GABRIEL BATISTUTA

Gabriel made his debut in the national team the twenty-seventh of March '91. In Curitiba, Argentina meets Brazil in a friendly match. It 's the national Ruggeri, Goicoechea and Caniggia. On the bench, Alfio Basile. Batistuta played the owner, but does not score. The equalizer's up to Caniggia.?

That of the early nineties was a really good Argentina. Of course, it was not that of Kempes and Passarella, who won the World Championship in '78, or that of Maradona who repeated the success in Mexico '86, the second in the world, however, Italians, and a cycle of 33 games without a defeat, were still a great card. It was in every way the national talent, many of them or playing in Italy or were intended to achieve this, although with mixed fortunes.?

The first victory is never forgotten. Gabriel won the America's Cup in '91, also becoming top scorer with six goals in six games. And 'This is the statement that launched him on the international stage. Many foreign clubs want him, it is under Fiorentina, who finally manages to get it. But back to the white-blue striped jacket.?

In '94 the Argentina arrives at the American world, this time in the group there is also Abel Balbo, a great friend of Gabriel, but in America shared a room with Caniggia. Argentine ambitions seem legitimate from the office of Batistuta, in search of rescue after a Serie B with Fiorentina. But, above all, America had returned to football Maradona in a great sweep after the first disqualification: thin, tight, almost a boy. Gabriel breathes the atmosphere of national willingly. The World Cup, then you create a special atmosphere. Chats, jokes among friends, almost as often happens among the athletes of the "Olympic Village". In the USA 94 Argentina started well. Against Greece is "Bati-triplet", Caniggia instead of twice against Nigeria.?

The "case Maradona" however, stopped the race launched the Argentines. "El Pibe de Oro" was the charismatic leader of the national average. The undisputed champion, at least in the field. The response dell'antidoping was like a blow: discussions in the locker room and uproar in the federation. At first there was talk of ephedrine, then plot. We may never know the truth about what happened. The fact is that Dieguito was excluded from the world and the white-blue lost their strength and bite. The National Basile finished off the second round at the hands of Romania: three to two and all at home.?
Everything had to be redone. Coach of Argentina arrives Representative Daniel Passarella. The destinies of the "Caudillo" and Batistuta cross again. After the interlude of the River Plate the two meet again in Italy. Passarella is a hard part as if to split the world, its national but does not receive those hits that should have been.

The America's Cup '95 goes in the quarterfinals. Brazil beats biancocelesti on penalties, Edmundo, a blind destiny, realize the goal of two to two and the decisive penalty. The qualifications of an ordeal for France '98, Batistuta, who is three hundred days without wearing the camiseta Argentina. Passarella does not seem to take into account, but when taking the field, the striker always marks. E 'in this period, precisely against Paraguay, which Bati off Maradona in the ranking of the best scorers in the country.?
Even the French world are not as fortunate to Argentina, a team from the game unconvincing, but located in a filmmaker Gabriel ruthless. The exclusion reaches the quarter-finals. Batistuta is replaced by Passarella, that fields Crespo. Result: defeat. Crespo disappoint, falls on Argentina storm leading to the dismissal of the "caudillo". The rest is history. Batistuta is one of the greatest scorers of national blue and white, but it is still early to deal of a lifetime. Because 1999 means above all America's Cup, because national means yet to come.