Every Argentine to play for Liverpool - ranked

Liverpool have had seven Argentine players in their ranks over the year. Here's every single one of them - and how they did.

Alexis Mac Allister arrived at Liverpool in the summer - the seventh Argentine to join the Reds. There are big expectations for him, too, given he joins as a World Cup winner for the country.

But where will he fall for Liverpool? There's a real mix of success amongst the Argentinians to play for the club. Here's how we rank them.

7. Sebastian Leto

It's very difficult to have a worse career for Liverpool than Sebastian Leto. He arrived with a bit of hype around him after his performances for Lanus as a youngster but couldn't actually play.

Not that it was his fault. He initially had an Italian passport but it was revoked, forcing Liverpool to apply for a work-permit - but it was rejected. That left Leto unable to play in the Premier League and while he did compete in the Champions League and League Cup, he never did feature in the league.

Liverpool loaned him to Olympiakos a year later and then sold him on for a profit to Panathinaikos in 2009.

6. Gabriel Paletta

Gabriel Paletta arrived at Liverpool in 2006 after a very successful season as a 19-year-old with Banfield in his homeland. He was just unable to break into the first-team, though, as the Reds were very well-stocked at centre-back.

Three Premier League games and eight games total in that first season wasn't really enough for anyone. He was a makeweight in the deal to sign Emiliano Insua from Boca Juniors just one year after his arrival.

It's worth pointing out that Paletta did go on to have a very good career in Italy. He played nearly 200 Serie A games and only actually retired in 2023.

5. Mauricio Pellegrino

Rafa Benitez signed Mauricio Pellegrino in early 2005 - but it clearly wasn't for his ability. The centre-back was right at the end of his career and unable to really play at the highest level anymore.

Instead, Benitez got a player in the squad that he trusted fully and someone who knew exactly how to play his defensive system. In that regard, Pellegrino was fine.

But he only played 12 times before leaving six months later. One year after that, he was retired.

4. Emiliano Insua

Emiliano Insua arrived from Boca Juniors initially on loan - a deal that was made permanent with Gabriel Paletta going the other way. He was regarded as one of the best young prospects in Argentina and quickly became a talent to watch for Liverpool.

And at first, things went fantastically well. Insua looked great when stepping into the XI across 2008/09, deputising for Fabio Aurelio. He even moved past the far more experienced Andrea Dossena for that role.

When Aurelio fell apart in 2009/10, Insua essentially became first-choice at left-back. It didn't go well. The player regressed quite dramatically in a Liverpool side that wasn't functioning properly as it was. The Reds moved him on that summer, initially on loan, and he's had a decent career, particularly with Sporting and Stuttgart.

3. Alexis Mac Allister

It's a bit weird to think Alexis Mac Allister is already in third, especially as he arguably hasn't hit the ground running. Still, he has played regularly and isn't a disaster - so that makes him one of the better ones.

Of course, Mac Allister is a World Cup winner for Argentina, something none of the others can say. He was fantastic for Brighton last season, too, and there's plenty of reason to believe he'll become a star for Liverpool down the line.

2. Maxi Rodriguez

Liverpool picked up Maxi Rodriguez in January 2010 on a free transfer. Atletico Madrid essentially let him go after he fell out of favour there. While things started slowly, it quickly became a fantastic piece of business.

Rafa Benitez, who signed Rodriguez, left the following summer. Roy Hodgson, who replaced him, left in January. Under Kenny Dalglish, though, the Argentine took off.

He finished his first full season with 10 goals, including two hat tricks in the Premier League. Rodriguez would produce fantastic moments across this period, looking like a truly special player.

There was a winner at Stamford Bridge the following season, too, and contributions to Liverpool's successful EFL Cup campaign. It was shortlived but Rodriguez left a brilliant impression on everyone at Anfield.

1. Javier Mascherano

There is absolutely no question that Javier Mascherano is the greatest Argentine to play for Liverpool. Alexis Mac Allister has a lot of work to do to catch him, too.

Liverpool bought him when no one else would. He'd joined West Ham United in a shock transfer in August 2006 but the Hammers barely played him. By January, he was completely out of their side - allowing the Reds to grab him on loan with an option to buy.

A few months later, with Mascherano a formidable part of their midfield, Liverpool made the Champions League final and purchased him outright. The next three years saw him feature in one of the best midfields we've ever seen at the club - Mascherano sitting alongside Xabi Alonso with Steven Gerrard roaming in front. Perfection.

Of course, it ended badly as Mascherano forced a move to Barcelona in 2010. As a player, though, he was sensational and the greatest Argentine to ever play for Liverpool.