View source for Gabriel Batistuta

{{Short description|Argentine footballer (born 1969)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=December 2021}}
{{Infobox football biography
| name = Gabriel Batistuta
| image = Omar Batistuta (2).jpg
| caption = Batistuta in 2018
| full_name = Gabriel Omar Batistuta<ref name="Soccerway">{{cite web|url=https://int.soccerway.com/players/gabriel-omar-batistuta/104091/|title=Gabriel Batistuta|website=socceerway.com|access-date=9 June 2022 }}</ref>
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1969|2|1|df=y}}<ref name="Soccerway"/>
| birth_place = [[Reconquista, Santa Fe|Reconquista]], [[Santa Fe Province|Santa Fe]], Argentina<ref name="ROMProfile"/>
| height = 1.85 m<ref name="ROMProfile">{{cite web|url=http://www.asromacalcio.it/sito-ufficiale/squadra/rosa99-00/batistuta.html|title=Gabriel Batistuta|publisher=[[AS Roma]]|access-date=9 June 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20020208135105/http://www.asromacalcio.it/sito-ufficiale/squadra/rosa99-00/batistuta.html|archive-date=8 February 2002 }}</ref>
| position = [[Forward (association football)#Striker|Striker]]
| youthyears1 = 1987–1989
| youthclubs1 = [[Newell's Old Boys]]
| youthyears2 = 1982
| youthclubs2 = → [[Sportivo Italiano]] (loan)
| years1 = 1988–1989
| clubs1 = [[Newell's Old Boys]]
| caps1 = 24
| goals1 = 7
| years2 = 1989–1990
| clubs2 = [[Club Atlético River Plate|River Plate]]
| caps2 = 21
| goals2 = 4
| years3 = 1990–1991
| clubs3 = [[Boca Juniors]]
| caps3 = 34
| goals3 = 13
| years4 = 1991–2000
| clubs4 = [[ACF Fiorentina|Fiorentina]]
| caps4 = 269
| goals4 = 168
| years5 = 2000–2003
| clubs5 = [[AS Roma|Roma]]
| caps5 = 63
| goals5 = 30
| years6 = 2003
| clubs6 = → [[Inter Milan]] (loan)
| caps6 = 12
| goals6 = 2
| years7 = 2003–2005
| clubs7 = [[Al-Arabi SC (Qatar)|Al-Arabi]]
| caps7 = 21
| goals7 = 25
| totalcaps = 444
| totalgoals = 248
| nationalyears1 = 1991–2002
| nationalteam1 = [[Argentina national football team|Argentina]]
| nationalcaps1 = 78
| nationalgoals1 = 56
| medaltemplates = {{MedalSport|Men's [[association football|football]]}}
{{MedalCountry|{{fb|ARG}}}}
{{MedalCompetition|[[Copa América]]}}
{{Medal|Winner|[[1991 Copa América|1991 Chile]]|}}
{{Medal|Winner|[[1993 Copa América|1993 Ecuador]]|}}
{{MedalCompetition|[[CONMEBOL–UEFA Cup of Champions]]}}
{{Medal|W|[[1993 Artemio Franchi Cup|1993 Argentina]]|}}
{{MedalCompetition|[[FIFA Confederations Cup]]}}
{{Medal|Winner|[[1992 King Fahd Cup|1992 Saudi Arabia]]|}}
{{Medal|RU|[[1995 King Fahd Cup|1995 Saudi Arabia]]|}}
}}
'''Gabriel Omar Batistuta''' ({{IPA|es|ɡaˈβɾjel oˈmaɾ βatisˈtuta}};{{refn|group=note|In isolation, ''Batistuta'' is pronounced {{IPA|es|batisˈtuta|}}.}} born 1 February 1969) is an Argentine former professional [[Association football|footballer]]. During his playing career, Batistuta was nicknamed '''Batigol''' ({{IPA|es|batiˈɣol|}})<ref>{{cite web|title=When Batigol could not stop scoring|url=http://www.football-italia.net/55080/when-batigol-could-not-stop-scoring|author1=Giancarlo Rinaldi|date=29 August 2014|publisher=Football Italia|access-date=18 June 2017}}</ref> as well as '''El Ángel Gabriel''' ({{IPA|es|el ˌaŋxel ɣaˈβɾjel|}}; Spanish for ''[[Archangel Gabriel|Angel Gabriel]]''). Regarded as one of the best [[forward (association football)#Striker|striker]]s of all time, he was named by [[Pelé]] in the [[FIFA 100]] list of the world's greatest living players in 2004.<ref>{{cite news|title=Pele's list of the greatest|url=https://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/3533891.stm|date=4 March 2004|publisher=BBC Sport|access-date=15 June 2013}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Tighe |first=Sam |title=Ranking the Top 60 Strikers of All Time |url=https://bleacherreport.com/articles/1954831-ranking-the-top-60-strikers-of-all-time |access-date=23 May 2024 |website=Bleacher Report |language=en}}</ref>

After beginning his career in Argentina in 1988 with [[Newell's Old Boys]], followed by [[Club Atlético River Plate|River Plate]] and [[Boca Juniors]] where he won titles, Batistuta played most of his club football with [[Serie A]] club [[ACF Fiorentina|Fiorentina]] in [[Italy]]; he is [[List of ACF Fiorentina records and statistics|their all-time top scorer in Serie A]] with 151 goals.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.goaldentimes.org/gabriel-batistuta-%E2%80%93-fiorentina-icon-calcio-legend/ |title=Gabriel Batistuta – Fiorentina Icon, Calcio Legend : " rarely has a player come to symbolise their club in the same way that Batistuta defined Fiorentina during nine seasons from 1991 to 2000" |website=goaldentimes.org |access-date=11 February 2015 |archive-date=10 November 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171110130254/http://www.goaldentimes.org/gabriel-batistuta-%E2%80%93-fiorentina-icon-calcio-legend/ |url-status=dead }}</ref> When Fiorentina was [[relegated]] to [[Serie B]] in [[1992–93 Serie A|1993]], Batistuta stayed with the club and helped them return to the top-flight league a year later. He became an icon in Florence; the Fiorentina fans erected a life-size bronze statue of him in 1996, in recognition of his performances for the club.<ref name="Time"/> Despite winning the [[Coppa Italia]] and the [[Supercoppa Italiana]] with the club in 1996, he never won the Serie A title with Fiorentina, but when he moved to [[AS Roma|Roma]] in 2000 for €36 million – the highest fee ever paid for a player over the age of 30 until [[Cristiano Ronaldo]] moved from [[Real Madrid CF|Real Madrid]] to Juventus in 2018 – he won the [[2000–01 Serie A|2000–01 Serie A title]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.corrieredellosport.it/Calcio/2012/06/17-246461/Roma-scudetto,+racconta+il+tuo+17+giugno+2001 |title=Roma-scudetto, racconta il tuo 17 giugno 2001 |publisher=Corriere dello Sport |date=17 June 2012 |access-date=15 June 2013 |language=it |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140512221420/http://www.corrieredellosport.it/Calcio/2012/06/17-246461/Roma-scudetto,+racconta+il+tuo+17+giugno+2001 |archive-date=12 May 2014 |url-status=dead}}</ref> After a brief loan spell with [[Inter Milan]] in 2003, he played his last two seasons in [[Qatar]] with [[Al-Arabi SC (Qatar)|Al-Arabi]] before he retired in 2005.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://usatoday30.usatoday.com/sports/soccer/world/2005-03-13-batistuta-retirement_x.htm |title=Argentine striker Gabriel Batistuta retires from soccer |publisher=USA Today |date=14 March 2005 |access-date=15 June 2013}}</ref>

