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Like their Brazilian counterparts, superstars from Argentina have dazzled fans with their performances in the Champions League. Despite making a relatively late arrival in European football, Argentine players have seen their stock rise in Europe since the 1990s.
With their silky dribbling, tough tackling and never-say-die attitude, players from the South American nation are highly valued by Europe's elite clubs. From recently retired striker Sergio Aguero to rising star Nicolas Tagliafico, Argentina have had the ability to churn out elite talent, which is showing no signs of slowing down.
Argentinean strikers have flourished in the Champions League in the 21st century
Although Argentinean defenders are renowned for their aggression and proactive attempts to win back possession, their attackers have ruled the roost in recent years.
Many big names have caught the eye while leading the line, led by the inimitable Lionel Messi, as Argentine strikers continue to terrorise opposition defences. On that note, here's a look at Argentina's top five goalscorers in the Champions League:
#5 Angel Di Maria (22 goals in 95 appearances)
At 34, Angel Di Maria is no longer the vibrant winger he once was. His creativity and wand of a left foot, though, are as potent as ever. With 91 goals and 115 assists in 286 games for PSG, the wideman has had a well-deserved reputation as a prolific assist provider.
Despite playing more games for the French club in the competition, Di Maria will always be remembered for his exploits in the 2014 final with Real Madrid. The Argentinean was named the man of the match as Los Blancos won La Decima, a record tenth Champions League crown.
Along with 22 goals in the competition, Di Maria also has an excellent tally of 35 assists. That is due in large part to his crossing and set-piece delivery.
#4 Gonzalo Higuain (24 goals in 83 appearances)
Often criticised for his high-profile misses, Gonzalo Higuain remains one of the better strikers to have graced European football in recent years. He also has a decent record for his national team, scoring 31 times in 75 games.
Higuain's peak came with Real Madrid, where he scored 121 goals in 264 games despite playing second fiddle to the likes of Cristiano Ronaldo. However, the Argentinean was rather wasteful in Europe, scoring just eight Champions League goals in seven seasons with the Spanish giants.
His displays improved with Napoli and Juventus in Italy, as Higuain added 16 Champions League goals to his tally in 35 appearances for the two clubs. Unfortunately, he never won the competition during his time in Europe.
#3 Hernan Crespo (25 goals in 65 appearances)
One of the greatest goalscorers to have emerged from Argentina, Hernan Crespo was lethal in the Champions League. With 35 goals in 64 games, Crespo was a top performer for his national team too.
He represented numerous clubs in European competitions, including Parma, Chelsea and AC Milan. However, Crespo's best displays in the Champions League came with Inter Milan. In the 2002-03 season, he scored nine goals in 12 games in the competition.
In league football, Crespo is best remembered for his time with Parma in Italy, for whom he scored 94 goals in 201 games. However, the Argentinean never won the Champions League.
#2 Sergio Aguero (41 goals in 79 appearances)
Sergio Aguero has a convincing case for being one of the best strikers of his generation. Manchester City's record scorer (260 goals in 390 games), the striker also netted 41 times for his country.
Another Argentinean superstar who never won the Champions League, Aguero can hardly be faulted for trying. He averaged over a goal every two games in the competition. Only five of his 41 UCL goals came for Atletico Madrid, although Aguero managed 101 strikes for the Rojiblancos.
He was sadly forced to retire in late 2021 due to a heart issue. However, nothing can change Aguero's status as one of the finest forwards the game has ever seen.
#1 Lionel Messi (125 goals in 155 appearances)
With 125 goals and 41 assists, Lionel Messi is one of the greatest performers in the history of the Champions League. The seven-time Ballon d'Or winner has also lifted the coveted trophy four times, all with Barcelona.
The Argentinean superstar's goal-to-game ratio of 0.81 is the second-highest among the competition's top-15 scorers, behind the legendary Alfredo Di Stefano (0.84).
Messi has hit double figures in five different Champions League campaigns. His best display came in 2011-12, when he scored 14 goals and assisted five times in 11 games.
Despite a tough start to life at Paris Saint-Germain (PSG), the playmaker has five goals in six UCL games this season.
He is 43 goals ahead of third-placed Robert Lewandowski, and will look to cut the gap between all-time top scorer Cristiano Ronaldo (140).
Poll : Can Lionel Messi catch Cristiano Ronaldo in the Champions League scoring race?
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