The 2023 Golazo 50 continues and so if you missed the first parts make sure to go and check them out…
Reminder: 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).
30. Luka Romero
AC Milan
18/11/2004
Attacking Midfielder
2022 Golazo Ranking: 30
In terms of pure talent, Romero is right up there with some of the best on this list. His sensational solo golazo against New Zealand at the U20 World Cup was testament to that innate ability. However, his summer move to AC Milan hasn’t paid dividends, with only 85 minutes across 4 games played at the time of writing. The conundrum that is Romero is highlighted by the fact that this is his third inclusion in the Golazo 50 and the third time he’s basically in the same position. In short: we have faith but we want to see more!
29. Juan Gauto
FC Basel
02/06/2004
Winger
New Entry
An electric, fleet-footed winger, Juan Gauto’s move to Swiss giants Basel has been a loss to Argentina’s top flight. One of those players who gets supporters out of their seats, the 19-year-old can make things happen out of nothing but has the issue with consistency so common with such players at this developmental stage. Basel had still seen enough of Gauto, whether for Huracán or Argentina’s under-20s, to invest in the youngster and though it’s been a slow start in Switzerland, the hope will be that it’s just a period of adaptation.
28. Ignacio Miramón
Lille
12/06/2003
Defensive Midfielder
New Entry
There were few better Primera midfielders in the first half of the year than Miramón. Aggressive in the tackle, solid in the pass and comfortable bringing it forward, he took to senior football with ease and earned a call up to the Argentina squad for the U20 World Cup. Lille promptly splashed out around €7 million – a record sale for Gimnasia – but he’s struggled for game time since moving to France. Crucial momentum has been lost but hopefully it’s just an adaptation phase, with more playing time to come in 2024.
27. Nico Paz
Real Madrid
08/09/2004
Central midfielder
New Entry
One of the most exciting names on this year’s list, Nico Paz’s stock has risen immeasurably over the past few months. Earmarked as a potential future star within Real Madrid’s youth system and persuaded to opt for Argentina over Spain due to his father, the former international Pablo Paz, young Nico is now a part of Los Blancos’ first team set up. Pushing for more minutes will be the next step but a first senior goal against Napoli in the Champions League suggests that won’t be far off.
26. Claudio Echeverri
River Plate
02/01/2006
Playmaker
New Entry
The star of Argentina’s run to the U17 semi-final, Diablito lit up the tournament and truly announced himself as a generational talent. 5 goals and 2 assists, including a devastating hat-trick against Brazil, underlined Echeverri’s immense potential and the calls have grown louder for a bigger role at River. Carefully managed – perhaps too carefully – by Demichelis – this season, Echeverri nevertheless made his first team debut and a handful of brief cameos, but it will take a brave man to hold him back. He looks ready and everything points to him becoming a truly special player. Expect to see a lot more of him in this list for the foreseeable – and probably somewhere near the top!
25. Juan Sforza
Newell’s Old Boys
14/02/2022
Defensive midfielder
2022 Golazo Entry: 32
2023 promised more than it delivered for Newell’s Old Boys and while the triumphant return of Gabriel Heinze as manager proved to be a bit of a damp squib, midfielder Juan Sforza still managed to impress. An on-field leader of real experience despite being only 21, Sforza is a neat and tidy all-rounder, capable of winning the ball and comfortable enough to move it higher up the pitch. A slight rise from his 2022 position and always the subject of reported interest from abroad, the right move could see Sforza push on even more next year.
24. Pablo Solari
River Plate
22/03/2001
Forward
2022 Golazo Entry: 40
A big climber, Solari’s progress seems to have flown a bit under the radar but 9 goals and 7 assists puts him in the top 10 for direct goal involvements in the Primera Division this year. Though not a week-in, week-out starter for River, the spritely wide man can always be relied upon to contribute, chipping in with 3 goals in 8 games in the Libertadores too. Next challenge is to truly nail down a starting position if he wants to kick on to the next level.
