Erik ten Hag has often been accussed of favouring players with experience in the Netherlands, and he has now responded to the claims.
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Ten Hag accused of favouritismOpens up on the recruitment processSigned 11 players with Dutch experienceGettyWHAT HAPPENED?
Ten Hag was officially announced as the head coach of Manchester United in the summer of 2022 and he immediately requested the signings of a few players that he knew personally from his time in the Eredivisie with Ajax. While that is nothing out of the ordinary for a coach in new surroundings, the possible bias towards signing Dutch players or players with experience in the Eredivisie has not seized despite the 54-year-old being in his third year with the Red Devils.
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So far this summer, Manchester United have completed four signings, of which three players are either Dutch or have had experience in the Dutch first tier. Since Ten Hag's arrival at Old Trafford, United have made a total of 20 signings, of which 11 have had the aforementioned career links. As such, the criticism surrounding Ten Hag and United's recruitment process has increased and the Dutch coach has now responded, giving an insight into the Red Devils' new recruitment process under INEOS.
GettyWHAT TEN HAG SAID
When asked by the media about signing 'favourites' with the Red Devils, Ten Hag responded: "Not favourite.
"First of all, it is a club decision, none of them is only my decision. It is always backed, or even brought, up through the scouting, recruitment, technical director, and sporting director.
"It is a decision made by more than only one."
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WHAT NEXT FOR MAN UTD?
Following a disappointing but positive loss to Manchester City in the Community Shield final, the Red Devils will begin their Premier League season with a clash against Fulham on Friday evening.
Barcelona still haven't registered Dani Olmo to play and now another La Liga game against Rayo Vallecano is rapidly approaching.
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Olmo could miss another gameSummer signing cannot play yetBarcelona's finances remain poorWHAT HAPPENED?
Olmo is at serious risk of having to miss a third La Liga game this season because Barcelona's financial limitations have stopped them from registering him to play. reports the Euro 2024 winner is now "likely" to still be unavailable for the trip to Madrid to face Rayo Vallecano on Tuesday night.
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The apparent failure to comply with La Liga's financial regulations comes even after offloading Ilkay Gundogan, Vitor Roque, Clement Lenglet and Mikayil Faye in recent days has reduced the club's wage bill, although only Gundogan and Lenglet were registered first-team players. Barcelona are stuck on '1:4' spending rules, which only allows them to spend 25% of money they save or bring in, as opposed to the normal '1:1'.
WHAT HANSI FLICK SAID
Publicly, head coach Hansi Flick spoke ahead of the game with optimism that now appears set to be dashed: "I am always hopeful. I also hoped for it for the last game. It would be brilliant to have him to face Rayo Vallecano. Those are things that the player and the squad can't control. We speak about it, we know it's something difficult here in Barcelona. I trust the club and hope he can be registered by tomorrow. Any player who can't play will be unhappy, that’s normal. But he knows why that's the case here, and if he is available he'll be 100 per cent ready."
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Getty ImagesWHAT NEXT FOR BARCELONA?
Worryingly, even though Barcelona have successfully signed Olmo from RB Leipzig, they are still bound by the impending transfer deadline. If he isn't registered to play by the time the window closes, it will be January before the club gets another chance. Given that the swathe of departures in the last few days hasn't done it, more hastily-arranged exits could be required.
