Argentina is a country that has a very strong football culture. The country has won numerous prestigious achievements, both at the South American level as well as at the international level. One key factor that contributes to the triumph of Argentina in winning various tournaments is their extraordinary strikers.
In this article, I will present a list of 15 greatest Argentine strikers in the history of football. These following strikers do not only good at playing in the national team level, but also perform very well and win many titles for their respective clubs.
15. Claudio Lopez
Claudio Lopez is a retired striker who helped Lazio to be the Coppa Italia's champion in the 2003-2004 season. In his golden age, Lopez was known as a very dangerous second striker. He was fast, possessed a high technique, and often scored in unexpected situations. Lopez was paired with his compatriot Hernan Crespo and they both once became the most feared striker duo in Serie A.
14. Abel Balbo
Both at club and international level, Abel Balbo spent more time as a substitute. However, he was a player who is always involved as part of the Argentine national team in major tournaments from 1990 to 2002. Balbo spent most of his career playing in the Italian League, in which he joined AS Roma, Parma and Fiorentina. He was also part of the squad of AS Roma that won Serie A in the 2000-2001 season.
13. Martin Palermo
Martin Palermo is an ex-Argentine striker who has very unpredictable forms. In a match, he could play amazingly, but in another game, he could perform very poorly. Palermo also gained a status as the best striker of Argentina for few years. His position in the national team was replaced by other strikers when he failed to score from three penalty kicks in a match against Colombia in the Copa America 1999. Throughout his career, Palermo became the Argentine league top scorer twice.
12. Guillermo Stabile
Stabile is a retired Argentine striker who became the top scorer in the first World Cup tournament held in 1930 in Uruguay. He spent most of his career playing for local clubs, Huracan, with a total record of 102 goals from 119 appearances. Stabile also briefly played outside Argentina with Genoa, Napoli, and Red Star Belgrade. After retiring as a player, he coached Argentine national team from 1939 to 1960.
11. Sergio Aguero
Just like many other great Argentine strikers, Aguero has a small posture. However, a player who started to shine in Atletico Madrid is now listed as one of the most dangerous strikers in the Premier League. Aguero is the number one forward of Manchester City and he played an important role in presenting the 2011-2012 season's Premier League title. Until now, Aguero has played 47 times for Argentina and scored 21 goals.
10. Leopoldo Luque
Leopoldo Luque is a retired striker who had a major role in helping Argentina win the World Cup 1978. In the tournament, Luque scored a total of four goals for his team. One of his goal in this tournament even was later named named as one of the most beautiful goal in the history of the World Cup, where Luque scored a goal with a long-distance volley kick. Luque played a total of 45 matches and scored 22 goals for Argentina.
9. Claudio Caniggia
Caniggia was Argentine striker who could feel the pleasure of playing alongside Diego Maradona. He was part of the golden generation that led Argentina win the World Cup in 1986 and became runner-up in World Cup 1990. Although he claimed a lot of awards with the national team, Caniggia had to wait till the end of his career to win major trophies at club level. It was when he played for Glasgow Rangers, Caniggia won a Scottish League title and as well as two Scottish League Cup trophies.
8. Diego Milito
Milito does not perform so well in the Argentina national team. He was more often given a role as a substitute, or even was not involved to the team due to injury problems. Throughout the 25 times he played for Argentina, Milito only scored four goals.
However, at the club level, Milito is probably one of the most successful Argentine strikers ever. He became an important player who led Inter Milan win the Champions League, Italian League and the FIFA Club World Cup in 2010.
7. Jorge Valdano
Valdano best performances occurred in the 1986 World Cup in Mexico, when he aided his country to be the champion. In the tournament, Valdano positioned as the main striker, with the full support from Maradona and Burruchaga. He netted four goals, one of them was scored in the final match against West Germany. After his retirement, Valdano coached his former club, Real Madrid, and led the club win La Liga in the 1994-1995 season.
6. Hernan Crespo
Hernan Crespo is a retired Argentine forward who once became the most expensive player in the world when he was transferred Lazio from Parma in the 2000-2001 season. Lazio bought him at a high price, as in the previous season Crespo played brilliantly at Parma, leading the club win the Coppa Italia and the UEFA Cup. His first season with Lazio went well, where Crespo was able to present a Coppa Italia and became the Serie A's top scorer.
5. Mario Kempes
Mario Kempes was the central figure who led Argentina win the World Cup 1978. In the tournament, Kempes was also able to be the top scorer. The best period of his career passed with Valencia. In this club, he became the top scorer of La Liga twice and won the Copa del Rey as well as the Winners Cup. Along with Argentine national team, Kempes scored 20 goals in 43 matches.
4. Alfredo Di Stefano
Alfredo Di Stefano is a legendary Real Madrid player who played for three different national teams, Argentina, Colombia, and Spain. This player was the central figure who led Real Madrid dominate the Europan League in the 1950s. During this period, Di Stefano helped Madrid win five Champions League titles in a row. Due to his achievements, many people believe that Di Stefano is the best footballer ever in the world, even better than Pele, Maradona, and Johann Cruyff.
3. Gabriel Batistuta
Until this article was published, Gabriel Batistuta still holds the record as the top scorer of the Argentine national team. Batigol who is known as one of the best Fiorentina players of all time scored 56 goals in 78 appearances. Batistuta also scored a hat trick in two different World Cup tournaments in 1994 and 1998. His shooting power and strength in the penalty box were incredible, made him was greatly feared by the opponents' defenders and goalkeepers.
2. Diego Maradona
Not only in Argentina, Maradona is a player who is considered worthy of the title as the best football player of all time. Although he is short and fat, Maradona is very clever and agile. He could easily deceive the opponent defenders with his magical dribbling techniques. Maradona was a key figure who led Argentina win the World Cup 1986. Moreover, Maradona also managed to help a small club, Napoli, win the Serie A competition twice.
1. Lionel Messi
The title of Argentina's best striker of all time should be given Lionel Messi. The Barcelona player has already made a lot of great achievements, both individual achievements and as well as team achievements. Messi broke the record as the only player to win Ballon d'Or award four times. He also helped Barcelona win six La Liga titles and three Champions League trophies in a span of ten years. However, Messi has not been able to claim any prestigious trophy for the Argentina national team. If he is able to lead Argentina to be a World Cup champion, I believe his predicate as the Argentina's best player of all-time would be no longer in doubt.
