It was a second division team when he started playing professionally in 1993, but 2 years later the team got promoted to first division.
His performance called Boca Juniors' attention, and he was transferred to the club he would late refer to as "my home".
After 3 successful seasons in Boca, Ibarra moved to Europe.
Because he did not have a European passport, Ibarra was loaned back to Boca Juniors after playing his first season in Portuguese FC Porto.
While in Monaco, the team reached UEFA Champions League finals, beating in its way such teams as Real Madrid and Chelsea F.C., to later lose 3-0 to his former club Porto, club that owned him at that moment.
In July 2005, after some difficult negotiations due to the economic crisis in Argentina, Hugo Ibarra went back to Boca Juniors, his last team.
On April 18, 2007, he got back to Argentina national football team, as Argentina’s captain, to play a friendly match against Chile national football team.
In September 2010, he announced his retirement from professional football.