Lionel Messi, Lautaro Martínez, Ángel Di María, Julián Alvarez: Who are Argentina's top UEFA Champions League performers?

Saturday, May 30, 2026

Which Argentinian players have the most appearances and goals in Europe's leading club competition?

Angel Di María, Lionel Messi, Lautaro Martínez and Julián Alvarez ©Getty Images

Plenty of Argentina's top players have come to Europe to seek their footballing fortunes, Alfredo Di Stéfano setting the precedent when he appeared for Real Madrid in the first-ever European Cup final in 1956 (a matter of months before he took Spanish citizenship). Diego Maradona played in just 31 UEFA club competition games, scoring 13 times, but his spiritual heir Lionel Messi did rather better, his huge list of honours including three UEFA Champions League triumphs with Barcelona in 2009, 2011 and 2015.

Last updated: 30/05/2026

Most appearances by Argentinian players in the UEFA Champions League (group stage/league phase to final)

Watch Ángel Di María Champions League goals

163: Lionel Messi (Barcelona, Paris)
116: Ángel Di María (Benfica, Real Madrid, Paris, Juventus)
102: Nicolás Otamendi (Porto, Manchester City, Benfica)
97: Javier Zanetti (Inter)
96: Javier Mascherano (Liverpool, Barcelona)
83: Gonzalo Higuaín (Real Madrid, Napoli, Juventus)
79: Sergio Agüero (Atlético de Madrid, Manchester City, Barcelona)
79: Esteban Cambiasso (Real Madrid, Inter, Olympiacos)
78: Ángel Correa (Atlético de Madrid)
72: Walter Samuel (Roma, Real Madrid, Inter, Basel)

Top-scoring Argentinian players in the UEFA Champions League (group stage/league phase to final)

Watch all Lionel Messi's Champions League goals

129: Lionel Messi (Barcelona, Paris)
41: Sergio Agüero (Atlético de Madrid, Manchester City, Barcelona)
25: Julián Alvarez (Manchester City, Atlético de Madrid)
25: Hernán Crespo (Parma, Lazio, Inter, Chelsea, AC Milan)
25: Lautaro Martínez (Inter)
24: Ángel Di María (Benfica, Real Madrid, Paris, Juventus)
24: Gonzalo Higuaín (Real Madrid, Napoli, Juventus)
19: Julio Cruz (Feyenoord, Inter)
19: Lisandro López (Porto, Lyon)
18: Paulo Dybala (Juventus)
18: Lucho González (Porto, Marseille)
18: Javier Saviola (Barcelona, Monaco, Real Madrid, Benfica, Málaga, Olympiacos)

Most appearances by Argentinian players in UEFA club competition (all rounds)*

Javier Zanetti with the UEFA Champions League trophy in 2010©Getty Images

168: Lionel Messi (Barcelona, Paris)
160: Javier Zanetti (Inter)
154: Ángel Di María (Benfica, Real Madrid, Paris, Juventus)
143: Nicolás Otamendi (Porto, Manchester City, Benfica)
114: Gonzalo Higuaín (Real Madrid, Napoli, Juventus, AC Milan, Chelsea)
110: Javier Mascherano (West Ham, Liverpool, Barcelona)
109: Sergio Agüero (Atlético de Madrid, Manchester City, Barcelona)
109: Esteban Cambiasso (Real Madrid, Inter, Olympiacos)
103: Walter Samuel (Roma, Real Madrid, Inter, Basel)
99: Javier Saviola (Barcelona, Monaco, Sevilla, Real Madrid, Benfica, Málaga, Olympiacos)

Top-scoring Argentinian players in UEFA club competition (all rounds)*

132: Lionel Messi (Barcelona, Paris)
63: Sergio Agüero (Atlético de Madrid, Manchester City, Barcelona)
50: Alfredo Di Stéfano (Real Madrid)
39: Hernán Crespo (Parma, Lazio, Inter, Chelsea, AC Milan, Genoa)
39: Ángel Di María (Benfica, Real Madrid, Paris, Juventus)
37: Gonzalo Higuaín (Real Madrid, Napoli, Juventus, AC Milan, Chelsea)
34: Javier Saviola (Barcelona, Monaco, Sevilla, Real Madrid, Benfica, Málaga, Olympiacos)
29: Paulo Dybala (Juventus, Roma)
29: Lautaro Martínez (Inter)
25: Julián Alvarez (Manchester City, Atlético de Madrid)
25: Claudio López (Valencia, Lazio)
25: Lisandro López (Porto, Lyon)

Notable firsts

Alfredo Di Stéfano with Real Madrid in 1956AFP via Getty Images

First Argentinian to win/score in the European Cup/UEFA Champions League
Alfredo Di Stéfano (Real Madrid 4-3 Stade de Reims, 1956)

First Argentinians to appear in/win a European Cup Winners' Cup final
Edgardo Madinabeytia and Jorge Griffa (Atlético de Madrid 1-1 (3-0 replay) Fiorentina, 1962)

First Argentinian to appear in/win a UEFA Cup/UEFA Europa League final
Osvaldo Ardiles (Anderlecht 2-2 agg Tottenham Hotspur, aet, Spurs won 4-3 on pens, 1984)

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*UEFA club competitions means European Champion Clubs' Cup/UEFA Champions League, UEFA Cup/UEFA Europa League, UEFA Conference League, European/South American Cup, UEFA Cup Winners' Cup, UEFA Super Cup and UEFA Intertoto Cup

Lionel Messi, Lautaro Martínez, Ángel Di María, Julián Alvarez: Who are Argentina's top UEFA Champions League performers?

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Most appearances by Argentinian players in the UEFA Champions League (group stage/league phase to final)

Top-scoring Argentinian players in the UEFA Champions League (group stage/league phase to final)

Most appearances by Argentinian players in UEFA club competition (all rounds)*

Top-scoring Argentinian players in UEFA club competition (all rounds)*

Notable firsts

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