SP. The 15 best Argentines in Premier League history have been ranked in order

Since the Premier League shifted from a national competition to a global brand with the onset of commercialisation in 1992, it’s become a magnet for exceptional talents from all corners of the globe. Brazilian imports have boasted a unique flair, French players have contributed attacking prowess, while Spanish additions have brought mastery in the art of passing.

Meanwhile, Argentina has brought a winning mentality to England’s top flight that no other nation seems to rival. Horacio Carbonari, who joined Derby County for just £3 million in 1998, was the first Argentinian to play in the Premier League, alongside Juan Cobian at Sheffield Wednesday. Since then, 84 players from Argentina have graced the English game, showing just how special football is in that part of the world.

With that being said, a list of the 15 best Argentinians to have starred in the English top flight has been compiled, using several variables to come up with the definitive rankings. Just to prove how incredible the three-time World Cup winners’ talent pool is, free-kick specialist Julio Arca and cult hero Leonardo Ulloa missed out on the final cut, while highly reputable players like Marcos Rojo and Angel Di Maria failed to live up to their billing to even get a sniff at Premier League stardom.

Ranking factors

• Premier League stats (appearances, goals, assists, etc).
• Premier League title wins.
• Importance in their team.

15 Cristian Romero

Argentina caps: 37

Argentina have produced some quality centre-backs, all of them possessing a highly competitive streak. This can certainly be said for Cristian Romero who, while being a formidable force for Tottenham since joining in 2021, tends to let his aggressive nature get the better of him on more than one occasion.

In 88 Premier League appearances, Romero has accumulated 23 yellow cards, two red cards, and committed 105 fouls. While it’s too soon to say if he’ll achieve legendary status at Spurs, his exceptional positioning and awareness, along with his World Cup triumph with Argentina, give him the potential to do so as Ange Postecoglou continues to piece together his Tottenham resurgence.

14 Jonas Gutierrez

Argentina caps: 22

Jonas Gutierrez, an Argentine who arrived in 2008, endured the pain of relegation but became instrumental in Newcastle United’s revival from the ashes. Always a reliable figure, his defining moment came in the most dramatic fashion – scoring the vital goal that saved the Magpies on the final day of the 2014/15 season, having triumphed over a testicular cancer diagnosis.

His redemption story permanently etched him into the fabric at St James’ Park, while his ability to play in any role asked of him at a relatively high standard rewarded him with cult hero status. A full international from 2007 to 2011, Gutierrez earned 22 caps for Argentina and represented his country at the 2010 World Cup. He was seen as a crucial member of the national squad by coach Diego Maradona, who famously remarked that his team was “Mascherano, Messi, Jonas, and eight more.”

13 Gabriel Heinze

Argentina caps: 72

On a list depicting the greatest Argentine footballers ever, Gabriel Heinze would no doubt skyrocket in his ranking. However, his tenure at Old Trafford was short but sweet, and for reasons of longevity, he can’t necessarily be put any higher in this list.

His tenacious attitude made an immediate impact on Manchester United fans when he joined the club in 2004, even earning the Sir Matt Busby Player of the Year award. He occasionally captained the side and won a Premier League title in 2006/07. However, he tarnished his legacy at the Theatre of Dreams by attempting to force a move to Liverpool – an interesting preference that never came to fruition as the two fierce rivals operated at different ends of the spectrum at the time.

12 Juan Sebastian Veron

Argentina caps: 72

“Veron is a ******* great player, and you’re all ******* idiots.” These were the blunt words of Sir Alex Ferguson in response to the media’s criticism of Juan Sebastian Veron, whose time at Manchester United was far from trouble-free.

The elegant Argentinian midfielder joined from Lazio in 2001 for a record £28.1 million, making him the most expensive transfer in English football at the time. The weight of expectation was immense for the La Plata native, who also battled numerous injuries during his two seasons at Old Trafford, ultimately finishing his career with just 11 goals in 82 appearances for the Premier League giants. It was more a case of the right player at the wrong time than anything else.

