Ever since Osvaldo Ardiles and Ricardo Villa blazed a trail for Argentinian footballers in England in the 1970s, a host of top players have entered the top flight. In the Premier League era, even more world class Argentine players have joined up with English clubs.
However, only a few have ever won the EPL title, and here is a list of those names, up to and including the end of the 2022/23 season.
Argentinians with Premier League Title
Sergio Agüero
Not only did Sergio Aguero win a host of titles with Manchester City, he also became the club’s all-time leading goalscorer during his spell at The Etihad. The Argentinian international striker joined City from Atletico Madrid in 2011 and he was an instant success, scoring the crucial goal against QPR as his club sealed the title on the final day of the season.
Aguero would stay with Manchester City until 2021, scoring 260 goals in all competitions. He won five Premier League titles in total along with a host of other major English domestic trophies.
Carlos Tevez
Striker Carlos Tevez is one of only a few players to have won the Premier League with two different clubs. He first played in England with West Ham United after joining the East London side from Corinthians in 2006.
Complications over transfer rules meant that Manchester United could only take the player on loan, but Tevez’s two seasons at Old Trafford saw him claim a Premier League winner’s medal on both occasions. When he could move from West Ham permanently, he chose Manchester City, a decision which caused a divide in the area. From the player’s point of view, it was the best choice, as he claimed his third and final Premier League win in 2012.
Pablo Zabaleta
Defender Pablo Zabaleta is another Argentine player to have featured for both Manchester City and West Ham United. The full back crossed to the Etihad in 2008, after reportedly turning down a move to Juventus.
Zabaletta was part of the group that turned City around and made them a serious force in English football. He won the Premier League in 2011/12 and would add a second title at the end of the 2013/14 season. Pablo Zabaletta played a full part in both successful campaigns before he wound down his career with West Ham United.
Nicolás Otamendi
A centre half who commanded Manchester City’s back line during his time at the club, Nicolas Otamendi won two Premier League titles with Manchester City. He travelled to the Etihad from Valencia in 2015 and became a first choice in defence, playing 30 league games in his first full season.
After winning the EFL Cup in 2016, Otamendi claimed the biggest prize in English football with that first Premier League title in 2018. He then formed part of the squad that successfully defended the trophy in the following campaign. Nicolas Otamendi left Manchester City to join up with Benfica in 2020, but he’d left his mark on English football, winning nine major trophies, while being included in the PFA Team of the Year in 2018.
Juan Sebastián Verón
While his time in English football wasn’t always happy, Juan Sebastian Veron showed glimpses of his world class form. He played for both Manchester United and Chelsea but failed to become a first team regular at either club.
Veron signed for United from Lazio in 2001, and his fee of £28.1 million was a British record at the time. After a productive opening spell, his form faded, and he struggled to cope with the pace and intensity of English football. In his five years in the EPL between 2001 and 2006, Juan Sebastian Veron played in just 58 league games, but his contributions were enough to win the Premier League title with Manchester United in 2002/03.
Hernán Crespo
Like his compatriot Juan Sebastian Veron, Hernan Crespo is another Argentine striker who struggled to adapt to English football. The player had built a solid reputation in Italy, but he couldn’t replicate his form and scoring ratio at Chelsea.
Crespo was officially employed by the Blues between 2003 and 2008, but he was loaned out to the two Milan clubs for much of that time. His most productive English campaign came in 2005/06 when Hernan Crespo scored ten goals in 30 league games as Chelsea won the title.
Gabriel Heinze
A cultured and calm defender, Gabriel Heinze became Manchester United’s first choice left back when he joined the club in 2004. His later career at Old Trafford would be blighted by injury, but the Argentine international still managed to claim the most important domestic trophy during his time in Manchester.
Heinze was a part of the United squad that won the EPL in 2006/07, playing in 22 games. There was talk of a move to Liverpool but, as the two clubs rarely do business, Gabriel Heinze moved to Real Madrid in 2007.
Martín Demichelis
Defender Martin Demichelis was often used as a back up to skipper Vincent Kompany during his time at Manchester City. He was solid enough to play in 78 league games across three seasons, and, during a period when City were dominant, he claimed an EPL winner’s medal in 2013/14.
English fans probably didn’t see the best of Martin Demichelis, who had previously won major honours with Bayern Munich.
Leonardo Ulloa
Like all players who featured for Leicester City in the 2015/16 season, Leo Ulloa would not have expected to finish the campaign with a Premier League winner’s medal. The Argentinian striker had joined the Foxes from Brighton in 2014, after spending much of his professional career in Spain.
While at Leicester, Ulloa would often be used as a back up centre forward to Jamie Vardy, but he played his part as the club pulled off that sensational Premier League victory. Across that successful 2015/15 season, Leonardo Ulloa played in 29 EPL matches, scoring six goals.
Julián Álvarez
Former River Plate striker Julian Alvarez is the newest addition to the Premier League winner’s club at the time of writing. He joined Manchester City in the summer of 2022 and helped his new club win the title at the end of his first season.
While Alvarez is often seen as a back up to Erling Haaland, he’s scored some important goals and has time to add to that single EPL winner’s medal.
Final Thoughts
Some big names in Argentinian football are on this list and although some struggled in English football, they all managed to land the biggest prize.
While the Premier League is a popular competition for players from all over the world, there will be more Argentinians making the move, so who will be next to add their names to this list?
