The best Argentina midfielders ever
Some of the finest footballers in history have hailed from Argentina. Here, a look at the nation's best-ever midfielders...
Three-time World Cup winners and Copa América champions on 16 occasions, Argentina are one of the most successful sides in international football history.
Football is a way of life in Argentina and several of the game's greatest players have hailed from the South American nation.
Lionel Messi, Diego Maradona and Alfredo Di Stéfano are among the finest footballers ever, although those three all played more as forwards than in midfield.
There has been plenty of talent in the centre of the park for Argentina over the years as well, though. Here, a look at the nation's greatest-ever midfielders...
33. Carlos Bilardo
Carlos Bilardo was never capped by Argentina, but would later go on to become a legendary figure in the nation's football as he led the South Americans to World Cup glory in 1986.
But long before that, Bilardo was a tenacious and tactically intelligent midfielder who was instrumental in Estudiantes' streak of three consecutive Copa Libertadores triumphs between 1968 and 1970.
32. Enzo Pérez
Enzo Pérez started in the 2014 World Cup final for Argentina and won 26 caps for the Albiceleste in total between 2009 and 2018.
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A Copa Libertadores winner with both Estudiantes and River Plate, Pérez also picked up two Portuguese titles at Benfica, where he won a domestic treble and was involved in back-to-back Europa League final defeats. Later, he had a spell in La Liga with Valencia.
31. Daniel Valencia
Daniel Valencia was part of Argentina's squad at the 1978 World Cup, although he did not feature after the first game following a tactical reshuffle by coach César Luis Menotti.
Valencia won 45 caps for Argentina in total, appearing again at the 1982 World Cup before retiring from international duty. The attacking midfielder spent most of his club career at Talleres de Córdoba and helped the team to their highest-ever league finish (second) in 1977.
30. Leonardo Astrada
Leonardo Astrada won 10 Argentine championships and a Copa Libertadores in a hugely successful spell at River Plate in the 1990s and early 2000s.
A Copa América winner with Argentina in 1991, Astrada was named in the South American Team of the Year in 1991 and 1997. He won 32 caps in total between 1991 and 1999.
29. Leonardo Rodríguez
Leonardo Rodríguez played for Argentina for a relatively short period, but the midfielder made a significant impact for the Albiceleste between 1991 and 1994.
Named Player of the Tournament as Argentina won the Copa América in 1991, he was in the squad again as the Albiceleste retained their title two years later. And in 1992, he scored in the final as Argentina won the King Fahd Cup (which later became the Confederations Cup). At club level, he had spells in France, Italy, Germany and Chile in an eventful career.
28. Fernando Gago
Fernando Gago won 61 caps for Argentina in a 10-year international career and played for the likes of Boca Juniors (across two spells), Real Madrid and Roma at club level.
An Under-20 World Cup winner in 2005, the defensive midfielder was part of the Argentina U-23 team which took gold at the 2008 Olympics. A two-time runner-up in the Copa América, he was also a late substitute in Argentina's extra-time loss to Germany in the 2014 World Cup final.
27. Héctor Enrique
Héctor Enrique was part of the Argentina team which won the World Cup in 1986 and later capped a memorable year by helping River Plate win the Copa Libertadores and the Intercontinental Cup.
The last player to touch the ball before Diego Maradona ran half the pitch to score the "Goal of the Century" in the 1986 World Cup quarter-final win against England, he later famously joked that his pass was so good that it would have been difficult for the legendary number 10 not to score. Enrique missed the 1990 World Cup through injury.
26. José Basualdo
José Basualdo won the Copa Libertadores and the Intercontinental Cup with both Vélez Sarsfield and Boca Juniors in a successful career.
A midfielder with excellent vision and passing ability, Basualdo started for Argentina in the 1990 World Cup final defeat to West Germany and was part of the squad which won the Copa América in 1993.