11 Hernan Crespo

Argentina caps: 64

With an incredible 35 goals in just 64 international caps, one could have been forgiven for expecting Hernan Crespo to light up England’s topflight more than he did. But it’s easy to overlook the fact that Crespo scored ten Premier League goals in just 19 appearances during his debut season with Chelsea in 2003/04.

After spending the following year on loan at AC Milan, he returned to London in 2005/06, netting another ten goals on his way to securing the Premier League title. Although his tally might have suffered, they proved pivotal to Chelsea’s period of domestic superiority, and they would certainly not have done as well as they did without their Argentine talisman.

10 Manuel Lanzini

Argentina caps: 5

On the flip side to those who performed for their national side but failed to match the lofty expectations placed on them in the Premier League, Manuel Lanzini renders the opposite narrative. He only ever played for La Albiceleste five times, but he became a constant in West Ham’s everchanging side between 2015 and 2023.

He scored six goals from midfield in 2015/16 as the Hammers finished seventh, followed by eighth in 2016/17. For occasional Premier League viewers, if the name doesn’t ring a bell, perhaps his goal against Tottenham – which won Goal of the Month – will. Not known for his goalscoring tally, when Lanzini did find himself on the scoresheet, it was always memorable.

9 Erik Lamela

Argentina caps: 25

Speaking of remarkable goals, there’s only one player on this list who even managed to win a Puskas Award. Erik Lamela’s unforgettable rabona against Arsenal in 2020 will be remembered for years to come, and it couldn’t have come in a more fitting match than the North London Derby.

Although Lamela didn’t fully live up to the expectations that followed his arrival at Spurs as a successor to Gareth Bale, he was still a valuable asset. The winger scored 37 goals in 255 appearances for the club and went on to win the 2022-23 Europa League with Sevilla, scoring one of the penalties in the shootout as they triumphed over Jose Mourinho’s AS Roma.

8 Alexis Mac Allister

Argentina caps: 33

Alexis Mac Allister is a name that feels like it’s been circulating for years. While there’s some truth to that, his move to Liverpool last summer – in the same year he lifted the World Cup with Argentina – means the midfield genius is only just beginning to make his mark.

He has been a resounding success on Merseyside, whether playing in his defensive midfield role, where he shields the back-line, or in his more familiar playmaking position further up the pitch. At just 25 years old, there’s still plenty of time for him to rise even higher in the ranks.

7 Fabricio Coloccini

Argentina caps: 39

Another addition from 2008, Fabricio Coloccini arrived at Newcastle United alongside the previously mentioned Gutierrez. Although his debut season ended in relegation in 2008/09, the former AC Milan and Deportivo centre-back stuck it out with Newcastle, eventually becoming captain and helping the club to a fifth-place finish in 2011/12 – which remained the Magpies’ best season until they qualified for the Champions League in the 2022/23 campaign.

Often bracketed among Newcastle’s greatest centre-backs of all time, Coloccini’s partnership with Sebastien Bassong showed why he was trusted by everyone at St James’ Park, whilst he was even named in the PFA Team of the Year during the 2011/2012 season. During the darker days of the Magpies’ history, under the uncertain era of Mike Ashley, the Argentine remained loyal, featuring for the club in the Championship when they were cruelly relegated.

6 Nicolas Otamendi

Argentina caps: 119

Nicolas Otamendi won seven major honours during his time at Manchester City, helping himself to two Premier League titles as he formed a rock solid defensive partnership with Aymeric Laporte and Vincent Kompany.

During his time in the topflight, he was often coined ‘The General’ or, in his later years, ‘Superman’ by Pep Guardiola. And, when he’s given that much praise by the man who knows the Premier League better than the back of his hand, it shouldn’t take much more convincing for readers to understand why Otamendi is so high up in this list. Similarly to Romero, he was a little rough around the edges – but that never stopped him from transforming into an almighty centre-back during the Cityzens’ domestic sweep of silverware.