Forecast for Thursday in Sydney is bleak, and there are no reserve days for the semi-finals
Alex Malcolm03-Mar-2020Who are in the semi-finals?With both matches in Sydney called off today, India will be facing England at 3pm local time in the first semi-final, while Australia will be taking on South Africa at 7pm in the second match.What is the minimum number of overs for the match to count? Normally, five overs per side are needed to constitute a T20 match, but the rules are different for ICC tournaments, with ten overs per side required. That means there will need to be at least 40 overs of play – 20 in each game – to get two results. The nature of the double-header will mean there will only be a spare 30 minutes for both games before overs are lost due to rain. The first game is scheduled to finish at 6pm local time, while the second game is scheduled to finish at 10pm.Who play the final if both games are washed out? If both games are washed out, then the highest-ranked team from the two groups will progress to the final. India finished on top of Group A and South Africa finished on top of Group B. They would progress to play in the final.Is there a reserve day for the semi-finals? No. The two teams that progress to the final are required to travel from Sydney to Melbourne on Friday, the day after the semi-finals, ahead of Sunday’s final at the MCG.Is there a reserve day for the final? There is a reserve day available if the final is washed out at the MCG on Sunday with an option available to return on Monday. However, the forecast looks good for Sunday in Melbourne with no rain forecast and pleasant temperatures likely.
The 2023/24 season has not been an easy campaign for Manchester United so far. Despite the fact that they have reached a second consecutive FA Cup final under Erik ten Hag, where they will face Manchester City once again, the Red Devils will certainly be less than satisfied with this season.
Ten Hag’s side had a disastrous campaign in the Champions League. They crashed out in the group stages, finishing rock bottom, and conceded 15 goals along that way. As per Opta Joe, that is the most a Premier League side has ever conceded in the group stage in a single season.
In the Premier League, United currently sit in seventh place, on 50 points, 16 points adrift of a top-four spot, with Aston Villa currently occupying fourth in the table. However, according to Understat’s expected points table, United are massively overachieving and in reality should be 15th on 37 points.
Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag
With 2023/24 being such a frustrating season for the Red Devils, there is naturally plenty of speculation over the future of Ten Hag, and whether or not he will be the manager of Manchester United next season.
Manchester United manager news
According to a report from The Sun, new United owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe has run out of patience with Ten Hag and will sack him at the end of the season, regardless of the outcome of the FA Cup final next month.
This followed reports that new United technical director Jason Wilcox is completing a full review of Ten Hag’s tenure at Old Trafford, with James Ducker of The Telegraph explaining Ten Hag will “effectively be on trial over the next month”.
Should United decide to sack Ten Hag, they could well look to replace him with a former Premier League manager who has been out of work for just over one year. The man in question here is former Brighton and Chelsea boss Graham Potter, who was sacked by Chelsea on the 3rd of April 2023. Remarkably, the Sun now suggest he is the 'leading candidate' to take over at Old Trafford.
graham-potter-championship-leeds-manager-news
According to GiveMeSport, Potter is well liked within some circles at United, and they even suggested he had a “secret meeting” with Dan Ashworth, the man waiting to step into the role of Sporting Director at Old Trafford.
Why Potter would be a bad option for Man Utd
Despite his success at Brighton, which led to Chelsea appointing him on the 9th of September 2022, Potter struggled at Stamford Bridge, and his aforementioned sacking in April last year was certainly justifiable.
With that being said, the environment that Potter was working under at Chelsea was far from perfect. It was the beginning of a new ownership model for the Blues, with Todd Boehly just months into his reign.
A damning report from The Athletic summed up just how tough Potter’s reign was. The squad was so bloated some of the players “had to change in the corridor”. These are nigh-on impossible conditions for almost any manager to have to work in.
Graham-Potter
Therefore, it is important not to judge Potter solely on his time at Stamford Bridge. The back three systems he deployed during his tenure at Brighton made for fantastic viewing. He often utilised a 3-4-3 or a 3-4-2-1 at the Amex, and although he did branch out to four at the back systems at Chelsea, he is most famously known for his back three formations.
With that being said, there are surely better options out there than Potter. United’s squad is not necessarily the most suited to the former Chelsea manager's back-three formation. In his next job, the Englishman may well look to implement the systems that he had the most success in the past.
However, crucially, Potter might not be best suited to work in a chaotic, or unsettled environment such as the current situation at Old Trafford. He's already had that once at Chelsea and it didn't go well. The backroom staff at United are truly a work in progress, and whilst targets such as Jason Wilcox and Omar Berrada have been landed, Ratcliffe’s ideal footballing setup is not yet complete.