25. Norberto Alonso
Norberto Alonso is a River Plate legend, having played for the Buenos Aires giants across three spells in the 1970s and 1980s. The attacking midfielder is the club's fifth-highest scorer as of 2024 and netted one of the goals as River beat América de Cali to win the Copa Libertadores for the first time in their history in 1986.
A member of Argentina's World Cup-winning squad, Alonso wore the no. 1 because the Albiceleste opted to allocate numbers in alphabetical order. Considered one of the best South American midfielders of his generation, he also had spells at Marseille and Vélez Sarsfield.
24. Enzo Fernández
Enzo Fernández made his Argentina debut in 2022 and was in the team which won the World Cup later that year. The 21-year-old was also named as the tournament's best young player.
After the World Cup, Fernández left Benfica for Chelsea in a deal worth £106.8 million, which was a British record at the time. He registered two assists as Argentina won the Copa América in 2024.
23. Matías Almeyda
Matías Almeyda played 40 times for Argentina, was part of the Under-23 side which won silver at the 1996 Olympics and enjoyed an impressive career in both South America and Europe at club level.
After winning three Argentine championships and a Copa Libertadores with River Plate, the defensive midfielder was a key player for Lazio as the Rome-based club claimed a Serie A title, two Coppa Italia crowns, a European Cup Winners' Cup, a UEFA Super Cup and a Supercoppa Italiana in the late 1990s. He won another Coppa Italia at Parma in 2001/02.
22. Lucho González
A versatile midfielder who could play in various positions, Lucho González won 45 caps for Argentina between 2003 and 2011, scoring six goals.
González won trophies throughout his career, picking up six Portuguese titles across two spells with Porto, a Ligue 1 medal at Marseille, two Argentine championships and a Copa Libertadores at River Plate and a couple of Copa Sudamericana crowns at Athletico Paranaense. He also won Olympic gold with Argentina's Under-23 side in 2004 and was twice a Copa América runner-up in 2004 and 2007.
21. Giovani Lo Celso
Giovani Lo Celso made his Argentina debut in 2017 and has won over 50 caps since then, appearing in back-to-back Copa América final wins for Lionel Scaloni's side.
The former Paris Saint-Germain and Tottenham midfielder was a starter as Argentina beat Brazil in the 2021 final and came off the bench to set up Lautaro Martínez for the winner as the Albiceleste edged out Colombia in the 2024 showpiece. He missed the 2022 World Cup with a hamstring injury.
20. Leandro Paredes
After missing the final cut for the 2018 World Cup, Leandro Paredes impressed for Argentina in the 2019 Copa América and was named in the tournament's Best XI as the Albiceleste finished third.
A starter in the 2021 Copa América final as Argentina beat Brazil, the defensive midfielder came off the bench and scored a penalty as Lionel Scaloni's side defeated France in a shootout to claim the World Cup in 2022. The former Paris Saint-Germain and Boca Juniors player appeared as a substitute in extra time again in Argentina's extra-time win over Colombia in the 2024 Copa América final.
19. Ricardo Giusti
Ricardo Giusti won over 50 caps for Argentina and the defensive midfielder featured in five tournaments for his national side.
Ever-present in the 1986 World Cup as Argentina won the tournament, Giusti missed the final in 1990 after he was shown a second yellow card for an elbow on Italy's Roberto Baggio in the semi-finals. At club level, he was part of an outstanding midfield trio at Independiente and was key as the Buenos Aires side won the Copa Libertadores in 1984.
18. Antonio Rattín
A strong and tenacious central midfielder who spent his entire career with Boca Juniors, Antonio Rattín played in two World Cups for Argentina.
Captain in 1966, he was sent off for dissent in a famous incident against England and sat on the red carpet reserved for the Queen in protest at the referee's decision. Rattín won over 30 caps for Argentina and is one of seven players immortalised with a statue at the Boca Juniors museum in Buenos Aires.