At international level, Batistuta was [[Argentina national football team#Top goalscorers|Argentina's all-time leading goalscorer]] with 56 goals in 78 official matches,{{refn|group=note|name="ARG"|54 goals in 77 appearances at one time because the [[Argentine Football Association]] didn't recognize 2 goals, even though [[FIFA]] did,<ref name="FIFA – The art of goalscoring">{{cite web |url=https://www.fifa.com/news/batistuta-you-can-t-teach-the-art-of-goalscoring-2852649 |title=Batistuta: You can't teach the art of goalscoring |publisher=FIFA |website=FIFA.com |date=24 January 2021 |access-date=13 November 2021 |archive-date=13 November 2021 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20211113011955/https://www.fifa.com/news/batistuta-you-can-t-teach-the-art-of-goalscoring-2852649 |url-status=live |language=en }}</ref> two goals Batistuta scored in a 6–0 home win against the [[Slovakia national under-21 football team|Slovakia national youth side]] on 22 June 1995, in [[Mendoza, Argentina|Mendoza]], a match which had originally been considered a full international by the Argentine FA but later was removed from the list of official matches. In the most recent update (last updated: 12 May 2022), this match appears to have been re-recognized as official.<ref name="RSSSF – Batistuta"/> }} a record he held until 21 June 2016, when he was surpassed by [[Lionel Messi]].<ref>{{cite web| url = https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/football/news/lionel-messi-becomes-argentinas-time-8252625| title = Lionel Messi becomes Argentina's all-time top goalscorer overtaking record set by Gabriel Batistuta - Mirror Online| website = [[Daily Mirror]]| date = 22 June 2016}}</ref> He participated in three [[FIFA World Cup]]s, scoring 10 goals, making him Argentina's second top scorer in the competition after Messi, and the joint [[FIFA World Cup top goalscorers#Overall top goalscorers|tenth-highest World Cup goalscorer]] of all time.<ref name=farewell>{{cite web |url=https://www.fifa.com/live-scores/news/y=2005/m=3/news=batistuta-bids-farewell-96669.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160628175829/http://www.fifa.com/live-scores/news/y=2005/m=3/news=batistuta-bids-farewell-96669.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=28 June 2016 |title=Batistuta bids farewell |publisher=FIFA.com |date=14 March 2005 |access-date=2 July 2016}}</ref> Batistuta is the only player in football history to score two hat-tricks in different World Cups. With the Argentina national team he won two consecutive [[Copa América]] titles ([[Copa América 1991|1991]] and [[Copa América 1993|1993]]), the [[1993 Artemio Franchi Cup|1993 CONMEBOL–UEFA Cup of Champions]], and the [[1992 FIFA Confederations Cup]].

== Personal life ==
Batistuta was born on 1 February 1969 to slaughterhouse worker Omar Batistuta and school secretary Gloria Zilli, in the town of Avellaneda, {{province|Santa Fe|Argentina}}, but grew up in the nearby city of [[Reconquista, Santa Fe|Reconquista]]. He has three older sisters, Elisa, Alejandra, and Gabriela.<ref>Gabriel Batistuta, Bocci; Polverosi; Rialti, Io Batigol racconto Batistuta, Roma, San Marco Sport Events, p. 17. 1997.</ref> Batistuta is a [[Roman Catholic]]. At the age of 16, he met Irina Fernández, his future wife, at her ''[[quinceañera]]'', a rite of passage on her 15th birthday. On 28 December 1990, they were married at Saint Roque Church.<ref name="Calamai">Luca Calamai, Il calcio di Batistuta ai raggi X, La Gazzetta dello Sport. p. 16. 2011.</ref>
The couple moved to [[Florence]], Italy, in 1991, and a year later their first son, Thiago, was born.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.sportmediaset.mediaset.it/calcio/articoli/articolo30494.shtml |title=Thiago Batistuta sul piccolo schermo |agency=TG Com 24|access-date=15 August 2018}}</ref> Thanks to good performances in the Italian championship and with the Argentina national team, Batistuta gained fame and respect. He filmed several commercials and was invited onto numerous TV shows, but in spite of this, Batistuta always remained a low-profile family man.<ref name="Calamai"/> In 1997, Batistuta's second son, Lucas, was born, and a third son, Joaquín, followed in 1999. He now has a fourth son Shamel. In 2000, Batistuta and his family moved to Rome, where he played for [[AS Roma|Roma]]. Two years after Shamel was born, Batistuta was loaned to Inter. In 2003, after 12 years in Italy, the family moved to [[Qatar]] where Batistuta had accepted a lucrative celebrity playing contract with a local team, [[Al-Arabi SC (Qatar)|Al-Arabi]], ending his career there in 2005.<ref name="Arabi"/> He moved back to Argentina in 2007.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.asroma.com/en/news/2016/2/10-facts-about-roma-s-scudetto-winning-striker |title=10 facts about Roma's Scudetto-winning striker |access-date=22 October 2015 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160207072808/https://www.asroma.com/en/news/2016/2/10-facts-about-roma-s-scudetto-winning-striker |archive-date=7 February 2016}} 10 facts about Roma's Scudetto-winning striker</ref>

