Ultimate River Plate dream team - Di Stefano, Ortega, Francescoli all make the cut

Fillol is considered, along with fellow Millo idol Amadeos Carrizo, as one of the greatest goalkeepers in Argentine history and just beats out the legend of La Maquina for the number one jersey.

Fillol helped end River’s 18-year wait for a title in 1975 and would add six more to the trophy cabinet in his Monumental stay as well as lifting Argentina's first World Cup in 1978.

Maidana, still going strong in the River defence at 36, has marked an entire era at the club.

The ex-Boca youngster suffered the pain of relegation at the end of his first season at the club in 2011 but stayed put in their darkest hour and led them throughout the subsequent glory days.

His record at the Monumental includes over 300 games played, two Copa Libertadores titles, a Sudamericana, and the 2021 Liga Profesional. Maidana is a worthy addition to this illustrious team, a modern-day hero on a par with the greats who came before him.

‘El Kaiser’, ‘El Gran Capitan’: no praise was too high for this true River legend. Despite only standing 1.73m tall Passarella was a talisman in defence for River and Argentina. As a coach the star would add three more titles to the six he won as a player in the Monumental - while he also holds the distinction of being the only Argentine to have lifted the World Cup twice, in 1978 as captain, and eight years later in Mexico.

While his presidency last decade ended in relegation and disaster, tainting somewhat his standing among the RIver faithful, he remains one of the greatest defenders Argentina has ever produced.

A product of the Nunez club’s youth system, Perfumo went on to become a legend at bitter rivals Racing Club, winning the National championship, Copa Libertadores and Copa Intercontinental in 1967 as Racing became the first Argentine club to be crowned world champions.

Already in his thirties when he returned to his first club, nevertheless the player whom La Nacion dubbed “one of the best defenders in Argentine history” still had time to lead the Millo to three titles in as many years, playing over 100 games before finally retiring at the age of 36.

A stalwart midfielder for River during their glory days of the 1980s and 90s, Astrada played almost his entire professional career at the Monumental and made a total of 464 appearances with the Millonario shirt on his back.

His stay coincided with 10 league title wins and the 1996 Copa Libertadores, cementing Astrada's place in the River annals as one of their greatest midfield generals.

Ortega was one of the most talented players of his generation and perhaps could have gone down as one of the all-time greats had he not labored under two significant burdens: his chronic lack of discipline and the task of having to replace Diego Maradona as Argentina's No. 10 following the late legend's exit from the national team in 1994.

He nevertheless enjoyed an impressive career punctuated by stunning goals and flashes of brilliance during his time overseas at the likes of Valencia and Parma. River was his natural home, however, and he won seven major trophies with the Millonario over three spells as a player before finally retiring in 2012.

‘El Tolo’ first made his name in Rosario with Newell’s Old Boys, but in 1981 joined River Plate and formed a formidable midfield partnership with Merlo before succeeding him as the linchpin in the middle of the park.

A World Cup winner in 1978 with Argentina, the cultured passer’s biggest achievement with River was the club’s first-ever Copa Libertadores trophy in 1986 against Colombia’s America.

Along with Fillol and Passarella, 'El Beto' Alonso was part of the River contingent, which played a key part in Argentina's 1978 World Cup win.

At club level Alonso was the man who pulled all the strings for the Millonario from the middle, and in more than 15 years with the team, he lifted a total of nine major titles, including the 1986 Copa Libertadores and Intercontinental Cup double.

An incredibly competitive position, with club legends such as Hernan Crespo, Marcelo Salas, Omar Sivori, and any of the iconic Maquina forward line giving a great argument to play up front.

It is impossible, however, to ignore one of the greatest players ever to play the game; Di Stefano’s pass through Nunez was fleeting but glittering, boasting a record of 49 goals in 65 games and two national championships before he would eventually make history at Real Madrid.

Quite simply one of the best players ever to play in South America, ‘El Principe’s’ two River spells coincided with two runs of brilliant success for the Millo, and players from Zinedine Zidane - who named his own son Enzo after the great - to Pele have recognized his grace and poise on the ball and eye for goal.

Francescoli missed out on River’s first Libertadores triumph in 1986 after being transferred to Racing Paris shortly before; there would be no denying him in 1996. Playing with the new generation of stars such as Marcelo Salas, Matias Almeyda, and Crespo, the veteran led them to success for the second time. As sporting director, he has overseen the Marcelo Gallardo golden age in the past decade which has yielded two Copas and 15 titles overall.

The top scorer in Argentine football history with 293 goals from 515 appearances, Labruna was the focal point of the legendary five-man Maquina attack which swept aside almost every team in the period around the Second World War.

Aided by Labruna and iconic teammates such as Moreno, Perdenera and Ferreyra, River won nine titles in his 20-year spell at the club; and if that weren’t enough, the forward would lead the side to six more crowns as manager in the 1970s.