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G.O.BATISTUTA:At least a great striker
Gabriel Omar Batistuta (born February 1, 1969), nicknamed Batigol, is a former professional footballer. The prolific Argentine striker played most of his club football at ACF Fiorentina in Italy, and he is the eighth top scorer of all time in the Italian Serie A league, with 184 goals in 318 matches between 1991 and 2003. On the international level, he is the all-time highest scorer for Argentina's national team, with 56 goals in 78 national team matches, and he represented his country at three FIFA World Cups. In 2004, he was named in the FIFA 100 list of the "125 Greatest Living Footballers".
When his club Fiorentina was relegated to Serie B in 1993, Batistuta stayed with the club and helped it return to the top-flight league a year later. A hero in Florence, the Fiorentina fans erected a life-size bronze statue of him in 1996, in recognition of his performances for Fiorentina. He never won the Italian league with Fiorentina, but when he moved to AS Roma in 2000, he finally won the Serie A championship to crown his career in Italy. He played his last professional season in Qatar with Al-Arabi before he retired in 2005.
Currently he works as a commentator having worked for Televisa Deportes during the 2006 FIFA World Cup and for the show "La jugada".
Gabriel Batistuta Factbox
1969: Born on February 1 in Reconquista, Argentina
1988-89: Makes debut for Argentine side Newell's Old Boys. Scores four goals in title-winning season before moving to River Plate.
1989: Leaves River and crosses Buenos Aires to city rivals Boca Juniors.
1991: Signs for Fiorentina for $2.3 million.
1992-93: Despite his 16 goals in 32 games, Fiorentina are relegated. Batistuta turns down offers to move to other Serie A sides.
1993-94: Scores 16 goals in 26 matches to take Fiorentina back into the top flight at first attempt.
June 1994: Hits hat-trick in his World Cup debut against Greece.
1994-95: On target in each of his side's opening 11 matches of the season to set a new Italian goal record. Ends campaign as Serie A's top scorer with 26 goals from 32 games.
April 1996: Grabs his 34th goal for Argentina in a 3-1 victory over Bolivia, equalling Diego Maradona's record.
May 1996: Scores in both legs of Italian Cup final as Fiorentina beat Atalanta Bergamo 3-0 on aggregate to claim their first major trophy in 21 years. It was the only title Batistuta won in his nine years in Florence.
April 1997: Hits superb equaliser in UEFA Cup semi-final in Barcelona. Photos of "Batigol" holding his finger to his lips to silence a 100,000-strong Nou Camp crowd become part of Italian football folklore.
November 1997: Recalled by Argentina after being dropped for 10 months.
June 1998: Grabs hat-trick at World Cup in 5-0 drubbing of Jamaica. Becomes father for third time the day before Argentina's quarter-final win over England in which he scores his side's opening goal.
1998-99: Scores 13 goals in first 13 matches of season to help Fiorentina to the top of Serie A. When he is sidelined with a knee injury in February their title push falters and they finish third.
January 2000: Third behind Rivaldo and David Beckham in 1999 FIFA World Player of the Year award. Scores 152nd league goal for Fiorentina, breaking club record set by Swede Kurt Hamrin in 1950s.
May 2000: Scores hat-trick on final day of season to break Hamrin's Serie A record. Bursts into tears after scoring his third goal in his last match for the Florentines. His final tally for Fiorentina is 168 goals in 269 league appearances.
Signs for AS Roma for $33.8 million.
2000-2001 - Notches 20 goals in 28 matches to win the Serie A title.
2001-2002 - Injury and lack of form contribute to a disappointing second season at the Olympic stadium in which Batistuta manages only six goals. His last World Cup ends in sadness as Argentina are knocked out in the first phase. Batistuta confirms his international retirement.
2002-2003 - Frequently finds himself left on the bench by Roma before moving to Inter Milan.
2003 - Joins Al Arabi in Qatar.
2004 - Scores 25 goals in his first full year.
2005 - Ends contract with Al Arabi after injury problems and announces retirement.
Age
22
Country
Greece
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