23. Santiago Hezze
Olympiacos
22/10/2001
Defensive Midfielder
2022 Golazo Entry: 41
This time last year Santiago Hezze had helped Huracán to CONMEBOL Libertadores qualification and we noted that for clubs on the lookout for a promising box-to-box midfielder, Hezze may fit the bill. Greek giants Olympiacos were eventually the club to take the punt in August and while his former side fought relegation, the 22-year-old settled into life in Piraeus. A regular starter, Hezze has perhaps now more defensive responsibility than he did with Huracán and so his penalty box raids have been curtailed but he is proving a useful ball winner.
22. Fausto Vera
Corinthians
26/03/2000
Defensive Midfielder
2022 Golazo Entry: 13
As much the victim of an influx of precocious young talents, rather than anything to do with his own performers, Vera drops out of the top 20 this year. A regular for a Corinthians side that had an underwhelming season, he wasn’t quite at the same level as his exploits for Argentinos Juniors last year, while the rise of the excellent Gabriel Moscardo has put his place in danger. Now at 23, you feel as if he’s at a crossroads: still time to be a solid addition for a big ranking European side or has he perhaps just missed the boat?
21. Gianluca Prestianni
Vélez Sarsfield
31/01/2006
Winger
New Entry
It’s been a strange year for Gianluca Prestianni and yet despite its setbacks the teenager’s move to Benfica lacks only official confirmation. An electric dribbler capable of lighting up a game, Prestianni looked set for a huge 2023 after becoming Vélez’s youngest ever player and the second youngest Argentine to play in the Libertadores after a certain Sergio Agüero. Yet the latter part of the year was beset with problems. With Vélez embroiled in a relegation scrap, Prestianni allowed himself to get sidetracked with talk of a European move which led in part to a nasty situation with the club’s barra bravas. Missing out on the U17 World Cup to stay with Vélez, yet not really feature a great deal, lessened Prestianni’s exposure and so 2024 will be about setting things right and getting his mind back on football.
20. Exequiel Zeballos
Boca Juniors
24/04/2002
Winger
2022 Golazo Entry: 16
A cruel, cruel year for the mercurial winger. Having recovered from a broken leg last year, Changuito’s 2023 has been plagued with yet more injuries. A couple of knee problems disrupted the first six months, but a goal and assist on his return against Independiente was a brief glimmer of hope, only to be dashed when he sustained an ACL in October that will rule him out until the middle of next year. The fact he managed two goals and four assists in just 570 minutes of league football shows what a talent Zeballos still is but it remains to be seen how he bounces back from this latest disappointment.
19. Gastón Ávila
Ajax
30/09/2001
Centre back
2022 Golazo Entry: 28
It’s not been a great time to arrive at Ajax. A woeful start to the campaign caused fury among supporters and Gastón Ávila has been unable to make any impression as of yet. And yet there was a reason the iconic Dutch club shelled out in excess of €12 million to bring in the Rosario-born defender from Royal Antwerp. A full hearted competitor, strong in the challenge and with a tidy left foot, the comparisons with Lisandro Martínez were obvious. Whether Ávila can prove anything like the success of Martínez or Nicolás Tagliafico remains to be seen but hopefully it will just be a slow start, as it was in Belgium for the 22-year-old.
18. Federico Redondo
Argentinos Juniors
18/01/2003
Defensive Midfielder
New Entry
One of the highest new entries on the list, Redondo enjoyed a fantastic breakthrough year and quickly established himself as one of the top young talents in the Primera. The temptation is to draw comparisons with his old man but, while the position, poise and passing are reminiscent, Federico is no carbon copy nor a mere nepo baby. The 20-year-old anchored the Argentinos Juniors midfield and was particularly impressive in their decent Libertadores campaign, while also featuring for Argentina at the U20 World Cup. His profile will continue to rise and it’ll be a shock if he’s still playing in the Primera this time next year.
17. Facundo Farías
Inter Miami
28/08/2002
Forward
2022 Golazo Entry: 14
Gradually slipping the wrong way in the Golazo 50 from his top ten finish in 2021, Facundo Farías remains a player to watch. It seems a long time ago now that a teenage Farías helped inspire Colón to their historic Copa title in 2021 – El Sabalero have since been relegated, Farías suffered a serious knee injury and had barely recovered fitness let alone form before moving to Inter Miami. Yet 3 goals at the tailend of the MLS season suggest the Farías of old could be just around the corner. Lionel Messi’s Miami will certainly be a different proposition in 2024 and the 21-year-old might really kick on.