It is something to consider for INEOS, who must be careful not to see a repeat of Moyes’ appointment a decade ago. The West Ham boss was appointed after success with Everton, similar to Potter’s time at Brighton, but was sacked just 10 months later. Potter’s best success has come in a settled environment at Brighton and under similar conditions in which Moyes worked in at Everton. Sadly, that is not something that United can necessarily offer him at this time.
David Moyes
Regardless, Ratcliffe needs to tread carefully. If he does decide to sack Ten Hag, appointing Potter could backfire massively, and set the new era at Old Trafford back even more.
Potter or not, it is an appointment that needs great consideration, and ultimately Ratcliffe must select the best available candidate to take United back to the top.
Two reasons Ten Hag could leave the biggest Man Utd legacy post-Fergie
The Dutchman’s future is looking increasingly uncertain at Old Trafford..
Goals from Kane and Muller secured Bayern their second-straight Bundesliga win of the season in their first home match in front of their fans on Sunday. In doing so, Muller brought up his 710th appearance for the club – making him the outright record appearance holder. That prompted the England captain, who opened his goalscoring account for 2024-25 in the 2-0 victory over Freiburg, to share some kind words about the German veteran.
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He wrote on Instagram: "Kicking off the first Bundesliga home game of the season with a win and a goal 🙌👌. Huge congrats to @esmuellert for breaking the @fcbayern appearance record. Incredible player and leader. 🤝."
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Muller is a Bayern legend. He has had 17 seasons there, is a record 12-time Bundesliga winner, and has won a whopping 32 trophies with the club. Plus, he is still only 35, so there could yet be more success to come for the one-club man.
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After the international break, which runs over the next fortnight, Kane and Muller will return to action for Bayern in the Bundesliga away to Holstein Kiel on September 14.
In all, the Haryana left-arm spinner bagged 750 wickets in 157 first-class matches from 1958-59 to 1984-85
ESPNcricinfo staff21-Jun-2020Rajinder Goel, the highest wicket-taker in the history of the Ranji Trophy with 637 strikes, has passed away at the age of 77 after a prolonged illness. In all, the left-arm spinner took 750 wickets – most of them for Haryana – in 157 first-class matches from 1958-59 to 1984-85. He bagged an incredible 53 five-fors and 17 ten-wicket match hauls.ALSO READ – I was born at the wrong time, says GoelFormer India captain and current BCCI president Sourav Ganguly paid tribute to Goel. “The Indian cricketing community has lost a giant of domestic cricket today,” he said in a statement. “His staggering record tells you about his craft and the control he had over it. To have a career that lasts more than 25 years and still be able to perform consistently speaks about his dedication and commitment towards the game. To be able to pick 750 wickets needs years and years of hard work and I salute his efforts. I extend my heartfelt condolences to his family.”In the mid-1960s, when Bishan Singh Bedi was making his mark, the question that was asked was, “is he as good as Goel?” Ironically, one reason Goel never played for India was because Bedi had cemented his spot in the India team. The closest Goel came to play for India was in the unofficial Test against Ceylon (now Sri Lanka) in 1964-65.
