Since 2007 and for more than a decade, the top 10 players with the most presence in the Argentina national team led by the same person: Javier Zanetti. However, his reign came to an end after the Albiceleste’s participation in the 2018 World Cup in Russia: Javier Masherano he became the leader in solitude of the ranking, after 15 continuous years as one of the national team’s top references.
Already with the Jefecito withdrawn from the Albiceleste with 147 games played, Lionel Messi surpassed him in the clash against Bolivia for the group stage of the Copa América 2021. Although Lionel Scaloni chose a team to play with a largely alternative team, he didn’t want to miss the 10th, which was his 148th appearance since its premiere in 2005.
The other member of this list who still belongs to the national team is Ángel Di María, entrenched in fourth place but far from Pupi Zanetti, who he will not reach if he decides to retire after Qatar.
Here they are, they are the footballers with the most matches played in the shirt of the Argentina national football team, from their first game in history up to and including the game against France on December 18, 2022:
10. DIEGO MARADONA (1977 – 1994): 91 MATCHES
9. SERGIO ROMERO (2007 – 2018): 96 MATCHES
8. OSCAR RUGGRI (1983 – 1994): 97 MATCHES
7. SERGIO AGÜERO (2016 – 2021): 100 MATCHES
6. DIEGO SIMEONE (1988 – 2002): 104 MATCHES
5. ROBERTO AYALA (1994 – 2007): 114 MATCHES
4. ÁNGEL DI MARÍA (2008 – PRESENT): 132 MATCHES*
*Excluding the match against Brazil on 9/5/21, suspended for 5 minutes in the first half and then definitively canceled by FIFA.
3. JAVIER ZANETTI (1994 – 2011): 143 MATCHES
2. JAVIER MASCHERANO (2003 – 2018): 147 MATCHES
1. LIONEL MESSI (2005 – PRESENT): 173 MATCHES*
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* Excluding the match against Brazil on 9/5/21, suspended 5 minutes into the first half and then canceled by FIFA.
Source: Goal