16. Nehuén Pérez
Udinese
24/06/2000
Centre back
2022 Golazo Entry: 5
Perez falls out of the top 10 this year through no fault of his own, more down to the rise of some truly exceptional talents and, dare we say, previous unrealistic expectations (from this writer at least). A nailed-on starter for a mid-to-lower half Serie A side is nothing to be sniffed at all but the fact he is now 23 and still only has one Argentina cap to his name has tempered the excitement once around him. There’s still plenty of chance that Pérez will be a regular national team player in time, even if displacing the likes of Cuti Romero and Lisandro Martínez currently feels a stretch.
15. Equi Fernández
Boca Juniors
25/07/2002
Defensive midfielder
2022 Golazo Entry: 15
A non-mover in this year’s list, that is no reflection of Equi Fernández’s development or a suggestion he has stalled. The 21-year-old had a brilliant 2022 on loan at Tigre and while the return to Boca Juniors was always likely to be tough, Fernández took it in his stride. 42 appearances across all competitions, including a run to the Libertadores final, the midfielder looked born to wear the blue and gold. For a player as comfortable breaking up play as he is bringing it forward, you’d imagine it won’t take much longer before Boca are cashing in on Equi.
14. Alejo Veliz
Tottenham Hotspur
19/09/2003
Striker
2022 Golazo Entry: 49
The rangy striker carried his barnstorming form from the tail end of 2022 into the new year, banging in 11 goals in 23 league appearances for Rosario Central. Veliz displayed his abnormally good aerial ability at the U20 World Cup with another three goals in four games and was one of the few Argentina players to come out of the experience with his reputation bolstered. A brilliant first half of the year was capped by a big money move to Spurs and, despite limited opportunities in North London, the expectation was always that he would be more of a long term project. More of an impact in England and he might have snuck into the top 10 but Veliz is nevertheless the joint-highest climber on the list.
13. Cristian Medina
Boca Juniors
01/06/2002
Central midfielder
2022 Golazo Entry: 26
2023 was the year Cristian Medina went from fringe youth player to important first teamer at Boca Juniors and yet there remains a sense that the 21-year-old still flies a little under the radar. Five goals and four assists across all competitions isn’t a bad haul from a midfield position that often varied while the Xeneize struggled for balance all year. Brazilian club Botafogo, fresh from their league title choke, have set their sights on Medina for their Libertadores campaign but as yet haven’t reached Boca’s valuation. In the short term a place in Javier Mascherano’s U23 squad for the Pre-Olympic tournament will be a good opportunity to further impress.
12. Lucas Beltrán
Fiorentina
29/03/2001
Striker
New Entry
Something of an oversight in last year’s list, Beltrán roars into the Golazo 50 as the highest new entry. The powerful striker fired River Plate to the Primera Division title, netting 12 times and laying on three assists – as well as another 4 in 8 Libertadores games – before making a €12 million move to Fiorentina. Still finding his feet in Italy, Beltrán has nevertheless played a decent amount, scored his first goal in Serie A and helped himself to a brace in the Europa Conference League. A call up to the national team for the World Cup qualifiers shows the high regard he’s held in and a debut will surely come soon enough.
11. Maximo Perrone
Las Palmas (on loan from Manchester City)
07/01/2003
Defensive midfielder
2022 Golazo Entry: 9
The highest new entry in 2022’s Golazo 50, Maximo Perrone’s subsequent move to Manchester City seemed to justify our rightful praise of the stylish midfielder. Somewhat predictably such a transfer did limit Perrone’s further playing time and so the 20-year-old slips a tad in this year’s countdown. However, all is not lost and a loan to Las Palmas has allowed Perrone the opportunity to play regularly in LaLiga. Naturally things are a little tougher than when the youngster shone for Vélez but all the raw materials are there to develop into a fine Argentine number 5.
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