Rajinder Goel was easily the most ‘contented’ human being I’ve known…I used to envy his sense of ‘contentment’ in my moments of turmoil..RIP ‘Goely’..You bowled yur heart out to keep Ranji Trophy alive..!! pic.twitter.com/U1ZZCQE7KW
— Bishan Bedi (@BishanBedi) June 21, 2020
RIP #RajinderGoel ji. Master of his craft. Killer line & length in our terrain. Humility personified. Condolences to the entire family pic.twitter.com/C3YJNPob1e
— Ravi Shastri (@RaviShastriOfc) June 21, 2020
In September 1979, Goel picked up 6 for 102 for North Zone against a visiting Australian side led by Kim Hughes. He continued playing first-class cricket until he was 43, with fitness proving a crucial aspect of his long and storied domestic career. Even when he was in his last season in 1984-85, Goel trained hard; his practice sessions would involve 3500 skips of a rope and a long run, followed by bowling to at least 10 batsmen in the nets.Goel couldn’t win the Ranji Trophy as a player, but he was the chairman of the Haryana selection committee in 1991 when a Kapil Dev-led side shocked Bombay (now Mumbai) at the Wankhede Stadium.After his playing career, Goel also served as a match referee in both men’s and women’s cricket.In 2017, Goel received the CK Nayudu Lifetime Achievement Award. He is one of the four non-Test players to have got the BCCI’s Lifetime Achievement Award; the others being Padmakar Shivalkar, Bhausaheb Nimbalkar and journalist KN Prabhu.
Chelsea have left themselves with a chance to finish inside the top six in the Premier League as they prepare for their final two matches of the season.
The Blues are currently seventh in the division and only behind Newcastle United in sixth on goal difference, ahead of clashes with Brighton & Hove Albion and Bournemouth this week.
Mauricio Pochettino's side are fighting to ensure that they nail down a place in the Europa League for the 2024/25 campaign, rather than the Europa Conference League.
The London giants did not compete in a European competition this season and they now look set to return to Europe under the Argentine head coach next term.
However, the full focus must be on these next two matches and what they can do to make sure that they come away with all six points, to give themselves the best chance of finishing ahead of the Magpies.
One change the former Tottenham Hotspur boss could make to his starting XI for the upcoming clash with Brighton could come in the right-back position.
Why Trevoh Chalobah should be dropped
Trevoh Chalobah could be ruthlessly binned from the lineup for the Blues after a difficult afternoon up against former Chelsea man Callum Hudson-Odoi against Nottingham Forest.
With Malo Gusto and Reece James now available, having both come off the bench against the Tricky Trees, Pochettino should drop the academy graduate to the bench, unless he decides to move him into a central defensive position.
90min reporter Tom Gott awarded the English defender a player rating of 5/10 against Forest, writing that he looked 'hesitant' throughout the game due to the threat of Hudson-Odoi.
Chelsea defender Trevoh Chalobah in action
Noni Madueke, who won three of his 13 duels in the game, did not do much to help his right-back out as Chalobah found himself isolated against the former England international far too often.
Chalobah won one ground duel and completed one tackle in the match and Hudson-Odoi, the player he was marking for most of the game, created four chances, including one 'big chance, hit the woodwork, and scored a fantastic goal.
His defensive work, however, is not the reason why Pochettino should look to take him out of the right-back position for these last two matches. It is, instead, his lack of quality in possession that should tempt the manager to shuffle the pack on Wednesday night.
Appearances
11
Starts
8
Assists
0
xA
0.34
Big chances created
0
Key passes per game
0.3
As you can see in the table above, Chalobah has offered very little as a creative force down the flank for Chelsea, with less than one chance created every other game on average.
These statistics show that, as you would expect from a player who typically plays as a centre-back, the 24-year-old dud is not likely to bomb forward to split open opposition defences with killer passes or impressive crosses into the box for the likes of Nicolas Jackson and Christopher Nkunku.
The player Pochettino should replace Trevoh Chalobah with
Pochettino can brutally bin Chalobah from the starting XI at right-back by unleashing 20-year-old sensation Malo Gusto from the start on Wednesday.
The French whiz recently missed four matches through injury and has come off the bench in the last two matches since making a return from that knock.
He should now be unleashed in the lineup against Brighton as the talented gem has the attacking quality to provide a far greater outlet down the right flank than his English teammate.
In the Premier League this season, Gusto has racked up five assists, 2.75 xA, seven 'big chances' created, and 1.2 key passes per game on average, which means that the £45k-per-week ace averages four times as many key passes per match than Chalobah.
Assists (0.27)
Top 6%
Expected Assisted Goals (0.21)
Top 10%
Shot-creating actions (2.66)
Top 18%
Progressive passes (4.57)
Top 25%
Progressive carries (4.13)
Top 3%
As you can see in the table above, the young star ranks well above average among his positional peers in a host of key attacking metrics in the Premier League this season.
Gusto, who was lauded as "outstanding" by journalist Ben Jacobs earlier this year, has proven that he has the quality to create high-quality chances consistently in the English top-flight, which makes him a dangerous weapon for Pochettino to have in his arsenal.
This is why the former Southampton manager must unleash the 20-year-old wizard from the start against Brighton as he has the potential to offer significantly more than Chalobah in attack, which could help them to secure all three points against Roberto De Zerbi's side.
Gusto has also proven himself to be solid enough from a defensive perspective with a duel success rate of 55% and a ground duel success rate of 59%, which shows that opposition forwards do not find it easy to get the better of him in physical contests.
The alternatives to Malo Gusto
James, who came off the bench against Forest, is also available as a potential option for the manager to call upon at right-back on Wednesday night.
However, he had been out for far longer than the four games Gusto missed and it may not be worth the risk of throwing him back in straight away when there are only two league matches left.
The England international has missed a staggering 38 games through injury this season and has not started in any competition since the 4-1 loss to Newcastle in November 2023.
Chelsea defender Reece James.
With Gusto available, there is no need to risk aggravating an injury by bringing him back before he is 100% ready to start and it could make sense to give him the summer and pre-season to be fully prepared to hit the ground running next season.
Instead, James could be used as a super substitute off the bench, which is the role he played to great effect against Forest on Saturday evening.
The full-back came on with 11 minutes to go and assisted the winning goal from Jackson with a fantastic whipped cross to find the striker at the back post, and he may look to have a similar impact this week.
Five teams based in Colombo, Kandy, Galle Dambulla and Jaffna will be participating
Andrew Fidel Fernando27-Jul-2020The Lanka Premier League – Sri Lanka’s first major T20 tournament since 2012 – is set to begin on August 28, will feature five teams, and will attract 70 international players and 10 “top notch” coaches. This is according to a Sri Lanka Cricket release, after the board’s executive committee confirmed the tournament, which had been rumoured for over a month.All of the above, however, is subject to government and Ministry of Health approval in light of the Covid-19 pandemic. Although Sri Lanka has not had lockdowns or curfews for more than a month and has had no community spread so far according to official figures, flights into the island are tightly controlled. Even the repatriation of Sri Lankans currently stands suspended.SLC CEO Ashley de Silva told ESPNcricinfo the board currently has little information about how foreign players and coaches can be brought to Sri Lanka, nor does it know how long they will have to be in quarantine upon arrival. SLC is hopeful the Sri Lankan government will assist with logistics.However, there has been substantial corporate interest in the tournament, according to de Silva. The board is hoping to lock down a tournament sponsor by July 30, and to find franchise owners in the weeks after that. No tournament director or event coordinator has yet been named.If it goes ahead as announced, the LPL will feature 23 games, and will be played across Sri Lanka’s four day/night international stadiums – Khettarama, Sooriyawewa, Pallekele and Dambulla. The action will move from venue to venue as the tournament progresses, rather than be played in various venues within the space of a few days as is the case with past iterations of the Indian Premier League or Big Bash League, for example. The five teams will be named after five cities – Colombo, Galle, Jaffna, Dambulla and Kandy – but teams will not have a base venue, nor will they necessarily play most of their games in the city they are named for.SLC had announced an LPL for 2018, but had cancelled that tournament due to insufficient interest. Previous boards had also tried to get major T20 leagues off the ground in at least three other years, and only once managed to host a tournament – 2012’s Sri Lanka Premier League, which was plagued by poor crowds and corruption rumours.Although the board is optimistic about this year’s tournament, largely because Sri Lanka has controlled the spread of Covid-19 better than many other cricket-playing nations, there are substantial hurdles to be cleared before the LPL becomes reality. The most significant of those, for now, is the support of the government.
