GABRIEL OMAR BATISTUTA (BATIGOL)
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Born: 1st February 1969 |
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Birth Place: Reconquista, Santa Fe, Argentina |
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Clubs: Newell's Old Boys (Argentina), River Plate (Argentina), Boca Juniors (Argentina), AC Fiorentina (Italy) and AS Roma (Italy) |
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Debut: 1989 |
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International Honours: Copa America winner 1991 |
Gabriel Batistuta's official website
Gabriel Omar Batistuta's Italian Serie-A | 1999/2000 goals | 2000/2001 goals | 2001/2002 goals |
B is for BRAVERY
- something which Batistuta has in abundance. Tendonitis or not, the big man
had, for years, played on painkillers despite the pain in his right knee, simply
because his team needed him.
A is for ARGENTINA
- Batistuta's home nation. Born in Reconquista, Santa Fe, he has captained the
national team and is now the the top scorer in Argentina's history.
T is for THIRTY-TWO
- Batistuta's age. Now in the twilight of his career, he is nonetheless still
one of the most dangerous strikers in the Serie A.
I is for ICON
- which is what Batistuta is, a veritable football icon. A hero in Argentina,
his goal-scoring exploits have eclipsed legends Diego Maradona and Alfredo di
Stefano.
G is for GOALS
- the thing which Batistuta delivers best. Despite a knee injury, he still
netted 18 goals for Roma this season. Has also netted 207 goals in 332
appearances for Fiorentina and 54 in 74 for Argentina.
O is for OLYMPIC
STADIUM
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known as the Stadio Olimpico, Roma's home stadium, where Batistuta may finally
get the elusive Serie A title that he so richly deserves.
L is for LOYALTY
- this is, after all, the man who stuck with Fiorentina for nine years, even
when the club was relegated in 1993, and cried after scoring against the club in
a Roma shirt.
(As of 17th June 2001 when AS Roma clinched the Italian Serie-A title)
12th June 2002 Wednesday - Batistuta says "Good bye" to the beautiful game
"Bati-Gol" scored 56 International goals in 78 caps. He scored 10 World Cup goals in 12 games. The only person to have claimed back-to-back hat-tricks in the World Cup history.
USA '94 = Total 4 goals; a hat-trick (1 spot kick) vs. Greece and a spot kick vs. Romania in the 2nd Round.
FRANCE '98 = Total 5 goals; 1 goal vs. Japan, a hat-trick (1 spot kick) vs. Jamaica and a spot kick vs. England in the 2nd Round.
KOREA/JAPAN 2002 = 1 goal vs. Nigeria.
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Batistuta's last ever soccer match with Argentina on 12th June 2002 (more photos) (Gabriel Omar Batistuta's last World Cup) |
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Argentina national team pose for a photo before their group F match at the World Cup finals in Sendai June 12, 2002. The players are front L-R, Claudio Lopez, Matias Almeyda, Gabriel Batistuta, Javier Zanetti, Pablo Aimar and Ariel Ortega. Back L-R, Juan Pablo Sorin, goalkeeper Pablo Cavallero, Mauricio Pochettino, Jose Chamot and Walter Samuel. REUTERS/Enrique Marcarian |
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Batistuta's last ever goal for Argentina scored against Nigeria on 2nd June 2002 (more photos) (Gabriel Omar Batistuta's last World Cup) |
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Batistuta's last ever qualifying match vs. Paraguay Paraguay's Celso Ayala, right, jumps for the ball with Argentina's Gabriel Batistuta during their World Cup 2002 qualifying match at Defensores del Chaco Stadium in Asuncion, Paraguay, Sunday Oct. 7, 2001. Batistuta scored the 2nd goal as the game ended in a 2-2 draw. (AP Photo/Daniel Luna (Gabriel Omar Batistuta's last World Cup) |
Bati Photo Gallery
Young Batistuta
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| Bati with his mother Gloria and Osmar (father) |
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Bati and the See-Saw |
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| Bati wasn't so bad as an acrobat on a horse |
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The day of his first Communion |
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| Bati with sisters (from left) Elisa, Gabriela and Alejandra |
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Bati's wife Irina Fernadez |
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| On the wedding day with his wife Irina Fernadez |
Batistuta with AS Roma
Argentine Gabriel Omar Batistuta, Roma's Serie-A 2000/2001 top goal scorer
Last day of the Serie-A 2000/01. Gabriel Batistuta, Totti and Montella scored against AC Parma.
