscorer for Argentina for a significant period of time and has scored 54 goals in only 77 games. The Fiorentina legend also became the first player in history to score hat-tricks in two different World Cups after bagging trebles in 1994 and 1998.

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#6 Omar Sivori

Omar Sivori is an Argentine legend

Widely regarded as one of the most mystifying dribblers of his time, Omar Sivori made significant contributions to the football heritage of both Argentina and Italy during as time as a player and as a manager.

Omar Sivori became a prominent name in Argentina after his exploits with River Plate earned him widespread fame and recognition. Sivori formed a lethal partnership with Antonio Angelillo and Humberto Maschio and the attacking trident was nicknamed the 'Trio of Death'.

With Omar Sivori at the forefront of Argentina's stylish football revolution, the country dominated the South American Championship in 1957 and managed a stunning 8-2 victory against Colombia and a 3-0 win over Brazil to clinch the gold medal in the tournament.

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#5 Daniel Passarella

Daniel Passarella is an Argentina legend. Image Source: Shutter Stock

Daniel Passarella is, without a shadow of a doubt, the greatest defender in Argentina's rich footballing history. The centre-back is virtually worshipped in Argentina for leading his country to its first successful World Cup campaign in 1978. Passarella is widely considered as one of the greatest players of all time and had a massive impact on an Argentina team that was filled to the brim with talent.

Daniel Passarella's reputation as a hardman and a tough-tackler made his presence in the starting eleven a predetermined psychological victory for an Argentina team that relied heavily on magical interventions of talent in the final third.

25 - Aged 25 years and 31 days on the day of the final, @Argentina’s Daniel Passarella remains the youngest player to captain his side to victory in a World Cup final. Entrusted. #OptaWCYears pic.twitter.com/Nqx10fNbYy

— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) May 4, 2020

In addition to being his team's best defender, Passarella was also a formidable goalscorer and managed an impressive tally of 134 goals in 451 matches. The Argentine defender also enjoyed successful stints with the likes of River Plate, Fiorentina, and Inter Milan.

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