Daniel Passarella

Daniel Passarella remains the highest-scoring defender in Argentine football history, with 134 goals in 451 club appearances and 22 goals in 70 international matches. As captain of the 1978 World Cup-winning side, he led his team to victory and scored a crucial goal in the second group stage. His goal tally for a defender is 30% higher than any other Argentine defender on this list, including Javier Zanetti's 12 international goals. Passarella also captained Argentina to a second World Cup final in 1986, though he did not play due to injury. His leadership and scoring ability from the back set a benchmark that no Argentine defender has approached since.