Polo has a system for measuring greatness — the 10-goal handicap. It is the maximum rating, the peak of a scale that runs from -2 to +10, and fewer than 100 players in the entire world hold this rating at any given moment. But within that select group, there are names that transcend the numerical scale and have become living legends of the sport. These are the players who redefined what is possible on the field.
The handicap system: polo’s measure of excellence
Before discussing the players, it is worth understanding the measure. The polo handicap is assigned by national federations based on observed performance in tournaments. It starts at -2 (an absolute beginner), passes through 0 (a competent recreational player), and climbs to the maximum of 10 goals.
A 10-goal handicap means the player is at the absolute ceiling of the sport — their presence on a team would be worth a 10-goal advantage in a hypothetical comparison system. In practice, these players are the best in the world and their names circulate through every high-level tournament.
Argentina concentrates the world’s greatest number of 10-goalers — both historically and today.
Adolfo Cambiaso: the greatest of all time
If there is one name that appears in every conversation about the greatest polo players in history, it is Adolfo Cambiaso (Argentina, born 1975). Considered by virtually all experts as the best player polo has ever produced, Cambiaso possesses a combination of qualities rarely found together: processing speed, flawless technical control, exceptional athleticism, and tactical intelligence that seems to operate one step ahead of opponents.
Cambiaso has won the Argentine Open more times than any other player in history. He has won with different teams, different partners and across different phases of his career — confirming that the constant in all those titles is him. His longevity at the top of the sport — maintaining a 10-goal handicap for decades — is unique.
Beyond the field, Cambiaso is recognized for his work with horses. He founded the Cambiaso Polo Ranch, dedicated to breeding and training top-level polo ponies — including a cloning program for his finest mares that generated both scientific debate and ethical discussion within the polo world.
Facundo Pieres: the most complete player of the current generation
Facundo Pieres (Argentina) has maintained a 10-goal handicap for years and is frequently cited as the most complete player of the current generation — an assessment that takes into account not just individual talent but consistency and versatility.
Pieres combines solid defense with precise attack and a game-reading ability that makes him effective in any position. His partnerships with Cambiaso in various team formations produced some of the most dominant squads in Argentine polo history.
Pablo Mac Donough: the definitive number 3
The number 3 position is the most demanding in polo — the pivot who organizes play, distributes the ball, and makes the most critical tactical decisions. Pablo Mac Donough (Argentina) is considered by many the finest number 3 in the history of the sport.
Mac Donough combines impeccable technical skill with exceptional field vision. His long pass and his ability to create plays under high pressure are his trademarks. He has won the Argentine Open with multiple teams and maintained a 10-goal handicap for extended periods.
Nacho Figueras: polo’s global face
Ignacio “Nacho” Figueras (Argentina) has a role that extends beyond the field. A player with a handicap that reached 6, Figueras has become the most recognizable face of polo for the general public — through a modeling career and ambassadorship for the Ralph Lauren brand that placed him on magazine covers and in global media.
Figueras uses his visibility deliberately to promote polo to audiences that would never otherwise encounter the sport. His work as a cultural ambassador — including polo programs for young people in underserved communities — is recognized both inside and outside the sport.
Tommy Hitchcock: the American legend
To understand the history of American polo, it is impossible not to mention Thomas “Tommy” Hitchcock Jr. (USA, 1900–1944). Hitchcock was the American polo prodigy of the 1920s and 1930s — a player who maintained a 10-goal handicap for over a decade and who, combined with his role as a decorated war hero, became one of the most admired athletes in United States history.
F. Scott Fitzgerald is credited with drawing inspiration from Hitchcock for the character Tom Buchanan in The Great Gatsby. Hitchcock died in service during World War II, but his influence on American polo endures.
Women in high-level polo
Polo was for a long time a male-dominated sport. That has changed. There is now a growing international women’s polo circuit, and players such as Argentina’s Hazel Jackson and Britain’s Nina Clarkin hold handicaps that rival many high-level male players.
Women’s polo has its own international tournaments and a growing presence at the world’s major events — a polo that is ceasing to be “women’s polo” and becoming simply high-level polo, played by women who have trained with the same intensity and dedication as any 10-goaler.