17. Lucas Biglia
Lucas Biglia played 58 times for Argentina between 2010 and 2018 and was in the team which narrowly lost out to Germany in the 2014 World Cup final.
A defensive midfielder or deep-lying playmaker, Biglia was also a two-time Copa América runner-up with the senior side, but did help Argentina win the Under-20 World Cup in 2005. In seven seasons at Anderlecht, El Principito ("the little Prince") won four Belgian titles, before spells at Lazio and AC Milan. He finished his career in Turkey.
16. Marcelo Gallardo
Marcelo Gallardo was compared to the great Diego Maradona as a youngster and although he wasn't that good, the attacking midfielder did go on to have an excellent career.
Gallardo won six Argentine championships and a Copa Libertadores at River Plate, where he played across three spells. He was also a Ligue 1 winner at Monaco, where he spent four seasons, and later had a brief stint at Paris Saint-Germain. Restricted by injuries, he played 44 times for Argentina and scored 13 goals, and was also part of the Under-23 side which won a silver medal at the Atlanta Olympics in 1996.
15. Esteban Cambiasso
Esteban Cambiasso played 52 times for Argentina and scored five goals, including one of the nation's best ever at a World Cup in 2006, when he provided the finish to a flowing team move against Serbia and Montenegro in a 6-0 win in Gelsenkirchen.
Cambiasso also scored in the final as Argentina beat Uruguay to win the World Youth Championship in 1997. A Copa América and Confederations Cup runner-up with the senior side, he spent two seasons at Real Madrid and a decade at Inter, where he won the treble and five Serie A titles in total.
14. Ricardo Bochini
Ricardo Bochini may have only won 28 caps for his country, but the former Independiente idol is a legend of Argentine football.
Idolised by a young Diego Maradona, Bochini was included in Argentina's 1986 World Cup squad, though he only played a few minutes against Belgium as a substitute. El Bocha spent his entire career at Independiente and helped the club to four Copa Libertadores titles in a glorious era. The expression pase bochinesco ("Bochini-esque pass") is still used even today to describe a precise through-ball beyond the defensive line to a forward player.
13. Sergio Batista
Sergio Batista started his career at Argentinos Juniors and was a key player in the side which won two Argentine titles and then the Copa Libertadores in the mid-1980s.
Those impressive displays earned the defensive midfielder an international call-up and he started in the team which won the World Cup in 1986. Batista also featured in back-to-back Copa América campaigns in 1987 and 1989, and again at the 1990 World Cup.
12. Rodrigo De Paul
Rodrigo De Paul has played a significant part in Argentina's success in recent years, helping the Albiceleste win the 2022 World Cup and back-to-back Copa América crowns in 2021 and 2024.
Named in the team of the tournament for both of those continental championships, the central midfielder joined Atlético Madrid in 2021 after five seasons at Udinese, having previously played for Racing Club and Valencia.
11. Éver Banega
A gifted midfield playmaker, Éver Banega was capped 65 times by Argentina between 2008 and 2018 – and was perhaps unfortunate not to feature more for his country.
Part of the team which won the Under-20 World Cup in 2007, Banega also helped Argentina's U-23 side to Olympic gold in 2008. He was twice a runner-up in the Copa América and won a number of trophies at club level – including three Europa League titles at Sevilla and a Copa Libertadores with Boca juniors.
10. Juan Sebastián Verón
Juan Sebastián Verón played 72 times for Argentina between 1996 and 2010, scoring nine goals, and featured in three World Cups for the Albiceleste.
Comfortable as a deep-lying playmaker or in a more attacking role, Verón was widely considered one of the best midfielders of his generation and won trophies at Parma, Lazio, Manchester United, Inter and Estudiantes in a career spanning two decades.
9. Américo Gallego
Américo Gallego won 73 caps for Argentina between 1975 and 1982 and the hard-working central midfielder was a key player for the South Americans in their 1978 World Cup triumph on home soil.