Despite having completed his coaching badges in Argentina, he currently has no involvement with football, instead (primarily as he has difficulty walking) he prefers to play polo and golf, he was quoted saying: 'I don't like football, it's only my job'.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://viejasglorias.esfutbol.es/docs/El-futbol-no-me-gusta-solo-es-mi-trabajo-400.html |title="El fútbol no me gusta, sólo es mi trabajo" - Esfutbol.es |access-date=3 July 2014 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140714140240/http://viejasglorias.esfutbol.es/docs/El-futbol-no-me-gusta-solo-es-mi-trabajo-400.html |archive-date=14 July 2014}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://uk.eurosport.yahoo.com/blogs/early-doors/footballers-don-t-football-193946.html |title=Footballers who don't like football |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140715031230/https://uk.eurosport.yahoo.com/blogs/early-doors/footballers-don-t-football-193946.html |archive-date=15 July 2014}}</ref> In later interviews with [[FIFA]] he expanded: "I lived and breathed football", adding, "when I was playing football I never enjoyed it that much, I was never happy ... if I scored two goals, I wanted a third, I always wanted more. Now it's all over I can look back with satisfaction, but I never felt that way when I was playing."<ref>{{cite news |title=Batistuta's quiet goodbye |url=https://www.fifa.com/live-scores/news/y=2005/m=7/news=batistuta-quiet-goodbye-99144.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180228040305/http://www.fifa.com/live-scores/news/y=2005/m=7/news=batistuta-quiet-goodbye-99144.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=28 February 2018 |access-date=16 August 2018 |agency=FIFA}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=I lived and breathed football |url=https://www.fifa.com/live-scores/news/y=2017/m=7/news=batistuta-i-lived-and-breathed-football-2900564.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170711124019/http://www.fifa.com/live-scores/news/y=2017/m=7/news=batistuta-i-lived-and-breathed-football-2900564.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=11 July 2017 |access-date=16 August 2018 |agency=FIFA}}</ref> In 2006 he expressed an interest in coaching [[Australia men's national soccer team|Australia's]] and [[Argentina national football team|Argentina's national team]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.news.com.au/heraldsun/story/0,21985,22814950-11088,00.html |title=Herald Sun |website=Herald Sun}}</ref> During the [[2006 FIFA World Cup]], he worked as a commentator for [[Televisa Deportes]]. Batistuta currently runs his own construction company in Argentina. He also worked as technical secretary in the professional football club [[Club Atlético Colón|Colón]], joining the club's staff in January 2012, and leaving at the end of the 2012–13 season.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.reuters.com/article/soccer-argentina-batistuta-idUKL3E7NK65L20111220|title=Soccer-Batistuta takes technical job at Argentina's Colon|date=20 December 2011|access-date=11 February 2022|website=Reuters.com}}</ref>

Speaking in a television interview in Argentina in 2014, Batistuta said the pain suffered in his [[ankle]]s after retiring in 2005 became so intense that he "urinated in bed with the toilet only a few steps away. I couldn't move." He visited a doctor he knew asking his legs be amputated, but the doctor turned down his request.<ref>{{cite news |title=Batistuta asked legs be cut off to relieve pain |url=https://sg.sports.yahoo.com/news/batistuta-asked-legs-cut-off-180530380--sow.html |access-date=1 September 2014 |agency=The Associated Press |publisher=Yahoo News Network}}</ref> Although he later underwent surgery to relieve the pressure on his cartilage and tendons and his condition improved slightly, in a 2017 interview, he stated that he still had difficulty walking and faced mobility issues as a result of the stresses and injuries he faced throughout his football career due to overexerting himself.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/40560257 |title=Gabriel Batistuta: Argentina and Fiorentina legend has 'difficulty walking' |publisher=BBC Sport |date=10 July 2017 |access-date=10 July 2017}}</ref> He has, however, still been able to take part in charity football games, and in 2014, he scored twice – one a trademark finish with a powerful 35 yard strike into the roof of the net – in a game in Italy.<ref>{{cite news |title=Video: Gabriel Batistuta scored a very Gabriel Batistuta goal in a charity match last night |url=https://www.joe.ie/uncategorized/video-gabriel-batistuta-scored-a-very-gabriel-batistuta-goal-in-a-charity-match-last-night-431991 |access-date=18 August 2018 |agency=Joe.ie.}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=Gabriel Batistuta rolled back the years with a stunning goal last night |url=http://entertainment.ie/trending/news/Watch-Gabriel-Batistuta-rolled-back-the-years-with-a-stunning-goal-last-night/261889.htm |access-date=18 August 2018 |agency=Entertainment.ie}}</ref>

