Two of the greatest footballers of all time have come from Argentina in Diego Maradona and Lionel Messi, with La Albiceleste winning the most titles by a men’s national team.
As we know, Messi guided his country to 2022 World Cup glory in Qatar and is comfortably the country’s best in front of goal. But who else has been a clinical goalscorer in blue and white? Football FanCast takes a look at the top Argentina goalscorers of all time, with a detailed view of the very best the nation has produced…
All information correct as of 13th April 2025.
Rank
Player
Caps
Goals
1
Lionel Messi
191
112
2
Gabriel Batistuta
77
54
3
Sergio Aguero
101
42
4
Hernan Crespo
63
35
=5
Lautaro Martinez
70
32
=5
Diego Maradona
87
32
=7
Gonzalo Higuain
75
31
8
Angel Di Maria
145
30
9
Luis Artime
25
24
10
Daniel Passarella
68
23
Here is a detailed look at Argentina’s top goalscorers:
10 Daniel Passarella 23 goals (68 caps)
Daniel Passarella was a centre-back, but still managed to end his international career with an impressive goal record while captaining his country to World Cup glory in 1978.
He was also part of the 1986 World Cup-winning squad before retiring, and 12 years later, returned as manager of his nation, leading them in the 1998 World Cup.
9 Luis Artime 24 goals (25 caps)
Luis Artime’s goalscoring record for Argentina is arguably the most impressive on this list, having notched at almost a goal per game for La Albiceleste.
He didn’t win any major championships for his country, but he was the top scorer at the Copa America in 1967 (then known as the South American Championship), where Argentina finished second behind Uruguay.
It was in Uruguay where Artime found most of his success at club level, winning three league championships and a Copa Libertadores title at Nacional.
8 Angel Di Maria 30 goals (145 caps)
Joint-third on the all-time Argentina appearance list behind Lionel Messi and Javier Mascherano (level with Javier Zanetti), Angel Di Maria also won the 2021 Copa America and 2022 World Cup with his country, famously scoring in both finals against Brazil and France.
The winger’s Argentina career came to an end after the 2024 Copa America, where he led his country to another piece of silverware before retiring from international duty.
7 Gonzalo Higuain 31 goals (75 caps)
Someone who missed out on Copa America and World Cup glory was Gonzalo Higuain, who announced his retirement in 2019. The striker was actually born in France but represented Argentina’s Olympic squad in 2008 before eventually making his full debut for La Albiceleste in 2010.
Higuain’s Argentina debut came in a World Cup qualifier under Diego Maradona, and he went on to score at the World Cup finals in 2010 and 2014, ending with 31 goals.
6 Diego Maradona 32 goals (87 caps)
Some may have thought Diego Maradona scored more than 32 goals for his country, with his debut for his country coming at just 16 years of age.
The iconic attacking midfielder starred in the 1986 World Cup, leading Argentina to glory and ending with the Golden Ball. His international career began in 1977 and ended in 1994, with Maradona returning as manager between 2008 and 2010.
5 Lautaro Martinez 32 goals (70 caps)
Lautaro Martinez recently reached the same number of goals as Maradona in fewer matches than the Argentina legend, showing just how impressive a goalscorer he is for his country.
He made his debut for Argentina in 2018 and enjoyed his best year in front of goal for his country in 2019, netting eight times in 13 games. More recently, Martinez helped his country win the Copa America in 2021 and 2024, as well as the 2022 World Cup.
4 Hernan Crespo 35 goals (63 caps)
A prolific and powerful centre-forward, Hernan Crespo made his senior Argentina debut at the age of 19 and made his last appearance aged 32 in 2007. In fact, his final kick in an Argentina shirt was a goal from the penalty spot.
Crespo’s final five goals for his country came at the World Cup and Copa America, highlighting his stature as a big-game player.
3 Sergio Aguero 42 goals (101 caps)
Best known for his time at club level with Manchester City, Sergio Aguero was also a clinical striker for his country. He made his debut for Argentina against Brazil in 2006 and scored his first international goal aged 19.
He’d go on to play in numerous Copa Americas and World Cups, coming close to winning the latter in 2014 and eventually lifting the former in 2021. Unfortunately, Aguero’s career was cut short as he was forced to retire in 2021, aged 33, due to heart problems.
2 Gabriel Batistuta 54 goals (77 caps)
Gabriel Batistuta is second on the list with 54 goals, with the early period of his international career extremely impressive – scoring six or more goals every year between 1991 and 1995.
However, the Fiorentina legend’s best year in front of goal for Argentina came in 1998 when he scored a whopping 12 goals in as many games. A two-time Copa America winner, Batistuta’s career with the national side came to a disappointing end following a group-stage exit at the 2002 World Cup.
1 Lionel Messi 112 goals (191 caps)
It is no surprise that Lionel Messi tops the chart, and his current tally of 112 goals may never be broken. His relationship with the Argentina national side hasn’t always been rosy, though. The forward made his international debut in 2005, and it looked like he would never win the Copa America or World Cup after losing in the finals of both tournaments.
However, having diced with international retirement, he lifted the Copa America twice, in 2021 and 2024, while he finally won the World Cup in 2022, with the eight-time Ballon d’Or winner also the leading appearance maker for his country.