In addition to signing on as the third Designated Player in Columbus Crew history, striker Federico Higuaín will be the tenth Argentine to don Black & Gold. Let's take a look at how other Argentines have fared in Columbus:
#22 Marcelo Carrera - MID (1996-98): A member of Columbus' inaugural squad, Carrera played three seasons for the Crew. A veteran of U.S. indoor and pre-MLS outdoor leagues, the Buenos Aires native scored eight goals and chipped in seven assists in over 3000 regular season minutes played for the Crew. Carrera currently coaches the U19 Girls squad at the IMG Soccer Academy in Bradenton, Florida.
#4 Mario Gori - MID/DEF (2000): Gori, a native of Rosario, Argentina, played just one season with the Crew. In the 2000 season, the defender registered 19 starts for the Black & Gold in which he scored one goal. Before coming to the Crew, Gori spent time with D.C. United, the Miami Fusion, and the New England Revolution.
#20 Nicolas Hernandez - MID (2008): Hernandez played 110 minutes for the Crew in five matches during the 2008 before being waived on June 28 of that season.
#4 Ricardo Iribarren - DEF (1996, 1997, 2009-present): The Crew's fifth allocation pick in 1996, Iribarren played 1300 minutes in MLS' first season for the Crew while scoring a goal and supplying two assists. The La Plata native was forced to miss the 1997 MLS season due to visa complications, but returned to the Crew in 1998 to play in 24 matches. Following his retirement and various coaching positions, Iribarren returned to Columbus in 2009 as an assistant coach to Robert Warzycha.
#24 Sergio Miguez - DEF (1997): After playing 12 years in Argentina, Miguez played one season with the Crew to end his career. The former River Plate youth player started 16 matches for Columbus in 1997, recording two assists in his one season in Columbus.
#4 Gino Padula - DEF(2008-10): Acquired in 2008 after a decade that included stops playing in Argentina, Spain, England, and France, Padula's experience at left back helped the Crew to the MLS Supporters Shield and MLS Cup that year. The following season, Padula made 27 starts in the Crew's 2009 Supporters Shield campaign. Padula currently runs a soccer academy with former Crew teammate and fellow Argentine Guillermo Barros-Schelotto.
#28 Santiago Prim (2011): Though he never made an MLS appearance with the Crew, Prim played 59 minutes in the Crew's 2-1 loss to the Richmond Kickers in the 2011 U.S. Open Cup.
#25 Silvio Rudman - MID (1997): Rudman spent a month and a half with the Crew during the 1997 season, playing 190 minutes in six matches.
#7 Guillermo Barros-Schelotto - MID/FWD(2007-10): A legend at Argentina's most historic club, Boca Juniors, Schelotto signed with the Crew in 2007. The next season, "Guille" led Columbus to Supporters Shield and MLS Cup victories, while also earning the distinction of the league's Most Valuable Player after scoring seven goals and chipping in 19 assists in 2008. The following season, Schelotto didn't miss a beat as the then-36 year old scored 12 goals to help the Crew to a second-straight Supporters Shield as the club's first-ever Designated Player. After finishing his playing career at his hometown club Gimnasia La Plata in 2011, Schelotto was named manager at CA Lanús in the Argentine Primera División in July 2012.