Batistuta lived in [[Perth]], [[Western Australia]] but due to personal reasons, he moved back to Argentina.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://theworldgame.sbs.com.au/fornaroli-aims-to-impress-argentine-legend-batistuta |title=Fornaroli aims to impress Argentine legend Batistuta &#124; the World Game |access-date=29 June 2021 |archive-date=29 June 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210629004020/https://theworldgame.sbs.com.au/fornaroli-aims-to-impress-argentine-legend-batistuta |url-status=dead }}</ref>

== Club career ==
=== Early career ===
As a child, Batistuta preferred other sports to football. Because of his height he played basketball, but after Argentina's victory in the [[1978 FIFA World Cup]], in which he was particularly impressed by the skills of [[Mario Kempes]], he devoted himself to football.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Hurrey |first1=Adam |title=Gabriel Batistuta – the long-haired assassin who arranged marriages of ball to net |url=https://www.unibet.co.uk/blog/football/serie-a/adam-hurrey's-90s-heroes-gabriel-batistuta-–-the-long-haired-assassin-who-arranged-marriages-of-ball-to-net-1.976711 |access-date=18 August 2018 |agency=Unibet}}</ref> After playing with friends on the streets and in the small ''Grupo Alegria'' club, Batistuta joined the local Platense junior team. While with Platense he was selected for the Reconquista team that won the provincial championship following victory over [[Newell's Old Boys]]. Batistuta's two goals drew the attention of the opposition team's coach [[Marcelo Bielsa]], and he signed a professional contract with Newell's in 1988.<ref name="Bielsa">{{cite news |title=Bielsa has it taped |url=https://www.theguardian.com/football/2002/jun/02/worldcupfootball2002.sport8 |access-date=17 August 2018 |work=The Guardian}}</ref>

=== Newell's Old Boys ===
At [[Newell's Old Boys]] under Bielsa, who would later become Batistuta's national coach with the Argentina national team, things did not come easily for him during his first year with the club. He was away from home, his family, and his girlfriend Irina, sleeping in a room at the stadium, and had a weight problem that slowed his progress.<ref name="Bielsa"/> At the end of that year, Batistuta was loaned to a smaller team, [[Sportivo Italiano|Deportivo Italiano]], with whom he participated in the Carnevale Cup in Italy, ending as top scorer with three goals. Under the guidance of Bielsa, whom Batistuta described in his autobiography as the most important coach he has ever had, and "the one who taught me how to train on rainy days, he taught me everything", he was physically transformed, fed encouragement, and was set on the path into the player he was to become.<ref name="Bielsa"/><ref name="Reunion"/>

=== River Plate ===
In mid-1989, Batistuta made the leap to one of Argentina's biggest clubs, [[Club Atlético River Plate|River Plate]], where he scored 4 goals and River Plate won the [[Argentine Primera División]] in 1990. However, he was drawn out of the team by the new manager [[Daniel Passarella]] in the mid-season, apparently with no specific reason. According to Batistuta, they never had a dispute.<ref name="youtube.com">"[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PerOS8-0e-4 "Hablemos de Futbol"], ESPN +, 2005-06-25. Hosts Victor Hugo Morales and Roberto Perfumo, guests Gabriel Batistuta and Diego Maradona.</ref> Passarella declared at that time "when Batistuta finds a team that be able to play to him he will be lethal" and highlighted his professionalism.<ref>"El Gráfico" Special Edition n. 61, 1990, May, page 52.</ref>

=== Boca Juniors ===
In 1990, Batistuta joined River Plate's [[Superclásico|arch rivals]], [[Boca Juniors]]. He initially found it hard to find his best form, in part not playing in his position. However, at the beginning of 1991, [[Óscar Tabárez]] became Boca Juniors' new manager and he gave Batistuta the support and put him into his best place in the field, the [[Centre-forward|centre of attack]], rather than as an [[winger (association football)|outside forward]]. Batistuta finished the season as the league's top scorer as Boca Juniors won the championship.<ref name="youtube.com"/><ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.corrieredellosport.it/news/calcio/ilcuoio/2020/10/30-75583316/maradona_compie_60_anni_buon_compleanno_diego_video |title=Maradona compie 60 anni: buon compleanno Diego VIDEO |work=corrieredellosport.it |language=it |date=30 October 2020 |access-date=30 November 2020 }}</ref>

