Forgotten ballers currently playing in Argentina: Di Maria, Valencia…
We couldn’t help but notice Angel Di Maria’s brilliant free kick for Rosario Central the other week – but who else is playing on past their prime in Argentina?
A former Real Madrid and PSG star, Di Maria caught our attention once again when helping Rosario win the Supercopa Internacional.
But he isn’t the only big name from years gone by currently playing in the Argentine top flight. Here are some of the others.
Enner Valencia
Once of West Ham and Everton, Valencia joined Boca Juniors earlier this year.
It’s the latest step in the nomadic career he’s had since leaving the Premier League. The forward played in Mexico, Turkey, Brazil and Mexico again before winding up at Boca.
He scored a hat-trick against Racing Club in the Copa Argentina last weekend.
Angel Correa
Part of Diego Simeone’s Atletico Madrid side for a decade, although never quite the focal point of their attack, Correa’s time in Europe ended in 2025.
A 23-goal season in Mexico with Tigres UANL followed before he signed for River Plate in July.
After taking the number 10 shirt, he scored in three consecutive games in August.
Ever Banega
One of La Liga’s most underrated midfielders during his time with Valencia and Sevilla, Banega became a three-time Europa League winner with the latter.
Some felt it was too soon for him to leave Europe when he joined Al Shabab in 2020, before it was fashionable(ish) to go to Saudi Arabia.
He went home to Argentina in 2024, joining Newell’s Old Boys, but the 38-year-old is in new surroundings this year after signing a single-season deal with Defensa y Justicia.
Franco Vazquez
There was a time when Palermo was a hotbed of talent in Serie A. Fellow Argentine internationals Javier Pastore and Paulo Dybala were the most notable players to pass through there.
But almost as effective at making them tick in those days was Vazquez in the number 10 role – so much so that Italy battled to acquire his services at international level.
He ended up playing twice for Italy but then switching allegiance back to Argentina for three caps in 2018.
After a spell with Sevilla, he spent the past five years back in Italy – four in Serie B and then half a season back in Serie A.
He left Cremonese in January for a homecoming with Belgrano, the first club of his career.
Fernando Muslera
In terms of forgotten footballers, Muslera wanted to be one after his mistake for Uruguay against Spain at the World Cup this summer, which led to him asking to come off at half time.
It was a sad end to the 40-year-old’s international career after 137 caps for his country.
But he plays on at club level for Estudiantes. Indeed, he was the goalkeeper who conceded the Di Maria free kick we mentioned earlier.
Muslera was actually born in Argentina, but having grown up in his parents’ country of Uruguay, his move to Estudiantes in June 2025 marked the first time he’d play for a club there.
Manuel Lanzini
A top talent for West Ham back in the day, Lanzini left them for River Plate in 2023 after more than 200 appearances.
The attacking midfielder only scored twice in his second spell for River Plate and so moved on to Velez Sarsfield after two years.
He’s scored six goals for his current club in 2026.
Santiago Arias
Colombian right-back Arias had spells with Sporting CP, PSV, Atletico Madrid, Bayer Leverkusen and Granada during his European chapter.
He’s been on a tour of the Americas ever since, playing for FC Cincinnati in the USA, Bahia in Brazil and now Independiente in Argentina, where he moved a couple of weeks after turning 34.
Joaquin Correa
No relation to Angel, but this Correa also had a decent spell as a second-string striker in Europe.
After starting out with Estudiantes, he played for Sampdoria, Sevilla, Lazio, Inter and Marseille. He would have been part of the successful 2022 World Cup squad were it not for an injury he picked up a few days before the tournament.
Correa returned to South America in 2025, but to go to Brazil with Botafogo at first.
He returned to Estudiantes in August, 11 years after leaving.
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