Juan Martin Nero is an Argentine polo player born September 8, 1986, currently rated 9-goal after holding 10-goal since 2008. He has won the Argentine Open multiple times at Campo Argentino de Polo — each title earned at a tournament where the field includes every top player in the world and the margin between winning and losing is measured in single goals. Born September 8, 1986 in Argentina, Nero held the 10-goal handicap since 2008, a run of nearly two decades at the maximum rating before being adjusted to 9-goal for 2026.
Nero was the defensive anchor of the La Dolfina dynasty, the player whose game-reading ability and positional discipline allowed Adolfo Cambiaso and Pablo Mac Donough to attack with confidence. The three of them formed one of the greatest team combinations in polo history. Nero’s role was not glamorous: he controlled the pace, shut down opposition attacks, and delivered the ball forward with precision that created scoring opportunities for his teammates. He also won 4 complete Triple Crowns, meaning he swept the Hurlingham Open, Tortugas Open, and Argentine Open in the same season four times. Four Triple Crowns. The difficulty of that achievement is almost impossible to overstate.
The move to Las Monjitas for 2026 marks a new chapter. Nero plays alongside David Stirling (10-goal), Lucas Monteverde (9-goal), and Rufino Bensadon (8-goal) at a 35-goal total. The combination of Nero and Stirling, two former La Dolfina-era champions now competing together on a different team, gives Las Monjitas one of the most experienced cores in the competition. They compete in the Hurlingham Open at the Hurlingham Club, the Tortugas Open at Tortugas Country Club, and the Argentine Open at the Campo Argentino de Polo in Buenos Aires.
At 39 in 2026, the adjustment from 10 to 9-goal reflects the natural progression of a career that has lasted at the absolute peak for nearly 18 years. The handicap change does not diminish the record. His Argentine Open record may never be surpassed. Playing at the Campo, where he has lifted the trophy more times than anyone alive, Nero remains one of the most respected and feared competitors in the sport. When the ball drops at Palermo, everyone in the stadium knows what Nero has done on that ground, and what he is still capable of doing.