Aitana Bonmati's agent confirmed that Chelsea were ready to trigger the release clause of the Barcelona star to lure her to WSL.
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Chelsea hold a long-standing interest in BonmatiWere ready to put in a historic bid for the Ballon d'Or winnerThe midfielder snubbed the Blues to continue at BarcaWHAT HAPPENED?
Bonmati has entered the final year of her contract with the Blaugranas but has reached an agreement to ink a renewal which could potentially make her the highest-paid player of the side. She has been at Camp Nou since the age of 13 and is set to continue her journey at the Catalan club in the future.
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However, English giants, Chelsea were ready to break the bank for Bonmati by triggering her €3 million (£2.53m/3.32m) release clause – which would have made her the most expensive signing in the history of women's football. But the player rebuffed the approaches and placed her trust in the sporting project at Barcelona which has helped her scale the heights of success.
WHAT CHRISTIAN MARTIN SAID
In an interview on Catalunya Radio'sprogramme, Bonmati's agent Cristian Martin revealed: "Chelsea were willing to pay the €3m termination clause. That Barça can compete with offers of this calibre shows you that, instead of lowering the women's budget, it is the other way around. In addition, Barça wants to continue to capitalise on the hegemony it has. It is consolidating its hegemony and Aitana's role within Barca is also being consolidated."
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DID YOU KNOW?
However, Martin has warned that it would be a challenge for the Spanish league to compete with the financial muscle of WSL clubs in the future and Barcelona are well aware of the consequences. They have already lost forward Mariona Caldentey to Arsenal this summer after she refused to extend her contract and other stars could follow suit.
"The risk is that over the years the Spanish League will not improve and that this will not let it compete with the English clubs. The players may have new ambitions, as has happened with Mariona this season," he said.
When you think of Argentina, you think of the passion and desire the fans have for their country to succeed.
The nation has become infamous for the development of numerous stars that have captured the hearts of everyone within the country and around the world, propelling the South Americans to countless trophies.
They’ve won the FIFA World Cup on three occasions, including in 2022, with Gonzalo Montiel the unlikely hero, scoring the winning penalty in the shootout against France.
Argentina have been even more successful on the continent, winning the Copa América an impressive 16 times.
Here’s who we believe are the top 10 Argentinian players based on their individual careers, trophies won and their overall legacy on football:
1
Lionel Messi
2004-present
2
Diego Maradona
1976-1997
3
Mario Kempes
1970-1996
4
Gabriel Batistuta
1988-2004
5
Daniel Passarella
1971-1989
6
Juan Roman Riquelme
1996-2015
7
Omar Sivori
1954-1969
8
Javier Zanetti
1992-2014
9
Angel Di Maria
2005-present
10
Javier Mascherano
2003-2020
Argentina's most-capped football players of all time
Who has played the most for La Albiceleste?
ByCharlie Smith Apr 21, 2024 10 Javier Mascherano Career: 2003-2020
He definitely won’t be the flashiest name on this list, but Javier Mascherano is certainly one of the most underrated players in Argentina’s recent history, with his impact allowing the attacking players ahead of him to flourish.
The midfielder, who was a product of the River Plate academy, earned the nickname of ‘El Jefecito’, which means little chief, following his excellent defensive midfield displays.
He enjoyed a successful career in the Premier League, featuring for the likes of West Ham United and Liverpool, amassing 99 appearances in England’s top flight before departing for Barcelona in 2010 – transitioning to a centre-half role, showcasing his versatility.
However, it was for his country that his qualities shone through the most, with Mascherano claiming 147 caps, even featuring in the World Cup final back in 2014, where Argentina fell to a 1-0 defeat to Germany.
9 Angel Di Maria Career: 2005-present
A player who has undoubtedly had his career overshadowed by a certain other Argentinian player in his position is winger Angel Di Maria.
