Golazo 50: Argentina’s best young players 2023 [50-31]
The seventh edition of the Golazo 50 is here! A historic World Cup winning edition in 2022 saw Julián Álvarez pick up top spot but who will be crowned number one this time?
To be eligible for the list, the players simply need to be born on or after January 1st 2000 (they would all have been eligible to play if there had been an Olympic tournament in 2023).
There is clearly huge room for debate. The player’s ability and potential is taken into account BUT that is also balanced with what the player may have achieved in senior football, whether they have represented Argentina at some level or made the successful transition to another league. The idea of compiling the list every year is to see that progression from perhaps a talented 17-year-old with little first team experience to hopefully an Argentina regular by the age of 23. In other words, there are plenty of players who missed out on the 50 due to perhaps lacking experience but who have a far higher ceiling than some of those players at the top end of the age range.
This will be all likely be discussed in our annual podcast to accompany this list once the entire 50 has been revealed. So if a young player you think warranted a spot isn’t here you can be sure he was on our incredibly long list and was subject of much debate.
From an initial list of well over 100, Peter and Tom whittled it down and this is the Golazo 50 2023…
50. Agustín RubertoRiver Plate14/01/200StrikerNew Entry
Sneaking onto the list after winning the Golden Boot at the Under 17 World Cup, scoring a staggering 8 goals in 7 games as Argentina reached the semi-finals. Well built and a clinical finisher, the River Plate youth product is yet to make his senior debut but fans will be clamouring to see him involved in the first team sooner rather than later after his exploits in Indonesia.
49. Jerónimo DominaUnión17/10/2005StrikerNew Entry
Making the step up to first team football is never easy, more so when you’re battling relegation yet Jerónimo Domina had something of a breakthrough campaign for El Tatangue as they maintained their top flight status in 2023. 3 goals and 1 assist in the first half of the year highlighted the potential of the teenager and while the Copa de la Liga proved more difficult, Domina now has that experience to build on ahead of next year.
48. Enzo BarrenecheaFrosinone (on loan from Juventus)22/05/2001Defensive midfielderNew Entry
When Enzo Barrenechea departed Newell’s Old Boys for Europe in 2019 it was a transfer that largely went under the radar. The young midfielder hadn’t yet made his senior debut and a switch to Swiss club Sion was hardly likely to attract much attention. Fast forward to 2023 and the 22-year-old is a regular in Serie A with Frosinone, showcasing the level of talent which Juventus scouts had seen all those years prior. From his deep lying position in the midfield, Barrenechea is a decent ball winner but it’s in possession where his technical quality shines through – good under pressure and an excellent passer.
47. Tomás ÁvilesInter Miami03/02/2004Centre backNew Entry
Tata Martino knows the South American and Argentine market well and so it came as little surprise that when Inter Miami were looking to bolster their ranks to aid the arrival of Lionel Messi, Tomás Áviles was on the shopping list. Toto had been representing Chile due to his maternal grandmother up until the 2023 Under-20 World Cup when the defender opted to switch to his native Argentina. While that campaign didn’t exactly go smoothly, Áviles’ reputation at Racing Club as a centre back of real promise was well known and his development will now continue in MLS.
46. Brian AguirreNewell’s Old Boys06/01/2003Winger / ForwardNew Entry
Whippet quick and always looking to take on his man, Aguirre enjoyed a breakthrough campaign for club and country. The Newell’s youngster made 30 league appearances and he ranked in the top three in the entire Primera Division for dribbles. Aguirre was also one of the better performers for Argentina U20s, never afraid to get a shot away and make things happen in the final third, leading to interest from Europe. Still lacking end product but a player who gets you off your seat.
45. Benjamín DomínguezGimnasia19/09/2003Winger2022 Golazo Ranking: 46
Holding on to his place in the Golazo 50, it’s been a testing year for Benjamín Domínguez, though the same could be said of Gimnasia who were battling relegation up until the final day. Still only showing his talent in flashes rather than on a consistent basis, Domínguez ended up as more of a bench option in the second half of the year for El Lobo. However, his pace and trickery always make Dominguez a threat and if things click into place in 2024 a move to Europe could still beckon.
44. Marco PellegrinoAC Milan18/07/2002Centre backNew Entry
It’s been a meteoric rise for Pellegrino, trading the Estadio Ciudad de Vicente Lopez for the San Siro, after just six months in the Platense first team. The 21-year-old has everything you want from a modern day centre back; tall, left-footed, aggressive, good in the air, with the ability to play out from the back. The jump has been big and opportunities have been limited – not helped by getting injured in his debut against Napoli. Time will tell if the jump was too big or just too early.
43. Matías GalarzaGenk04/03/2002Central midfielder2022 Golazo Ranking: 33
After being plucked from the Argentinos Juniors midfield with limited experience, the rest of 2022 was a challenge for Matías Galarza. Injury and suspension didn’t help but the 21-year-old has come back this season looking refreshed and ready now to fulfil his potential. Neat and tidy at the base of the midfield as you’d expect from a graduate of Argentinos’ academy, Galarza is now racking up the minutes both in the Belgian top flight and European competition.
42. Luca LangoniBoca Juniors09/02/2002Forward2022 Golazo Ranking: 22
2023 has been a bump back down to reality for Langoni. The heights of last year were always going to be difficult to replicate but a series of muscle injuries have disrupted his playing time and match sharpness. Only three goals – half as many as the year before – in a similar amount of minutes sees Langoni slip down the list and Boca fans will be hoping for a better return next year.
