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The best Argentine players in Primeira Liga history

South American players are always keen to find ways to make a big-money move to Europe. For most of these sides, this comes through making their name in a moderately famous league before jumping to the big four. The Portuguese Primeira Liga is a great example of this having provided a key stepping stone for stars adapting to European football. Many top names have shone for the likes of Benfica and Porto before becoming megastars with even bigger clubs. With that in mind, let’s look at some of the best Argentine players to ever play in the Portuguese top flight.

 

Lisandro Lopez

Best known for his deadly finishing abilities, Lisandro Lopez has tormented some of the best defences seen throughout the 2000s. It was in Portugal that Lopez first showed these abilities when he signed for Porto in 2005 from Racing Club. Lopez took some time to adjust but once he found his form, he would become unstoppable. This was proven spectacularly in the 2007-08 season where he notched 24 goals in just 27 games putting Europe on notice. After being named 2008 Primeira Liga Player of the Year, Lopez would notch 10 more goals the following season before moving to French side Lyon in 2009. Since then, Lopez has won titles in both Europe and South America proving his worth as a true predator in the six-yard box.

 

Lucho Gonzalez

Argentina has regularly produced excellent dynamic midfielders and Lucho Gonzales was one of the best to play in the 21st century. His accurate passing and high work-rate made him a star for whoever he played for and much of his success came with Porto. His first spell with Porto came when he moved from River Plate in 2005 and lasted until 2009. After a brief spell with Marseille, he returned to the Dragao in 2011 and stayed for another three seasons. Astonishingly, Gonzales won 6 Primeira Liga titles out of 7 seasons spent playing in the Portuguese league. Alongside team success, Gonzalez won plenty of accolades of his own including the 2009 Portuguese Golden Ball as well as 2006 Porto Player of the year. Gonzalez left in 2014 to join Qatari side AL-Rayyan only after notching up 61 goals in over 200 appearances for the club.

 

Nicolas Otamendi

For some players, Portugal has provided opportunities at both the start and end of their careers. A great example of this is Nicolas Otamendi. The commanding centre-back has often caused nightmare for defenders thanks to his aerial dominance and excellent tackling abilities. This was first seen when Otamendi joined Porto in 2010 from Velez Sarsfield. Becoming a regular star in Porto’s backline, Otamendi would win 3 league titles with the club before moving to Valencia in 2014. After a successful spell in England with Manchester City, Otamendi moved to Benfica in 2020. Since moving to Lisbon, Otamendi has been a rock for his side helping them reach the 2021 Portuguese Cup final and becoming club captain in 2022.

 

Nico Gaitan

For some, the Portuguese league has allowed them to become a star in their own right as Nico Gaitan found out during his time with Benfica. Gaitan wowed crowds in Lisbon after moving from Boca Juniors in 2010 thanks to his blitzing runs and mesmerizing passing ability. With Gaitan able to find subtle through ball and whip in lethal crosses, he could easy terrify any defence in both the Primeira Liga or in European competitions. He proved this success by notching up the most assists in the 2011/12 Champions League and also named 2014 Benfica Player of the Year. After winning 3 Primeira Liga titles as well as five Portuguese League Cups, Gaitan moved to Atletico Madrid in 2016. Gaitan also spent brief spells in both China and the US before returning to make brief appearances with Braga and then Pacos de Ferreira. It’s shows that Gaitan is always a star for whichever Portuguese side he plays for.

 

Pablo Aimar

Sometimes, Portugal can give players a chance to prove their worth in the latter end of their career. It did this for Pablo Aimar in 2008 who had previously been successful with Valencia in Spain. After moving to Portugal, Aimar still showed that he had all the technical acumen needed to unlock defences with ease. His passing and deadly set pieces helped Benfica win five trophies including 4 successive Portuguese League cup trophies. Aimar’s contributions were underlined by him being named 2011 Player of the Year for the club for his efforts. After five seasons with Benfica, Aimar left to join Malaysian side Johor Darul Ta’Zim in 2014 after showcasing his worth in the later stages of his career.

 

Angel Di Maria

There have fewer enduring stars in European football quite like Angel Di Maria and it was in Portugal where he first showed his true skills. After moving to Lisbon from Rosario Central in 2007, Di Maria showed what he was truly all about. This was through mazy runs, blistering pace and deadly accurate passes. Indeed, it would be Di Maria who always developed many of the brightest moments for his club. His three-year spell culminated in his side winning a domestic double in the 2009-10 season before Di Maria moved to Real Madrid in 2010. Having won plenty of accolades in his career since first emerging with Benfica, Di Maria has proven himself to be one of the best attacking wingers of his generation.

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