The now 36-year-old has enjoyed a 19-year-long professional career, going on to achieve unthinkable things following on from his debut at hometown club Rosario Central way back in 2005.
Following 39 appearances for the Argentinian outfit, he received his big break into European football, joining Portuguese giants Benfica in 2007 before catapulting himself into the limelight for Real Madrid over a five-year stint from 2009-2014.
He scored in the 2014 Champions League final against Madrid rivals Atletico, winning one of his 27 club trophies during his sensational career all over Europe.
Internationally, he’s been just as successful, accumulating 138 appearances for his nation, scoring 30 times – including in the World Cup triumph in 2022 – cementing himself in Argentinian folklore forever.
8 Javier Zanetti Career: 1992-2014
Continuing the trend of underrated players takes us to full-back Javier Zanetti, with the longevity of his career certainly boosting him in this list.
The right-back was nearly a one-club man for the entirety of his playing career, featuring 858 times for Italian giants Inter Milan following a move from his hometown club Tallares in 1995.
Zanetti was Inter’s club captain from 2001 all the way up until his retirement in 2014 at the age of 40 – a bonkers age to be still playing football at an elite level. Zanetti will always be known for captaining the club and playing a hugely significant role in Inter’s historic treble-winning season in 2009/10 under José Mourinho.
The Argentinian’s leadership and versatility played a huge part in his successful career, often featuring in midfield as well as left-back alongside his natural right-sided role.
His international career was just as successful, reaching 144 caps for Argentina between 1994 and 2011, the third most in the country’s history before his international retirement.
Whilst he failed to win any international trophies with Argentina, he certainly played a pivotal role for the nation during an era that was dominated by attacking players, with his recognition fully deserved especially considering the impact of others within the national side.
7 Omar Sivori Career Span: 1954-1969
Not many modern-day football fans will have heard about his qualities, but Omar Sivori paved the way for the likes of Lionel Messi and Diego Maradona to excel with their dribbling skills, with Sivori the first Argentinian player to demonstrate pace and trickery in the attacking third.
Like Mascherano, he was a product of the River Plate academy, and took little time in introducing himself to the world, bursting onto the global stage at the 1957 South American Championships as part of a deadly attacking trio nicknamed the Trio of Death which also featured forwards Humberto Maschio and Valentin Angellilo.
As a result of his performances at the tournament, Sivori moved to Italy, joining Juventus for £90,000, which was at the time a world-record fee.
He would end his career with 180 goals in 326 appearances, an average of one goal every two matches, making himself one of the country’s most underappreciated talents.
6 Juan Roman Riquelme Career: 1996-2015
Juan Roman Riquelme, the modern-day Maradona.
A player that never fully showcased his talents in Europe, spending the vast majority of his 19-year playing career in Argentina, featuring for the likes of Boca Juniors and Argentinos Juniors.
However, he did enjoy a five-year spell in Spain for Barcelona and Villarreal, with his best form in La Liga coming with the latter.
Riquelme managed to score 36 times in 106 appearances for the Yellow Submarines, as he helped the club achieve a third-place finish in La Liga and reach the semi-finals of the Champions League for the first time in their history.
He enjoyed a successful international career for Argentina, featuring 51 times scoring 17 and assisting 20 before his subsequent retirement from international football back in 2008.
Whilst he never achieved what he would’ve liked during his time with his nation, he certainly made a huge impact, trying to fill the attacking void left by Maradona.
5 Daniel Passarella Career: 1971-1989
Daniel Passarella will always be regarded as one of the best centre-backs in football history, purely for his impact at both ends of the pitch.
He led Argentina to their first-ever World Cup as captain in 1978, before being part of the squad that won the tournament again in 1986 – making him the only player in the nation’s history to have won the trophy twice.
He spent the majority of his career at River Plate, before six years in Italy playing for Fiorentina and Inter Milan, subsequently retiring at his beloved River of Silver back in 1989.