=== Fiorentina ===
While playing for Argentina in the [[1991 Copa América]], the vice-president of [[ACF Fiorentina|Fiorentina]] was impressed by Batistuta's skills and signed him. He had a fine start in [[Serie A]], scoring 13 goals in his debut season. However, the following season, in [[1992–93 Serie A|1992–93]], Fiorentina lost in the relegation battle and were demoted to [[Serie B]], despite Batistuta's 16 league goals. The club returned to Serie A after [[1993–94 A.C. Fiorentina season|one season]] in Serie B, with the contribution of 16 goals from Batistuta and the management of [[Claudio Ranieri]], as Fiorentina captured the [[1993–94 Serie B]] title.<ref name="can Claudio Ranieri finally win a major title">{{cite web |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/teams/leicester-city/12149043/Leicester-City-top-of-the-Premier-League-but-can-Claudio-Ranieri-finally-win-a-title.html |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220112/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/teams/leicester-city/12149043/Leicester-City-top-of-the-Premier-League-but-can-Claudio-Ranieri-finally-win-a-title.html |archive-date=12 January 2022 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live |title=Leicester City top of the Premier League – but can Claudio Ranieri finally win a major title? |publisher=The Telegraph |author1=Jonathan Liew |date=9 February 2016 |access-date=27 April 2016}}{{cbignore}}</ref>
[[File:Omar Batistuta.jpg|thumb|left|upright|Batistuta holding his old [[forward (association football)|number 9]] Fiorentina jersey at a 2014 ceremony inducting him into the club's hall of fame]]
At Fiorentina, Batistuta found his best form. He was the [[Capocannoniere|top scorer]] of the [[1994–95 Serie A]] season with 26 goals, and he broke [[Ezio Pascutti]]'s 32-year-old [[Football records in Italy#Most consecutive Serie A appearances with at least one goal scored since the start of a single season|record by scoring in all of the first 11 matches of the season]].<ref>{{cite news |title=8 of the greatest ever scoring streaks – starring Batistuta, Ronaldo, Messi and Muller |url=https://www.fourfourtwo.com/us/features/8-greatest-ever-scoring-streaks-starring-batistuta-ronaldo-messi-and-muller |access-date=17 August 2018 |work=Four Four Two}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.uefa.com/memberassociations/news/newsid=2062223.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140228122909/http://www.uefa.com/memberassociations/news/newsid=2062223.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=28 February 2014 |title=Longest goalscoring runs in Europe's top leagues |last=UEFA.com |date=28 November 2015 |access-date=27 January 2019}}</ref> In the [[1995–96 Serie A|1995–96]] season, Batistuta, alongside [[Rui Costa]] and [[Francesco Baiano]], helped the club to go on a 15-match unbeaten run, as they eventually ended the season with a fourth-place league finish. Fiorentina also won the [[1995–96 Coppa Italia|Coppa Italia]] and [[1996 Supercoppa Italiana|Supercoppa Italiana]] over [[AC Milan]]; in the two-legged Coppa Italia final against [[Atalanta BC|Atalanta]], Batistuta scored a goal in each fixture as Fiorentina won 3–0 on aggregate.<ref name="can Claudio Ranieri finally win a major title"/><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.rsssf.org/tablesi/italcup96.html |title=Coppa Italia 1995/96 |website=[[RSSSF]] |access-date=17 June 2013}}</ref> The [[1996–97 Serie A|next season]] was less successful, as Fiorentina finished in a disappointing ninth place in the league, although the team managed to reach the semi-finals of the [[1996–97 UEFA Cup Winners' Cup]], losing out to eventual champions [[FC Barcelona|Barcelona]],<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.uefa.org/news/newsid%3D1475112.html |title=Barcelona in need of repeat show |publisher=UEFA.org |date=21 April 2010 |access-date=16 July 2016}}</ref> despite scoring a goal in a 1–1 away draw in the first leg.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football-batistuta-to-the-rescue-1266513.html |title=Football: Batistuta to the rescue |work=The Independent |date=10 April 1997 |access-date=16 July 2016}}</ref> Scoring over 20 league goals in each of the next three seasons – made all the more impressive given Serie A was the strongest league in the world and the hardest to score in with the best defences – as well as spectacular powerful strikes against [[Arsenal F.C.|Arsenal]] and [[Manchester United F.C.|Manchester United]] in the [[UEFA Champions League]], Batistuta came third for [[FIFA World Player of the Year]] in 1999.<ref name="FIFA">[https://web.archive.org/web/20131202232047/http://www.fifa.com/ballondor/archive/edition=1999901999/ "Rivaldo on top of the world"] FIFA.com. Retrieved 17 November 2013</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=Serie A in the '90s: when Baggio, Batistuta and Italian football ruled the world |url=https://www.fourfourtwo.com/features/serie-a-90s-when-baggio-batistuta-and-italian-football-ruled-world |access-date=15 August 2018 |work=Four Four Two}}</ref> Batistuta and [[Ronaldo (Brazilian footballer)|Ronaldo]] were the two best strikers in Serie A, with their duels the most anticipated in Italy.<ref>{{cite news |title=European Football: Ronaldo's duel with Batistuta |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/european-football-ronaldos-duel-with-batistuta-1240337.html |access-date=15 August 2018 |newspaper=The Independent}}</ref>

