Famous Argentine Sportspersons

Considered one of the best football players in the world and a prolific goal scorer, Lionel Messi has shattered and created numerous records in his playing career. Regarded by another soccer legend, Diego Maradona, as his successor, the Argentinian superstar is also one of the world’s highest paid athletes.

Nicknamed The Golden Boy, Diego Maradona is considered one of the greatest footballers of all time. Thanks to his popularity and controversial personal life, which includes drug abuse issues and addiction to cocaine, Diego Maradona became a world-renowned counterculture icon. He was also an iconic figure in popular culture.

Ángel Di María is an Argentine football player. An important member of the Argentina national team, Ángel Di María helped Argentina win a gold medal at the 2008 Olympics by scoring the only goal of the gold medal match against Nigeria at the 58th minute of the match. Ángel Di María has also represented Argentina at three FIFA World Cups.

Alfredo Di Stéfano was an Argentine-born Spanish football player and coach. Counted among the greatest football players of all time, Di Stéfano is remembered for his association with Real Madrid, where he played a major role in the club's domination of La Liga and the European Cup during the 1950s. In 2004, he was included in Pele’s FIFA 100 list.

Argentine professional footballer Paulo Dybala currently plays for football club Juventus and the Argentina national team. He plays as a forward and is known for his creative style of play, pace, talent, and technique. Revered for his playing skills, he is considered one of the world's most valuable players. He loves tattoos and has many on his body. 

Javier Zanetti is an Argentine retired professional football player. He is best known for his contribution to Inter Milan's successful 2009–10 season, during which the club achieved a treble. Counted among the greatest players of his generation, Javier Zanetti also helped his national football team win a silver medal at the 1996 Olympic Games in Atlanta.

Renowned football manager and the current head coach of Leeds United, Marcelo Bielsa is best known for remarkably improving the performance of the players he coaches. As a manager, his high point arrived when he helped the Argentinean national team bag the 2004 Olympics gold medal and later guided the Chile’s national team to qualify for the 2010 world cup.

Diego Simeone is an Argentine former football player who was part of the silver medal-winning team at the 1996 Olympic Games in Atlanta. An important player for his country, Simeone also represented Argentina at the 1994, 1998, and 2002 World Cups. Simeone also won two Copa América titles for Argentina. He is currently serving as the coach of Atlético Madrid.

Emiliano Sala was an Argentine football player who played for prominent French clubs like Bordeaux and Nantes. He was renowned for his powerful strike and eye for goal. In 2019, he was included in the Nantes Team of the Decade. Emiliano Sala died in a plane crash on 21 January 2019. His body was recovered four days after the crash.

Juan Martín del Potro is an Argentine tennis player best known for winning the 2009 US Open after defeating Roger Federer in the final. He also helped his team win the prestigious Davis Cup in 2016. One of the greatest Argentine players of all time, Juan Martín del Potro also won Olympic bronze and silver in 2012 and 2016 respectively. 

Argentine striker Gonzalo Higuain, known as El Pipita or Pipa, has had an illustrious career, representing clubs such as Real Madrid, Juventus, and Chelsea. Apart from six league titles, he also won the UEFA Europa League. With his 36 goals in a single season in Naples, he equalled a record.

Argentine footballer, Mauro Icard,i plays as a striker for Ligue 1 club, Paris Saint-Germain, and the Argentina national team. He began playing football as a boy and made his senior debut in 2012. He is known for his excellent attacking movement, positioning, and eye for goal. His marriage to a teammate’s ex-wife is a subject of controversy.

Nicolás Otamendi is an Argentine football player best known for helping his national team win the 2021 Copa América in Brazil. He has also represented Argentina at two FIFA World Cups. Nicolás Otamendi has also helped Manchester City win two Premier League titles and one FA Cup. He has also won three successive Primeira Liga with Porto.

Sergio Romero is an Argentine football player and the most capped goalkeeper for the Argentine national team. Apart from representing his country at three Copa América tournaments and two FIFA World Cups so far, Sergio Romero also played for his national side at the 2008 Olympic Games where his team won the gold medal.

Juan Román Riquelme is an Argentine former football player best known for his association with Boca Juniors, winning 10 titles for the club. Counted among the greatest Argentine players ever, Riquelme led his team at the 2008 Olympics where they won the gold medal. Juan Román Riquelme is also widely regarded as one of the best midfielders of his generation.

Argentine footballer Marcos Rojo is best known as the defender for Boca Juniors. He has previously represented Manchester United, winning many titles, such as the FA Cup and the EFL Cup. He is also known for his multiple tattoos and is married to lingerie model Eugenia Lusardo.

Argentine tennis player Diego Schwartzman has been a world number 8 in singles and 39 in doubles. With a height of 5’ 7”, he is considered shorter than most of his peers but is known for his control and timing on the field. He is fond of the clay court.

Juan Manuel Fangio was an Argentine race car driver who dominated the first 10 years of Formula One racing. He won the World Drivers' Championship on five occasions, a record which was broken by Michael Schumacher after 46 years. Juan Manuel Fangio is also the only Argentine racer to have won the prestigious Argentine Grand Prix.

Part of the International Tennis Hall of Fame, legendary Argentine tennis player Guillermo Vilas is a former world number 1 in singles. His wins include 2 Australian Open titles, 1 French Open, and 1 US Open. The 2020 Netflix documentary Guillermo Vilas: Settling the Score was based on his life.

Mauricio Pochettino is an Argentine former football player best known for helping Espanyol win their first trophy in six decades when he won the 2000 Copa del Rey. After retiring as a player, Mauricio Pochettino started his managerial career and is currently serving as the head coach of the popular Ligue 1 club Paris Saint-Germain.

Carlos Tevez is an Argentine footballer who helped his national team win a gold medal at the 2004 Olympics in Athens. At the same event, Tevez won the Golden Boot, having scored eight goals in the tournament. With three South American Footballer of the Year awards under his belt, Tevez is one of the best Argentine footballers of his generation.

Gabriela Sabatini is an Argentine former professional tennis player. One of the leading female tennis players in the 1980s and 1990s, she amassed 41 titles, including the WTA Finals in 1988 and the 1990 US Open. She was inducted into the International Tennis Hall of Fame in 2006. Also a businesswoman, she runs a line of fragrances.

Ezequiel Lavezzi is an Argentine retired football player best known for his association with Paris Saint-Germain where he won two Coupes de la Ligue, three Ligue 1 championships, and one Coupe de France. He was also an important player for his national team. Ezequiel Lavezzi helped his team win the Olympic gold medal at the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing.