5 best Argentine footballers of all time

#3 Omar Sivori

Sivori And Elsener

A prolific goalscorer like Gabriel Batistuta, Omar Sivori was highly regarded due to his technical skills and creativity.

Like Passarella, Sivori made his name at River Plate, but it was his eight-year spell with Juventus that catapulted him to fame. The Argentine made 317 appearances in all competitions and scored 168 goals for the Old Lady, and was known for his ability to nutmeg opposition players.

Sivori made just 19 appearances for the Argentina senior side, but managed to score nine goals. He also made nine appearances for the Italy national team, and scored eight goals for the Azzurri. After retirement, he embarked on a coaching career and managed the Argentina national team for a year.

---

#2 Diego Maradona

Gimnasia y Esgrima La Plata v Racing Club - Superliga 2019/20

Probably the greatest player to have played the game, Diego Armando Maradona was one of the most recognisable faces from the world of football.

A prodigious talent, Maradona achieved fame as a 12-year-old ball boy. He was spectacular for Argentinos Juniors and Boca Juniors in Argentina, and a football-crazy nation pinned their hopes on Maradona as they sought success on the international stage.

In their first match since his death, Messi and Argentina honor Diego Maradona with a tribute jersey 🙏 pic.twitter.com/Tw8GKBqcUp

— B/R Football (@brfootball) June 4, 2021

Maradona led an extremely controversial lifestyle, but also managed to achieve a lot on the football field. A diminutive forward with exceptional ball control, the Argentine led his country to World Cup glory in 1986, while at club level his best spell came with Napoli in Italy. The club's stadium in Naples is named after him.

---

#1 Lionel Messi

Colombia v Argentina - FIFA World Cup 2022 Qatar Qualifier

Diego Maradona's heir apparent, Lionel Messi is often regarded by many as the greatest player of all time. The comparisons with Maradona have not stopped, having begun when Messi showed his capabilities at a tender age for Barcelona.

Messi, like Maradona, has a low centre of gravity and supreme skill on the ball. He is Barcelona's greatest ever player, the club's talisman and leader. The 33-year old has made 778 appearances in all competitions for the Camp Nou outfit, scoring 672 goals and providing 305 assists.

Adidas drop their brand new El Retorno boots to celebrate 15 years with Lionel Messi 🐐He'll wear them at the Copa America 🤩 pic.twitter.com/DalQQ7yZeG

— Goal (@goal) June 5, 2021

Despite being Argentina's all-time top goalscorer, Messi has had his fair share of critics at the international level. His inability to lead Argentina to success at an international tournament has not been well received, and comparisons with Maradona often boil down to this single point.

However, there is no denying Messi's other-worldly talent and his numerous achievements for club and country.

---

Kindly help Sportskeeda's Football section improve. Take a 30-second survey now