July 9th, marks the 200th Independence Day of Argentina. Sure, it’s known for its tango, steak and wine, yet its also generated some of the finest athletes the world of sports has even seen. So on this the Bicentenary of the Independence of the Argentine Republic we thought it a fine time to take a look at some of them.
1. Diego Maradona
No list would be complete without listing, Diego Armando Maradona also known as El Pibe De Oro. Many in the sport of football, including writers, fans, former and current players alike, regard Maradona as one of the greatest football players of all time. He was joint FIFA Player of the 20th Century with Pelé, so perhaps such a claim is not unreasonable. The numbers, victories and titles prove it. The small forward shone in his native country and the Italian Serie A during his illustrious career with Argentinos & Napoli, but it was his performance in international play that made him a god. Maradona, was a veteran of four World Cups, most notable is 1986, when he captained Argentina to victory over powerhouse Germany.
2. Sergio Martinez
Sergio Martinez, can be considered this century’s first pugilist porteño powerhouse. In a steady but quiet rise to prominence, the now retired middleweight boxer won a total of 10 major, minor and regional titles over 15 years. With convincing victories over Paul Williams, Kelly Pavlik and Julio Cesar Chavez Jr., Martinez was for a time ranked as one of the three best pound-for-pound boxers in the world, with only Floyd Mayweather and Manny Pacquiao ahead of him. Raised in Quilmes, a town on the outskirts of Buenos Aires, Maravilla amassed a record of 51 wins with only three defeats. His four plus year reign as middleweight champion ranks as one of the longest in middleweight history.
3. Manu Ginobili
When the topic of sports in Argentina is discussed, basketball isn’t the first thing to come to mind. But if you mention Argentine basketball Manu Ginobli is. Perhaps the greatest basketball player to come out of the country. He’s achieved success in the sport’s toughest market the U.S. A 15-year veteran of the NBA, the shooting guard for the San Antonio Spurs is a two time all-star, has won the 6th Man of the Year Award and more importantly four NBA titles. He is one of only two players, along with Bill Bradley, to have won a Euroleague title, an NBA championship, and an Olympic gold medal. With Ginobili leading the charge, Argentina won its first ever Olympic gold medal in basketball and became the first nation other than the United States to win the gold medal since 1988. Yeah, so he kinda deserves to be on this list.
4. Lionel Messi
While he’s recently faced some tough times in the form of a Copa America loss, retirement from the national team and a tax evasion skirmish, Lionel Messi is still undoubtedly the greatest footballer in the game today. The only football player in history to win five FIFA Ballons d’Or, four of which he won consecutively, and the first player to win three European Golden Shoes, leading goal scorer for Argentina in international play, the accolades go on and on. Is he the greatest? A World Cup or Copa America victories would cement it, but he’s certainly in the discussion.
5. Guillermo Vilas
While not the household name that Messi or Maradona is, make no mistake this southpaw from Mar del Plata made quite the name for himself in the world of tennis. A winner of four Grand Slam titles, he owned 1977 by winning seven consecutive titles after Wimbledon. He also took Argentina to its first ever Davis Cup Final in 1981. Vilas’s success on the court led to a surge in popularity of tennis in Argentina and throughout Latin America. Guillermo Cañas andGuillermo Coria were named after him.
6. Javier Zanetti
The retired full-back Javier Zanetti was one of the best defenders in the world for 20 years. While Zanetti boasts impressive hair (fans and media alike like to chide on him), don’t let the locks fool you, he’s got the hardware to match. Five Serie A titles, four Coppa Italias, four Supercoppa Italias, one Champions League, one UEFA Cup (now Europa League) and one club World Cup from his time at Inter. As a player, he has been named in FIFA’s top 125 players. Hair aside, tough to argue that he doesn’t deserve a spot on the list.
7. Juan Manuel Fangio
Juan Manuel Fangio Deramo also known as El Maestro, is considered by many to one of the greatest sportsmen Argentina has ever produced. Fangio dominated the first decade of Formula One racing, winning the World Drivers’ Championship five times, a record that would stand for over 45 years. The official Formula One website states of Fangio “that many consider him to be the greatest race car driver of all time.” Fangio has been immortalized time and time again, with various statues, museums and even a brand of gasoline named after him by Argentina’s biggest oil company. Yet, to show you how much staying power El Maestro truly has, Google gave him his own doodle to commemorate what would have been his 105th birthday.
