Forget about Brazil; Argentina is a team that has had some superb soccer players. Both past and present, with such talent, they have had some of the best teams in the FIFA World Cup, winning it in 2022, 1986, and 1978. These are a few of the best-ever players to have played for the Argentina soccer team.
Maradona needs little introduction. For Argentina and Napoli, he established himself as perhaps the best player in the game during the 1980s. At international level, Maradona played his best games for Argentina in the 1986 World Cup, where he scored five goals, including a fine goal against England, and was undoubtedly their most influential player, winning the Golden Ball as well as the World Cup. At club level, he starred for Napoli where he scored 115 goals in 258 games for the club in Serie A, winning two Serie A titles. Overall, Maradona is regarded as perhaps the best player to have played for Argentina before Messi, at least.
Messi has been the best player in the world for many years, having been awarded FIFA World Player of the Year several times. He is still a great player today, albeit an ageing one who might retire in the next few years. In Argentina’s 2022 FIFA World Cup-winning team, Messi was as brilliant as ever at 35. He scored seven of Argentina’s goals, including two in the final, to help his team win the trophy.
Messi can play on the wing, as a striker, or false 9, where he usually starred for Barcelona. He scored a staggering 672 goals for the Catalan giants (a record number for Barca) before heading to Paris SG. Those goals were crucial for winning Messi’s 10 La Liga titles and for Champions League trophies, when at Barcelona.
So far as strikers go, Batistuta was one of Argentina’s best. For Argentina, he scored 56 goals in 78 games played, which is one of the highest totals. At club level, Batistuta played most of his games for Fiorentina, where he was hero to the club, scoring 168 goals in 269 games played. Then, when at Roma, Batistuta also scored a further 33 goals to win the Serie A title.
Di Stefano was another top goal-scoring player, who had great stamina and tactical versatility. He starred in the Real Madrid sides that dominated the European Cup, and scored 216 goals in 282 games played for them. This forward won the European Cup an astonishing five times with Madrid and was twice European Player of the Year.
However, at the international level, Di Stefano curiously played only a few games for Argentina. In six games, he scored six goals but played no more for his country. Somewhat confusingly, Stefano played 31 games for Spain, with 23 goals scored, and also four games for Colombia. Still, few can doubt that Di Stefano was one of Argentina’s best, if somewhat disloyal, players.
Maradona, Di Stefano, Batistuta, and Messi were all great Argentinian players who starred for their clubs and country. With such fine ball players, it’s little wonder Argentina has won three World Cups and 16 Copa America championships. Only Brazil can boast a better South American record in international soccer.
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