After his failure to win the Italian championship with Fiorentina, Batistuta started considering a transfer to a bigger team. In an effort to keep Batistuta, Fiorentina hired [[Giovanni Trapattoni]] as coach and promised to do everything to win the ''Scudetto''. After an excellent start to the season, Batistuta suffered an injury that kept him out of action for more than a month. Losing momentum, Fiorentina lost the lead and finished the season in third place, although the result enabled them to participate in the Champions League the following season.<ref name="Animal magic inspires Napoli">{{cite news |url=https://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/1105582.stm |title=Animal magic inspires Napoli |work=BBC News |date=7 January 2001 |access-date=24 October 2015}}</ref><ref>[https://baji-live.net/blog/gabriel-batistuta/ Gabriel Batistuta – J9's Ambassador]</ref>

In addition to the fans erecting a life-size bronze statue of him in Florence, Batistuta was inducted into the club's hall of fame in 2014. An emotional Batistuta told the audience at the ceremony: "From the moment I arrived at Fiorentina I wanted a place in the history of the club – and now I can say I have succeeded."<ref>{{cite news |title=Gabriel Batistuta in tears after being inducted into Fiorentina hall of fame |url=https://www.theguardian.com/football/2014/oct/08/gabriel-batistuta-tears-fiorentina-hall-fame |access-date=15 August 2018 |work=The Guardian}}</ref>

=== Roma ===
{{quote box|width=28%|align=right|quote="I played the whole match with these conflicting thoughts in my head - I am sorry for Fiorentina. It was important, though, because I want to win for Roma so I was trying hard but I can not forget my past. Certainly I cannot say that I am happy to have scored against my former team-mates, but Roma wanted the win."|source=—Batistuta on his conflicting emotions playing for Roma against Fiorentina in November 2000.<ref name="Volley"/>}}
Batistuta stayed at Fiorentina for the [[1999–2000 Serie A|1999–2000]] season, tempted by the chance of winning both the Scudetto and the Champions League. After a promising start in both competitions, the team only reached seventh in the league and were eliminated in the second round group phase of the European tournament. The following season, he was transferred to [[AS Roma|Roma]] in a deal worth 70 billion [[Italian lira|lire]] (€36.2&nbsp;million)<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.borsaitaliana.it/bitApp/view.bit?lang=it&target=DocViewerDownload&filename=db%2Fpdf%2F1094.pdf |title=BILANCIO D'ESERCIZIO E CONSOLIDATO DI GRUPPO AL 30 GIUGNO 2000 |date=28 June 2001 |language=it |access-date=24 March 2015 |work=AS Roma |publisher=Borsa Italiana Archive |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161221001137/http://www.borsaitaliana.it/bitApp/view.bit?lang=it&target=DocViewerDownload&filename=db%2Fpdf%2F1094.pdf |archive-date=21 December 2016 |url-status=dead }}</ref> and signed a three-year contract, which earned 14.8 billion Italian lire (€7.6 million) per year before tax.<ref>{{cite news |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20020214173355/http://www.asromacalcio.it/sito-ufficiale/news/articolo31.html |url=http://www.asromacalcio.it/sito-ufficiale/news/articolo31.html |title=Gabriel Batistuta è della Roma |date=2 June 2000 |access-date=1 April 2010 |archive-date=14 February 2002 |work=AS Roma |language=it}}</ref> The fee paid for Batistuta became the highest fee ever paid for a player over the age of 30.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.theguardian.com/football/2014/jun/04/most-clubs-paid-player-in-30s |title=What is the most that clubs have paid for a player in their 30s? |first=Ian |last=McCourt |date=3 June 2014 |newspaper=The Guardian}}</ref> The record was broken in 2017 when [[Leonardo Bonucci]] was signed by [[AC Milan]] on a five-year contract for a €42 million fee.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.football-italia.net/105744/official-milan-sign-bonucci |title=Official: Milan sign Bonucci |publisher=Football Italia |date=14 July 2017}}</ref><ref>{{cite press release |url=http://www.juventus.com/en/news/news/2017/grazie-leo.php |title=Grazie, Leo |date=14 July 2017|access-date=15 July 2017 |publisher=Juventus FC}}</ref>