Below are some photos when AS Roma clinched the Serie-A 2000/2001
Below are some reports when AS Roma crowned the Italian League 2000/01
AS ROMA WINS THE SCUDETTO
ROME, June 17 (Reuters) - AS Roma won its first Italian soccer league title in 18 years, defeating AC Parma 3-1 on Sunday in a game in which jubilant fans stormed the field before the finish.
After failing to win the championship for two straight weeks, Roma returned to Olympic Stadium and won behind goals from Francesco Totti, Vincenzo Montella and Gabriel Batistuta.
``This a magical moment,'' said Totti, the Roman-born captain who opened the scoring in the 19th minute. ``I've dreamed of this my whole life.''
Roma needed a victory to clinch, with Juventus and Lazio still in contention.
Before Roma could complete the game, thousands of fans charged the field, forcing a 20-minute halt. The stadium announcer pleaded with them to return to their seats. Roma coach Fabio Capello screamed in the faces of fans on the field.
After the teams finished the last five minutes, thousands more fans broke through police lines, taking over the entire field, waving flags and singing ``Grazie Roma, Grazie Roma,'' (Thanks, Roma), the team's fight song.
The game, followed by tens of millions of fans from around the world, was played under a hot sun amid a stadium swirling in Roma's red and orange colors.
Juventus finished the season on an 11-game undefeated streak. It beat Atalanta 2-1 at home to wind up in second place, two points behind Roma.
Defending champion Lazio fell 2-1 to Lecce, six points back in third. Lecce avoided relegation to Serie B.
This was only the third title for Roma, which previously won in 1943 and 1983. Since its last title, the club finished second twice before fading to the middle of the pack, including sixth place last year.
Capello earned his fifth Italian league crown, having coached AC Milan to four titles in the 1990s. It was also the second straight title for a Rome club after a decade of dominance by northern teams.
``From the beginning to the end of the season we showed great character,'' Capello said.
In other games, Internazionale beat Bologna 2-1 to pass crosstown rival AC Milan for fifth place.
Also, it was: Reggina 2, Milan 1; Napoli 2, Fiorentina 1; Verona 2, Perugia 1; Vicenza 3, Udinese 2; and Brescia 3, Bari 1.
Napoli and Vicenza were relegated to Serie B, along with Bari. Verona and Reggina will meet in a playoff to avoid the final spot in the lower division.
DIFFICULT TITLE
Roma coach Fabio Capello said as the club started celebrations which are sure to go late into the night: ``We played well the whole championship but it was a difficult title.
``This victory was important for Roma but also for myself, because I'd come here after an unhappy year at Milan.''
Batistuta, who scored Roma's final goal in the 77th minute, could hardly contain his emotion after winning the first title of his 10-year career in Italy.
``I wanted to score to make my contribution to this game,'' he said. ``My heart is about to burst, I'm so happy.''
The whole of Rome had seemingly ground to a halt on a hot, sultry early afternoon before the match, and a sense of expectation pervaded the city.
The gates to the Olympic Stadium were opened at 0800 GMT for the 1300 GMT match and a capacity 75,000 fans, many waving red and gold banners, were inside three hours before kick-off.
When Roma took the pitch they were greeted to a tickertape reception from fans on the Curva Sud -- Roma's home end.
But if Capello's players felt tense they did not show it and there were none of the jitters that had characterised their 2-2 draw at Napoli a week ago.
Montella almost put them ahead in the seventh minute with an angled shot across the face of goal and 12 minutes later the home side found the early breakthrough they needed.
French wingback Vincent Candela threaded a low cross in from the left, Montella sold a dummy at the front post and Totti slammed an unstoppable first-time shot past Parma goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon.
COUNTER ATTACK
Batistuta forced a fine reflex save from Buffon with a header in the 34th minute but five minutes later the Argentine striker created Roma's second goal.
Escaping on the counter attack down the right flank, he fended off a challenge from Fabio Cannavaro and struck a firm low shot towards the net.
Buffon saved with his outstretched leg but Montella was on hand to stroke home the rebound from six metres out.
Batistuta capped his fine first season with Roma with the third goal in the 77th minute, twisting inside Cannavaro before firing a low shot past Buffon at the near post.
Marco Di Vaio hit a late consolation goal for Parma but it was never going to be enough to derail Roma, who had seen their nine-point lead whittled down to two since early April.
Juve's hopes of stealing the title were boosted by David Trezeguet's headed goal in the fifth minute but by the time Alessio Tacchinardi scored their second goal with a fine 64th minute volley, the title was already heading Roma's way.
