I'm not good with anything before WWII. Who do you guys rate as Argentine's best no.9 though? There doesn't seem to be a clear cut answer here.
Yes I meant in his time. Pele was the greatest goalscorer of the Brazilian national team while he was playing, without being its first striker. To be honest, I also think he was a greater goalscorer than Romario and Friedenreich. Romario comes really close, but I still think that until his later years Pele was better at that.
Roughly, for true #9's I feel Stabile is the greatest for Argentina. Sanfilippo ruled the Argentine league during the late 50s/60s, and is a good option too.
Sanfilippo was a #10, a second striker really (just like Pelé or Puskas) My picks as #9 will be (chronologically): B.Ferreyra Pontoni Di Stefano Artime Batistuta
Forgot Pontoni! Di Stefano is not really a pure #9, which is what @Puskas 1988 wants. Where would you rank Balbo?
In his South American years, Di Stefano was a pure #9!!! btw, Balbo is not even a top-5 material among modern strikers
I wouldn't personally rank Stabile, his career at high levels was effectively ended when he was 25. Up until 1930 he was never capped for the national team, then he made his debut at the World Cup because somebody else was injured (can't remember who) and effectively became that tournament's top scorer with 8 goals. That was the first World Cup, and Uruguay was Argentina's sole serious contender for the title (and won). Stabile immediately transferred to Genoa in Italy, but was seriously injured after a handful of matches and only played intermittently from that point on. I feel this is not enough to be considered among Argentina's best. He was a very successful trainer, though. If I had to make a list now, I'd probably name: Manuel Seoane [if you consider him a #9] Domingo Tarasconi Francisco Varallo Bernabé Ferreyra René Pontoni Ricardo Infante Manuel Pelegrina Herminio Masantonio Luis Artime Carlos Bianchi Gabriel Batistuta Hernan Crespo *Angel Labruna was not a classic number #9, but he was the more advanced player in La Maquina (which essentially played without a real centre forward). Funny that, after the 1940s, Argentina produced a lot of second forwards and number #10 but only a handful of real world class #9. How do you guys rate Leopoldo Luque? NOTE: actually, on second thought, I wouldn't consider Tévez a true number #9. He is more a forward than an out-and-out striker.
Interesting that Batistuta isn't rated particularly high. Most of fans in my age group rate him very highly, right up there with the likes of Shevchenko
I was a kid when he was playing and scoring in Serie A and remember he was very highly rated in Italy until 2001, it damaged him that he was playing mainly for Fiorentina. Shevchenko was probably a bit more technical and obviously he and the likes of Raùl and Van Nistelrooy impressed much more in the Champions League, but Batistuta in his prime was a beast of a number #9 and had a hell of a shot. Besides, he was very possibly my second favourite player behind Del Piero Let's not forget Batistuta is also Argentina's all time topscorer at the World Cup with 10 goals. He was certainly one of the best strikers in the world throughout the 1990s.
Then perhaps one has to mention as well Manuel Ferreyra, El Piloto Olimpico. I am not sure about the forward line of the great Estudiantes side he was the leader of, but in the national team he occupied the CF position. More of a playmaking man rather than a scorer, but nominally a CF. Like Cherro. Cherro was the CF and Varallo an inside forward, but Cherro was there to conduct and create more than to score, and Varallo was the main goalgetter in that Boca side. I would perhaps consider Labruna a CF. For what I have read of him from teammates and such, he was not much more than an effective finisher (not great header, but with either foot).
I'd say Argentina produced at least 2 legendary left-wingers : Raimundo Orsi and Félix Loustau. I don't think so mate. I've never seen him aligned as an outside-forward, but inside-forward. Even I think he was one of the best left-wingers in the late 30's, if not the best of South America.
At that time (1957) José Sanfilippo was still a rising star, in fact he debuted internationally in that Copa America. His explosion occurred shortly after, in 1958 he was the top goalscorer of the Argentinean League and began to live his best years until the mid 60's (San Lorenzo, Boca Juniors, Nacional, Argentina). Only referring to pure strikers I'd say Gabriel Batistuta is easily the best. Then I'd mention a group with only a tentative order depending of the observer: Luis Artime René Pontoni Hernán Crespo Bernabé Ferreyra Herminio Masantonio Antonio Angelillo Carlos Bianchi But José Sanfilippo wasn't exactly a 9 (pure striker). He was more an electric forward who started from outside the box although inside the area he was a goal poacher.
How do you rate Pinino Mas? I stand corrected on Sivori. Interesting that Pedernera reached such a high level as left winger, forward and playmaker throughout his career. I would say his prime is from 59 to 68. I would place Pontoni ahead of Batistuta. Sanfilippo sounds like Tevez though a more clinical finisher.
Orsi, Loustau and El Pinino Mas are surely among the greatest left wingers Argentina ever produced. Add Enrique Garcia, El Poeta de la Zurda, and you probably have the four most notorious left wingers in Argentina football history.
Estudiantes FWs line at early 30s was known as "The Professors" lining up 5 internationals players in: Lauri, Scopelli, Zozaya, Nolo Ferreira, Guaita. alberto Zozaya earned 9 caps and was the goalscorer of the First Professional League in Argentina. The main assets of Labruna were his clinical finishing, his speed and great touch of the ball (one-two).
Argentine scorers of 200 goals in domestic league top divisions worldwide. Figures shown are goals followed by goals per match (in bold). Order by goals per match. There are 31 men in the list. Leading scorers are Bianchi (385), Di Stéfano (377), Onnis (363), Labruna (295) then Messi (291). B Ferreyra 232 1.02 Atilio García 226 0.96 Seoane 233 0.94 Messi 291 0.90 Ohaco 244 0.88 Artime 236 0.78 Varallo 209 0.77 Di Stéfano 377 0.72 JC Sánchez 266 0.72 Bianchi 385 0.71 Masantonio 259 0.71 Sanfilippo 237 0.70 Yazalde 252 0.66 Onnis 363 0.65 Palermo 246 0.60 Kempes 276 0.56 Scotta 207 0.56 Labruna 295 0.55 Batistuta 242 0.55 Maradona 259 0.53 Morete 245 0.51 Mas 261 0.50 Infante 217 0.50 Pelegrina 230 0.47 Londero 222 0.47 Moreno 224 0.46 Gottardi 245 0.44 Acosta 238 0.44 Díaz 215 0.43 Palavecino 205 0.43 Brindisi 224 0.42
Yes, that forward line was legendary. They used to call then The Professors indeed, because every time they played it was a football class. Nolo himself said Zozaya was one of the best headers of the ball he had ever seen. I have not read anything about Labruna's touch. I have read that his bread and butter was a quick short sprint followed by his great ability to place the ball, with either fot, next to the post where the keeper couldnt reach.
Was any of it due to any actual eductation? I know that during the 1930 World Cup Nolo Ferreira had to miss a group game due to an important university exam.