Daniel Passarella

Daniel Passarella is one of the greatest defenders in football history and the captain who lifted Argentina's first World Cup, in 1978. Nicknamed 'El Gran Capitán', he combined fierce leadership, impressive aerial play for his height and a rare goal-scoring ability for a defender. Revealed by Sarmiento de Junín and acclaimed at River Plate, Passarella became the ultimate idol in Núñez, winning several Argentine titles in the 1970s and early 1980s. In Italy, he wore the shirts of Fiorentina and Internazionale, maintaining a very high goal-scoring average for a defender, many of them by headers and from free-kicks and penalty conversions. For the Argentine national team, he was world champion in 1978 as captain and again in 1986, when he was part of the squad although he did not play due to health problems. He is frequently cited as the most prolific goal-scoring defender in football history. After hanging up his boots, he coached River Plate, the Argentine national team at the 1998 World Cup and the Uruguayan national team, and later presided over River Plate.