Juventus confirmed after the match they would part company with coach Carlo Ancelotti in the close season and replace him with former boss Marcello Lippi.
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Batistuta finds holy grail with Roma By Gideon Long ROME, June 17 (Reuters) - Argentine striker Gabriel Batistuta strived for nine years without success to win the Italian league title with his beloved Fiorentina. On Sunday he won it with AS Roma at the first attempt. Roma's 3-1 victory over Parma gave them only the third title of their 74-year history and their first since 1983. Batistuta, who joined Fabio Capello's side a year ago this month, was an integral part of their title push, scoring 20 league goals to finish as their top scorer. It was fitting then that the Argentine should have scored Roma's final goal of the season against Parma. ``I wanted to score to make my contribution to this game,'' he said as the celebrations started in the Roma changing room. ``My heart is about to burst, I'm so happy.'' ``I hope this is only the beginning for Roma.'' In nine seasons in Florence, ``Batigol'' scored 168 league goals in 269 appearances, breaking all the club's records. In return, he won just one trophy -- the Italian Cup in 1996 -- and had to endure a season in the second division, when his loyalty won the admiration of fans both in and outside Florence. Fiorentina supporters famously built a statue of him in his honour and he regularly returns to the Tuscan regional capital for public functions and award ceremonies. When he returned to face Fiorentina as a Roma player this season, he was greeted by warm applause. ``Bati. Thank you for nine years of life,'' read one banner behind the goal. CRITICS CONFOUNDED Batistuta has confounded his critics who said that aged 32 he was not worth the 70 billion lire ($32 million) which Roma paid to coax him away from Fiorentina. As on Sunday, Batistuta has often proved he is the man for the big occasion. In 1997 he scored a superb equaliser for Fiorentina in a UEFA Cup semifinal at Barcelona and photographs of him holding his finger to his lips to silence 100,000 fans in the Nou Camp stadium quickly became part of Italian footballing folklore. In 1999, he stunned 70,000 Arsenal fans at Wembley with a brilliant solo goal which took Fiorentina through to the second phase of the Champions League at the Londoners' expense. And this year it was Batistuta who scored the only goal of the match to give Roma their victory over Fiorentina. After slamming a wonderful 81st-minute volley past his friend Francesco Toldo in the Fiorentina goal, the Argentine turned and walked away in a daze, refusing to celebrate out of respect for his former club. On Sunday it was Batistuta, and Roma, that demanded respect. |
Some League matches
Bati's only goal defeated his former club AC Fiorentina at Rome, 1st Round.
AS ROMA WINS THE ITALIAN SUPER CUP 2001 (CNN REPORT)
ROME (AP) -- League champion AS Roma won the Italian SuperCup on Sunday defeating Fiorentina 3-0 on goals by Vincent Candela, Vincenzo Montella and Francesco Totti.
About 70,000 Roman fans chanted and applauded their team at Rome's Olympic stadium as the home team added the SuperCup trophy to the league title captured in the last Serie A season.
AS Roma dominated play, scored three goals and squandered several scoring chances against an almost resigned Fiorentina.
The Florentine club had to sell some of its best players in the wake of a financial crisis which has driven the club on the brink of collapse.
French defender Candela opened the scoring after six minutes with a spectacular, powerful drive from 35 meters (yards).
Montella, one of the leading AS Roma scorers last season, made it two in the 55th, with a volley from the edge of the penalty area.
Totti, the team captain, added one goal with nine minutes left, kicking in a rebound.
Roma's Argentine veteran striker Gabriel Batistuta had an unimpressive performance against his former team.
Fiorentina, which had caused Roma a rare defeat in league action last April, wasted its best scoring chance in the 40th minute when Portuguese forward Nuno Gomes was unable to kick the ball in from a few meters (yards).
In the closing minutes, Brazilian defender Zago cleared a shot by Andrea Tarozzi from Roma's goalline.
The SuperCup pitted the league champion against the Italian Cup winners. For the 11th time out of 14 editions, the league champions prevailed.
The match also tested the condition of the two teams one week before the start of the Serie A season.
RECAP
AS Roma clinched the Serie-A championship by beating AC Parma 3-1 in the last match of the Italian 2000/01 season at Rome Olympic stadium in a match that they (AS Roma) had to win.
AS Roma won the Super Cup 2001 by thrashing AC Fiorentina 3-0 at Rome Olympic stadium
BATISTUTA IN MALDIVES
After a hectic season in Italy, helping AS Roma to crown the Italian League 2000/2001, Batistuta spent his holiday in the enchanting coral island of Maldives.
