Argentina is one of the most popular football teams in the world. They've won two World Cups and a number of Copa America titles. We've seen many world-famous footballers represent this country. Football legend Diego Maradona and current sensation Lionel Messi are the two most well-known names in Argentine football. Aside from these two, Argentina has produced a plethora of talented footballers over the years. Some of them are familiar to us, and some are unfamiliar to us. Argentina's best-ever 11 has been created in today's article with these best footballers. Here's a look at the best Argentina football XI of all time.
Argentina’s greatest XI of all time
We selected a 4-3-2-1 formation for picking Argentina's best XI.
Goalkeeper
Ubaldo Fillol (1974-82) | M: 58 | Goal: 0
Ubaldo Fillol is widely regarded as one of the finest goalkeepers of all time, as well as the best Argentine goalkeeper. He represented Argentina in the FIFA World Cups of 1974, 1978, and 1982. Fillol was named Best Goalkeeper of the Tournament after helping Argentina to their first World Cup in 1978. He also participated in the 1986 World Cup qualifiers for Albiceleste.
Right Back
Javier Zanetti (1998-2002) | M: 143 | Goal: 4
Javier Zanetti began his professional career in Argentina before moving to Italy to play with Inter Milan from 1995 to 2014. He is seventh on the all-time list of players with the most official games played. He made 143 appearances for Argentina. Zanetti was a versatile player who could play on the left and right wings.
Left Back
Silvio Marzolini (1962-66) | M: 28 | Goal: 1
Silvio Marzolini rose to prominence in the 1960s. He is widely regarded as Argentina's greatest ever left-back. Marzolini played 28 games for Argentina and was a member of the national team in the 1962 and 1966 FIFA World Cups. He was named the best left-back In the 1966 edition of the tournament.
Center Back
Daniel Passarella (1978-82) | | M: 70 | Goal: 22
Argentina's 1978 World Cup-winning team was captained by Daniel Passarella. He is widely regarded as the all-time best South American defender. Passarella was once the top-scoring defender in football.
Center Back
Oscar Ruggeri (1983-1994) | M: 97 | Goal: 7
Oscar Ruggeri was a part of the Argentina national team that won the 1986 FIFA World Cup and two Copa América championships. Ruggeri was recognized for his rugged style of play when marking players and he is also considered as one of Argentina's all-time best defenders.
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Defensive Midfield
Javier Mascherano (2003-2018) | M: 147 | Goal: 3
Javier Mascherano has 147 caps for Argentina. He represented his country in five Copa América tournaments and four FIFA World Cups. He won two gold medal at the Summer Olympics (2004 and 2008). Mascherano also served as the captain of Argentina.
Center Midfield
Juan RománRiquelme (1997-2008) | M: 51 | Goal: 17
In 1997, Juan RománRiquelme made his senior team debut. In 2006, he made his only World Cup debut. Many believe him to be one of Argentina's finest players of all time, as well as one of the best midfielders in the history of the game.
Center Midfield
Osvaldo Ardiles (1975-1982) | M: 51 | Goal: 8
Osvaldo Ardiles helped Argentina national team to win the 1978 FIFA World Cup. He was a gifted and tenacious midfielder. Ardiles made an invaluable contribution to the Tottenham Hotspur team during his time in England.
Right Wing Forward
Diego Maradona (1982-94) | M: 91 | Goal: 34
Diego Maradona is generally acknowledged as one of football's all-time greats. He represented Argentina in 91 games and scored 34 goals. Maradona participated in four FIFA World Cups. He captained Argentina in the 1986 edition in Mexico and almost single-handedly guided them to win the second world cup trophy.
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Left-Wing Forward
Lionel Messi (2006- Present) | M: 142 | Goal: 71
Messi has a total of six Ballon d'Or awards to his name and is generally regarded as one of the best players of all time. Argentina's all-time leading goal scorer is Lionel Messi. In 2005, he won the FIFA World Youth Championship, and in 2008, he won an Olympic gold medal. Under his captaincy, Argentina reached the 2014 FIFA World Cup final, for which he received the Golden Ball.
Center forward
Gabriel Batistuta (1994-2002) | M: 77 | Goal: 54
Gabriel Batistuta is recognized as one of the all-time great strikers. Batistuta scored 54 goals in 77 official matches for Argentina. He participated in three FIFA World Cups, scored 10 goals. With the Argentina national team, he won two consecutive Copa América titles (1991 and 1993), and the 1992 FIFA Confederations Cup.
Bottom Line
Overall, the aforementioned team is the best Argentina football XI of all time. However, Argentina has produced a slew of other world-class footballers in addition to the players who made our list of the best XI. Notable among them are Mario Kempes, Juan SebastiánVerón, Sergio Aguero, Diego Simeone, Fernando Redondo, and Roberto Ayala.