BUENOS AIRES — Casual fans might think Argentine soccer is enjoying a golden age. The country’s national team finished second at the World Cup last summer, led by Lionel Messi, a player many consider one of the best to play the game, and Argentine players and coaches are key figures at many of the world’s top clubs.

But those successes mask the poverty of domestic soccer, where financial scandals, crowd trouble and the lure of riches abroad have fueled a talent exodus that has left Argentine fans fewer and fewer chances to cheer their favorite players. Most depart for Europe as teenagers after only cameos in the Primera División for powerhouse teams like River Plate and Boca Juniors; others, like Messi, never play in the league at all.

In fact, more than 2,700 Argentines now play in foreign leagues, according to a recent study, which makes Argentina — not its archrival, Brazil — the world’s biggest exporter of soccer players.

“When we were kids, we dreamed about playing for River and Boca,” said Ángel Cappa, 68, an Argentine coach. “Now the players dream about playing abroad. The Argentine league is a display window.”