5 Javier Mascherano

Argentina caps: 147

It’s still hard to believe there was a time when West Ham signed Carlos Tevez and Javier Mascherano. However, it was at Liverpool where the latter truly flourished.

Before finally securing the Premier League title in 2019/20, the Reds were never a stronger side in the post-1992 era than when Mascherano was anchoring their midfield. The Reds pushed Man United all the way in the 2008/09 season, but their challenge faded when the Argentine conductor, along with a few other key players, eventually moved on. A midfielder or centre-back, he really could do it all, so it was no surprise that his next calling point would be Barcelona.

4 Emiliano Martinez

Argentina caps: 47

A maverick of the highest order, there’s perhaps no player in the modern era that loves winding opposition players up more than Emiliano Martinez – so much so that there’s even a list of his tricks. But when you’re as good as he is, with the international accolades of a World Cup and two Copa America titles to back it up, then why would he ever stop?

Martinez moved to Aston Villa in the summer of 2020, with his career looking somewhat on a downward spiral after falling out of favour at Arsenal. However, he has shone at Villa Park, consistently saving the Villans in key moments. His confidence is one of the biggest strengths in the Argentine’s game, as he always backs himself no matter the situation. Unsurprisingly, he is the favourite to win the Yashine Trophy for the second year in a row, having forced his way into the conversation of the best goalkeepers in the world right now.

3 Pablo Zabaleta

Argentina caps: 58

Pablo Zabaleta joined Manchester City in the summer of 2008, just a day before Sheikh Mansour’s takeover of the club ushered in a new era. Having established himself as a regular at Spanish side Espanyol, Zabaleta quickly became a revelation on the right side of the defence. While not the most glamorous signing, he had all the qualities to become a club legend, with his tenacity and leadership standing out as key attributes.

A two-time Premier League winner, Zabaleta moved to West Ham United in 2017, where he spent three years in East London, bringing his Premier League appearance total to 303 before retiring as one of the best right-backs in Premier League history. Often underrated during his time in Manchester, Zabaleta brought a winning mentality to the capital, proving himself as a player of immense value in a period when the good times had only just begun.

2 Carlos Tevez

Argentina caps: 76

Carlos Tevez joined West Ham United in 2006 after a standout performance in the World Cup, where he caught the eye of both Manchester United and Chelsea. The prolific forward spent just one season with the Hammers, playing a pivotal role in their Premier League survival by scoring seven goals and providing three assists. His match-winning goal on the final day at Old Trafford ensured West Ham retained their top-flight status, and that summer, Tevez made the move to Manchester United on a two-year loan.

The 76-cap Argentina international went on to score 34 goals and provide 14 assists in just under 100 appearances for United before Manchester City splashed £25.5 million to bring him to the Etihad in 2009. At City, Tevez took his game to new heights, winning the Golden Boot in his second season. He left the Premier League in 2013 for Juventus in Serie A, having won three titles and scored 84 goals in England’s top tier.

1 Sergio Aguero

Argentina caps: 101

Sergio Aguero is not only considered the best Argentinian to ever play in the Premier League, but he’s also widely regarded as the greatest South American to ever grace English football. With an incredible tally of 184 goals in 275 appearances, he is the most prolific South American in Premier League history. The 101-cap Argentina international joined Manchester City from Atletico Madrid in 2011 for a reported club-record fee of £38 million. He went on to become the club’s all-time top scorer and is unquestionably one of the greatest strikers the sport has ever seen.

The dazzling Argentine forward scored one of the most iconic goals in English top-flight history when he netted a stoppage-time winner against Queens Park Rangers back in 2012 to win City their first Premier League title. Aguero now has a statue of himself erected outside the Etihad Stadium, which shows his legendary status in the blue half of a football-crazed Manchester.