41. Benjamín RollheiserEstudiantes21/03/2000ForwardNew Entry
At one time Benjamín Rollheiser looked set to be the next big thing at River Plate alongside former academy teammate Julián Álvarez. The pair’s careers went in different directions and while Rollheiser’s desire to leave and get more regular playing time could have back-fired it has eventually seen him flourish too. A key figure for Estudiantes, the 23-year-old provided much of the invention and creativity for El Pincha during 2023 and scored an impressive 6 goals in 11 Sudamericana appearances before being unluckily beaten by Corinthians in the quarterfinals.
40. Agustín GiaySan Lorenzo16/01/2004Right back2022 Golazo Ranking: 43
A solid season consolidates Giay’s reputation as one of the best young full backs in Argentina. An injury on Argentina duty cut short a chance to shine at the Sudamericano U20s but he returned strongly, becoming a key part of the tightest defence in the league. Forward-thinking, athletic and tenacious, Giay is developing nicely and on the right track to becoming an option for the national team in the future.
39. Rodrigo VillagraTalleres14/02/2001Defensive midfielder2022 Golazo Ranking: 42
Still only 22, Rodrigo Villagra has now racked up well over 100 appearances for Talleres becoming one of the first names on the teamsheet for one of the most consistent sides in Argentina over the past couple of years. The foundation to so much of what La T do, Villagra breaks up the play and gets them moving forward with a passing ability that goes a little under the radar. Runners-up to River Plate in the league, Talleres are back in the Libertadores for 2024 and with Villagra potentially starting the year with Argentina under-23s at the Pre-Olympic tournament the question remains whether he remains in Córdoba.
38. Santiago Simón River Plate13/06/2002Winger/Full Back2022 Golazo Ranking: 18
It’s been a tough year for the River youngster and, as such, he tumbles down the Golazo list. Simón didn’t appear to be part of Demichellis’ plans for the first half of the year and there was even talk of a potential move away from the Monumental. But the 21-year-old has seen more game time recently, emerging as a serviceable option at right back. Having started only half as many games as in 2022, the links to Barcelona now seem a long time ago but his versatility could see him play his way back into contention.
37. Álvaro BarrealCincinnati FC17/08/2000Winger/Full BackNew Entry
A huge talent for Argentina’s under-20s a few years back, Álvaro Barreal had barely made a mark on the Vélez Sarsfield first team when MLS club FC Cincinnati swooped. A slow start to life in MLS suggested it could have been a premature move which hindered the progress of the rapid winger. However, a switch to play as more of a left wing-back has seen Barreal shine and play a key role as Cincinnati claimed the 2023 Supporters’ Shield. Keeping hold of the 23-year-old in the last window amid interest from Europe was vital – it might prove difficult to do so again if the offers come in.
36. Bruno ZapelliAthletico Paranaense17/05/2022Playmaker2022 Golazo Ranking: 37
Capable of threading a delicious through ball or wriggling away from his marker with a bit of skill and drop of the shoulder, Zapelli is a throwback to a bygone era of Argentinian playmakers. He made the step up to the Primera with minimal fuss and was a regular as Belgrano secured a respectable mid-table finish, before moving to Brazil with Athletico Paranaense. While not the flashiest of moves, it’s a smart one and he’s already featured 21 times, scoring and assisting twice. The Córdoba native has been making waves internationally too, looking like he would defect to Italy, before returning to join the Argentina U23 setup.
35. Julián CarranzaPhiladelphia Union22/05/2000Centre forward2022 Golazo Ranking: 38
It would be impossible to ignore Julián Carranza this year after another successful season in front of goal in MLS. Philadelphia Union weren’t able to go better than their 2022 run to the final but it didn’t stop Carranza scoring 14 goals in 31 appearances. Many on the list may well have higher ceilings but finding success in another league is not to be sniffed at. The question which remains now at the age of 23 is just how far can Carranza go? Is MLS the level or could he still have a shot in Europe?
34. Valentín GómezVélez Sarsfield26/06/2003Centre back2022 Golazo Ranking: 31
A year that promised so much, turned out to be a learning curve for Gómez. A disappointing performance at the Sudamericano U20 at the start of the year was compounded by missing out on the squad for the U20 World Cup and embroiled in a relegation battle with Vélez. El Fortin rallied with a better Copa de la Liga performance and Gómez ended the year on a high, signing off with an important goal against Colón. Gómez remains a talented defender and another season of regular football can only serve as valuable experience.
33. Gino InfantinoFiorentina19/05/2003Attacking midfielderNew Entry
Time will tell whether Fiorentina’s €3.5 million move for Gino Infantino proves to be a bargain and while minutes have been hard to come by since the August transfer, it was with good reason the Viola pounced on the knockdown price. Hard working, committed yet technically sound to carry the ball forward and pose a goal threat, Infantino has been a regular for Argentina’s youth sides. The youngster perhaps never quite kicked on at Rosario Central in the way his initial steps suggested he might but Italy may prove the ideal setting to do just that.
32. Luciano GondouArgentinos Juniors22/06/2001StrikerNew Entry
One of the breakthrough talents of the year, Gondou took his game to the next level after a couple of years bubbling under the surface at Sarmiento. The powerful striker started the year well with 6 goals in 22, but it was his move to Argentinos Juniors that really lit the touchpaper. Another 9 strikes in just 14 appearances saw him finish as the third highest scorer in the Primera across the calendar year and boast the best goal record of any U23 player.
31. Santiago CastroVélez Sarsfield18/09/2004Centre forwardNew Entry
Despite making his Vélez debut back in 2021 it felt like this was the year Santiago Castro really broke out. Handed the responsibility to be the main central striker during a critical relegation battle is testament of the player’s quality and temperament. And he repaid the faith shown with 6 vital goals in the Copa to help keep the club in the top flight. Physically strong, a threat in the air yet capable of scoring different goals and willing to cover every blade of grass for the team. With interest mounting in the 19-year-old it seems only a matter of time before Castro becomes the latest Vélez sale.
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