Legends of the game from Boca Juniors, River Plate, Barcelona, Real Madrid and Fiorentina star in Argentina’s incredible all-time squad.
Argentine greats Diego Maradona and Lionel Messi
Few countries, if any, are as passionate about their football as Argentina. An incredible 90% of Argentines pledge allegiance to one of the countries football clubs. Argentina became the first FIFA members from outside of Europe in 1891, and have given birth to some of the games greatest stars since then.
La Albiceleste have a very good record in major competitions for a country with fewer inhabitants than Colombia, South Korea or the Ukraine. Argentina have reached five World Cup finals, winning twice and being beaten three times – a record bettered only by Brazil, Germany and Italy. The country won Olympic Gold in 2004 and 2008, as well as winning the Copa America in 1991 and 1993, but have become international ‘nearly men’ in recent years, finishing as losing finalists in the World Cup once and the Copa America four times since 2004.
Rogelio Dominguez
Dominguez won the European Cup at Real Madrid
Argentina have had some fantastic – and a little mental – goalkeepers over the years, and there’s likely to be some debate over who deserves the number one shirt. One candidate is Rogelio Dominguez. He was capped 58 times by the Argentine national team, before leaving Argentina to join Real Madrid in 1957, where he won two European Cups. Widely regarded as the best goalkeeper in South America at the time of his departure, Dominguez spent most of his career at Racing Club.
Ubaldo Fillol
Amadeo Carrizo makes the reserves, whilst Hugo Gatti misses out altogether, but definitely in the squad for Argentina is World Cup winner Ubaldo Fillol. Not as eccentric as some of his rivals for the number one shirt, Fillol was a slightly more traditional goalkeeper with outstanding reflexes. He won 58 caps for Argentina, winning the 1978 World Cup in which he made the All-Star Team and spent most of his club career with River Plate.
Javier Zanetti
Argentina’s most capped player Javier Zanetti
There can only be one man at right-back for Argentina, and that is Javier Zanetti. A picture of consistency, both in terms of his performances and hair style, Zanetti is the most capped Argentine of all-time, winning his first cap in 1994 and his 143rd cap in 2011. At club level, he became a legend at Inter Milan, where he won five Serie A titles and the Champions League.
Daniel Passarella
Probably the greatest Argentine defender of all-time, Daniel Passarella was a giant at the back for the South Americans, despite standing at just 5″8′. A ball-playing sweeper who scored 175 goals over the course of his career, Passarella turned out for the likes of River Plate and Fiorentina, winning 70 caps for Argentina and captaining his country to glory in the 1978 World Cup.
Oscar Ruggeri
Argentina have a reputation for rough, aggressive and even dirty defenders, but those featured in this squad were a little more classy. Oscar Ruggeri was nicknamed ‘the big-headed one’ and won 97 caps for his country, playing for Argentina’s two biggest teams River Plate and Boca Juniors, as well as one of Europe’s, in Real Madrid.
Roberto Ayala
Roberto Ayala celebrates scoring at the 2006 World Cup
The last centre-back to make the definite 15 is the more recent face of Roberto Ayala, who played his last game for La Albiceleste a decade ago. Another markedly short central defender, Ayala was still uncompromising, and won 115 caps for Argentina, as well as earning rave reviews in Europe, particularly at Valencia.
Silvio Marzolini
An obvious choice at left-back, Silvio Marzolini had a fantastic career with Boca Juniors, winning five league titles and one Copa Argentina. He won 28 caps for Argentina, the last of which came a decade before the club would lift their first World Cup trophy in 1978.
Luis Monti
From defence to midfield, and we start with a defensive midfielder of the highest calibre. Luis Monti won more caps for Italy than Argentina, but born in Buenos Aires to Argentine parents, he is Argentine as far as we’re concerned. The only man to play in World Cup finals for two different nations, Monti was a tough tackling deep-lying playmaker who could be the heartbeat of any team. He won 16 caps for Argentina, 18 caps for Italy and spent most of his club career with San Lorenzo and Juventus.
Fernando Redondo
Fernando Redondo was named Real Madrid’s Player of the Year in 1997 and 2000, beating the likes of Roberto Carlos, Raul and Clarence Seedorf to the award twice. A creative defensive midfielder with superb vision, Redondo’s career was hampered by injuries, but he still went down as one of the greatest midfield players of his generation.
Raimundo Orsi
The only out-and-out winger in Argentina’s initial squad of 15, Raimundo Orsi was also capped more times by Italy than Argentina, due to playing for Juventus between 1928 and 1935. Pacy, powerful, tricky and prolific, Orsi was just about the complete winger, and won the World Cup in 1934, albeit with Italy rather than Argentina.
Alfredo di Stefano
Real Madrid titan Alfredo di Stefano
Where to start with Alfredo di Stefano… Probably the most complete footballer the world has ever seen. He had no definitive position, instead roaming the pitch as a constant source of genius and inspiration in whichever team he graced. His goal scoring record suggests he was a poacher, but he was far from it. Capped by Argentina, Spain and Colombia, di Stefano played his best football for River Plate, Millonarios and Real Madrid. He won the Ballon d’Or in 1957 and 1959.
Diego Maradona
The way in which Diego Maradona inspired Argentina to victory at the 1986 World Cup was a thing of miracles, and we may never see the like again. El Diego was a born winner, gifted with every tool to take him to the top and a burning desire to match. He scored 34 goals from 91 caps for Argentina, winning the Golden Ball in 1986, and transformed Napoli from nobodies to champions.
Lionel Messi
The last three members of this squad could lay decent claims to being not only the greatest Argentine footballers of all-time, but the greatest of any nation. When Lionel Messi does finally hang up his boots (hopefully not for a long time), he will most likely go down as the greatest footballer the beautiful game has ever had the pleasure of watching. The diminutive Argentina has smashed all records that preceded him, is Argentina’s all-time leading goal scorer and just needs a World Cup win to be unrivalled in his claim as all-time greatest.
Jose Manuel Moreno
Argentina have always been blessed with a litter of incredible forwards, and numerous superstars have missed out. Jose Manuel Moreno had to be included. The scorer of 156 goals in 256 games for a River Plate team widely regarded as one of the most complete club sides of all-time, Moreno was a superbly well-rounded footballer. In 1999, he was named Argentina’s third greatest player behind Diego Maradona and Alfredo di Stefano.
Gabriel Batistuta
Messi, Moreno and Batistuta are Argentina’s confirmed forwards
Choosing between Gabriel Batitusta and Mario Kempes for the final place in this squad was a real dilemma, and ultimately both should be in following your vote, but Batistuta just gets the nod. Second only to Lionel Messi in goals scored for Argentina, Batistuta bagged 56 goals from 78 caps for his country.
Reserves
That’s it for Argentina’s definite 15, now it’s over to you to pick which three reserve players get the nod and join the likes of Messi and Maradona in Argentina’s final 18 for the International Legends World Cup. The eight reserve players to choose from are as follows:
1. Amadeo Carrizo – Former River Plate goalkeeper – 20 caps
2. Roberto Perfumo – Former Racing Club, Cruzeiro and River Plate defender – 37 caps
3. Ossie Ardiles – Former Huracan and Tottenham Hotspur midfielder – 52 caps
4. Antonio Sastre – Former Independiente and Sao Paulo midfielder – 34 caps
5. Felix Loustau – Former River Plate winger – 28 caps
6. Juan Roman Riquelme – Former Boca Juniors and Villarreal midfielder – 51 caps
7. Mario Kempes – Former Rosario Central and Valencia forward – 43 caps
8. Omar Sivori – Former River Plate, Juventus and Napoli forward – 19 caps
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