Ranking the 3 best South American strikers to ever play in the EPL
The English Premier League is one of the most popular and competitive football leagues in the world. The league attracts players from across the globe and there are currently 358 foreigners (via Transfermarkt) playing in the league.
Football is one of the most popular sports among South American nations. The continent has produced some of the greatest players to ever grace the game. Many of them have also plied their trade for Premier League clubs.
On that note, here's a list of the top three South American strikers to ever play in the English Premier League.
#3 Carlos Tevez
Carlos Tevez first arrived in the English Premier League with West Ham United during the 2006-07 season. He enjoyed a decent debut campaign with the Hammers, scoring seven goals in 26 appearances. The Argentine won the West Ham 'Hammer of the Year' during first season with the London outfit.
His performances at Upton Park caught the attention of top clubs across Europe as he joined Manchester United on a two-year loan deal in 2007. He played 63 league games during his time at Old Trafford, scoring 19 goals. Tevez won six trophies with the Red Devils, including two Premier League titles and one UEFA Champions League trophy.
The Manchester-based club agreed a transfer fee with West Ham United to sign Tevez permanently after his loan spell. However, the former Argentina international blocked the move and joined Manchester City in 2009.
He spent four seasons with the Cityzens, scoring 58 goals in 113 league games. He won the 2010-11 Premier League Golden Boot and was also named in the 'PFA Team of the Season 2010-11'.
Tevez left City to join Juventus in 2013. He also had spells with Boca Juniors and Shanghai Shenhua respectively before retiring earlier this year.
#2 Luis Suarez
Luis Suarez is regarded among the greatest strikers of his generation. The Uruguay international joined Premier League giants Liverpool from Ajax in the January window of 2011.
He played 110 league games during his time with the Reds, scoring 81 goals. Suarez helped the Merseyside club win the 2011-12 Football League Cup while also playing a key role in the Reds' second-place league finish during the 2013-14 season.
The 35-year-old striker won the 2013-14 Premier League Golden Boot after scoring 31 goals in 33 games. He was also awarded the 'PFA Players' Player of the Season' accolade that season.
Suarez left the Reds to join Barcelona in 2014, where he spent six successful seasons, scoring 147 goals in 191 league games. He moved to Atletico Madrid in 2020 before joining his boyhood club Nacional earlier this window.
#1 Sergio Aguero
Sergio Aguero is the greatest South American striker to ever play in the English Premier League.
The former Argentina international joined Manchester City from Atletico Madrid in the summer transfer window of 2011. He played 275 league games with the Cityzens, scoring 184 goals. Aguero is the highest scoring foreigner to have played in the Premier League.
Aguero won the Premier League Golden Boot during the 2014-15 season and was included in the 'Premier League Team of the Season' on two separate occasions. The Argentine helped the Cityzens win 15 trophies, including five English Premier League titles.
Aguero left the Manchester-based club to join Barcelona in the summer transfer window of 2021. He announced his retirement from professional football after suffering from Cardiac Arrhythmia in December last year.