Passarella, who was only 5 foot 8, a relatively short height for a central defender, scored a remarkable 143 goals throughout his career, an unheard-of amount of a defender, including 20 for his country during his 10-year spell playing for his nation.
4 Gabriel Batistuta Career: 1988-2004
Following an incredible record of 56 goals in 78 appearances, striker Gabriel Batistuta was Argentina’s top scorer until he was overtaken by the inevitable Messi in 2016.
He enjoyed a decorated international career with his nation, winning the Copa América twice, finishing as top scorer in the 1991 tournament and finding himself on the scoresheet during the 2-1 final victory over Mexico in 1993.
Batistuta represented his country in three World Cups, also enjoying a phenomenal club career, scoring 245 times in 448 appearances, including 183 in Serie A for the likes of Roma, Fiorentina and Inter Milan.
Whilst his goalscoring record was impressive, it wasn’t enough to push him into our top three, with the other players picking themselves following their respective time as a professional.
3 Mario Kempes Career: 1970 – 1996
Dubbed as the man who put Argentina on the map by Maradona, Mario Kempes was the star of Argentina’s 1978 World Cup triumph, becoming only one of three players in history to have won the World Cup, the Golden Boot for the top scorer, and the Golden Ball, for the best player, in the same year.
He single-handedly won the tournament for his country, netting six times in the tournament – including two in the final against the Netherlands and finishing as the tournament’s top scorer.
Over the course of his international career, he played 43 times for Argentina and scored 20 goals – cementing himself in the country’s history following his iconic performances back in 1978.
2 Diego Maradona Career: 1976-1997
Narrowly missing out on the top spot is the iconic Maradona, who captured the hearts of supporters all over the world following his time for his country and club career – most notably with Napoli.
The attacking midfielder burst onto the scene, scoring 116 league goals in 166 league matches for his boyhood side, Argentinos Juniors, throughout the first six years of his career as a professional.
Undoubtedly, his best stint in his club career came for Italian side Napoli featuring 187 times, contributing with 129 goals and assists – becoming a hero at Stadio San Paolo.
Maradona’s most iconic moments came for his beloved Argentina, most notably in the 1986 World Cup, where he played a huge part in leading his nation to their second World Cup triumph.
On route to lifting the trophy, in the semi-final versus England, Maradona produced two of the most iconic moments in football history. His first goal was iconic, with his effort, now dubbed as the ‘Hand of God’ going unnoticed – causing huge controversy.
His second effort in the same match was a huge contrast, completing a 60-yard mazy run before slotting home and for sure going down as one of the best World Cup goals in history.
Maradona’s legacy was reflected after his passing in 2020, with former side Napoli renaming their stadium after him – a huge recognition for his time there as a player.
The greatest there is, the greatest there was and the greatest there ever will be – Lionel Andres Messi.
Many Argentinian fans would’ve believed that anyone could’ve surpassed the achievements of icon Maradona, but Messi has completely taken things to another level.
He joined Barcelona at the age of 13 back in 2000, rapidly progressing through the club’s youth system and winning everything possible during his time at the Nou Camp.
As part of the team, he won 10 La Liga titles, seven Copa de Espana trophies, seven Copa del Rey trophies, and four Champions League trophies – winning everything there is to be won in Europe.
Messi is the club’s all-time top appearance maker, the club and league’s all-time top scorer and top assister. The 36-year-old has won 45 professional trophies, more than anyone in history, and has a record eight Ballon d’Or trophies.
Up until 2021, he had failed to win any international trophies, but in the last few years he’s finally ticked off both trophies available, winning the Copa America in 2021 followed by the World Cup in 2022.
There was always a question mark whether he could be the GOAT if he failed to win any international trophies, but following the nation’s recent successes, he is undoubtedly the best to ever grace the game.
Argentina's top international goalscorers of all time
Here are the very best in front of goal for La Albiceleste.