Gallego had long spells at Newell's Old Boys and River Plate at club level. He was captain of the River side which won the Copa Libertadores in 1986.
8. Alexis Mac Allister
Alexis Mac Allister was something of a lucky charm for Argentina at the 2022 World Cup, coming into the team after the surprise loss to Saudi Arabia and keeping his place for the rest of the tournament as Lionel Scaloni's side went on to win the trophy.
The former Brighton & Hove Albion midfielder scored in Argentina's group game against Poland and assisted Angel Di Maria's goal in the final as the South Americans beat France on penalties in Qatar. He signed for Liverpool in the summer of 2023.
7. Pablo Aimar
Idolised by a young Lionel Messi and compared to Diego Maradona in his early days, Pablo Aimar was one of the most gifted attacking midfielders of his generation.
Aimar helped Argentina win the FIFA World Youth Championship in 1997 and played in two World Cups for the senior side. A Copa América finalist in 2007, the former River Plate, Valencia and Benfica favourite won 52 caps for Argentina in an injury-interrupted career and scored eight goals for his country.
6. Ariel Ortega
A legend at River Plate where he won six national championships and the Copa Libertadores in 1996, Ariel Ortega was a gifted playmaker who won over 80 caps and scored 17 goals for Argentina.
All but one of those appearances came between 1993 and 2003, with a brief return in 2010. A key player in the 1994, 1998 and 2002 World Cups, the attacking midfielder also won a silver medal for Argentina's Under-23 side at the 1996 Olympics.
5. Fernando Redondo
Fernando Redondo refused a call-up ahead of the 1990 World Cup in favour of concentrating on his studies and did not play in 1998, claiming coach Daniel Passarella had demanded he cut his hair.
The stylish former Real Madrid midfielder played only 29 times for his country, but won the Copa América in 1993, took part in the 1994 World Cup and was named in an all-time Argentine XI by AFA in 2015.
4. Diego Simeone
A fiercely competitive, all-action midfielder who could attack and defend, Diego Simeone was the first player to win 100 caps for Argentina.
Simeone was a fixture in the teams which won the Copa América in 1991 and 1993 and won trophies at Lazio, Inter and Atletico Madrid in an impressive club career.
3. Osvaldo Ardiles
Osvaldo Ardiles won over 50 caps for Argentina between 1975 and 1982, scoring eight goals, and was one of the stars of the 1978 World Cup-winning side.
At club level, Ardiles enjoyed a long and successful spell at Tottenham, where he affectionately became known as Ossie. Bizarrely, he wore the no. 1 shirt at the 1982 World Cup due to Argentina's policy of allocating numbers in alphabetical order.
2. Javier Mascherano
Javier Mascherano won 147 caps for Argentina and can consider himself unfortunate to miss out on the nation's spectacular success on the football field in recent years, having been a mainstay in midfield and appeared in five finals for the Albiceleste.
Mascherano did win two gold medals for Argentina at the 2004 and 2008 Olympic Games and was a key player for Barcelona in a glorious era, adapting his game to feature in central defence for the Catalan club.
1. Jorge Burruchaga
Diego Maradona may have been the undisputed star of the Argentina team which won the 1986 World Cup, but Jorge Burruchaga scored the goal which sealed victory for the Albiceleste in the final against West Germany.
An attacking midfielder who had two spells at Independiente and spent seven seasons in France with Nantes, Burruchaga scored 13 goals in 59 international appearances and was also a member of the side which reached the World Cup final again in 1990.
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Ben Hayward is a European football writer and Tottenham Hotspur fan with over 15 years’ experience, he has covered games all over the world - including three World Cups, several Champions League finals, Euros, Copa America - and has spent much of that time in Spain. Ben speaks English and Spanish, currently dividing his time between Barcelona and London, covering all the big talking points of the weekend on FFT: he’s also written several list features and interviewed Guglielmo Vicario for the magazine.