During the [[2000–01 Serie A|2000–01]] season, Batistuta finally garnered a Serie A winners' medal, scoring 20 league goals, as Roma clinched the Scudetto for the first time since [[1982–83 Serie A|1983]],<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.goal.com/en/news/1717/editorial/2009/09/23/1518222/roman-soldier-2001-roma-scudetto-winners-where-are-they-now |title=Roman Soldier: 2001 Roma Scudetto Winners – Where Are They Now? |publisher=Goal.com |date=23 September 2009 |access-date=15 June 2013}}</ref> including a goal in the 3–1 title-deciding victory over [[Parma AC|Parma]] on 17 June 2001 at the [[Stadio Olimpico]] in Rome.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.repubblica.it/online/campionato_partite/romaparma/romaparma/romaparma.html|title=Roma, show all'Olimpico per la festa scudetto|work=la Repubblica|language=it|date=17 June 2011|access-date=29 July 2016}}</ref> On 26 November 2000 Batistuta scored an 83rd-minute winner with a right-foot volley from 30 yards in a league game against Fiorentina in Rome – visibly upset having done so he [[Goal celebration#Notable non-celebrations|refused to celebrate]] with his Roma teammates.<ref name="Volley">{{cite news |title=Winner reduces Batistuta to tears |url=https://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/europe/1042249.stm |access-date=15 August 2018 |agency=BBC}}</ref> Before the match he ran over to the 3,000 Fiorentina fans and saluted them, and did the same at full time, receiving adoration in return, before he left the stadium in tears.<ref name="Volley"/> Sean Ingle, match reporter for ''The Guardian'', wrote, "Batistuta breaks Florentine hearts, and his own."<ref>{{cite news |title=Batistuta breaks Florentine hearts, and his own |url=https://www.theguardian.com/football/2000/nov/28/europeanfootball.sport1 |access-date=15 August 2018 |work=The Guardian}}</ref> The following season with Roma, he changed his shirt number from 18 to 20 in reference to the number of goals he had scored during the Scudetto winning campaign.<ref name="Roma"/> He also wore his age on the back of his Roma shirt in 2002, number 33.<ref name="Roma">{{cite news |title=10 facts about Roma's Scudetto-winning striker |url=http://www.asroma.com/en/news/2016/2/10-facts-about-roma-s-scudetto-winning-striker |access-date=17 August 2018 |agency=AS Roma}}</ref>

==== Loan to Inter Milan ====
Now aged 34, Batistuta failed to find form with Roma and was loaned out to [[Inter Milan]], scoring two goals in twelve matches, although he did provide assists for [[Christian Vieri]].<ref>{{cite news|title=Batistuta bids farewell|agency=FIFA|url=https://www.fifa.com/live-scores/news/y=2005/m=3/news=batistuta-bids-farewell-96669.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160628175829/http://www.fifa.com/live-scores/news/y=2005/m=3/news=batistuta-bids-farewell-96669.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=28 June 2016|access-date=18 August 2018}}</ref> Batistuta sought a move to England to play with [[Fulham F.C.|Fulham]], but the deal never transpired.<ref>{{cite news|date=7 June 2002|title=Fulham rejected Batistuta|agency=BBC News|url=https://news.bbc.co.uk/sport3/worldcup2002/hi/team_pages/argentina/newsid_2030000/2030810.stm}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|date=18 December 2002|title=Fulham head Batistuta chase|agency=BBC News|url=https://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/eng_prem/2583723.stm}}</ref>

=== Al-Arabi ===
He departed Italy for Qatar in 2003, joining [[Al-Arabi SC (Qatar)|Al-Arabi]] on a free transfer in a deal worth $8 million. Batistuta ended the season by netting 25 goals, thus surpassing the record for most goals scored, which was previously held by Qatari legend [[Mansour Muftah]].<ref name="Arabi">{{cite news |title=Batistuta keen to avoid Qatar v England in 2022 Cup bid |url=https://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/8469862.stm |access-date=13 August 2018 |agency=BBC}}</ref> Batistuta announced his retirement in 2005.<ref>{{cite news |title=Gabriel Batistuta: Argentina and Fiorentina legend has 'difficulty walking' |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/40560257 |access-date=15 August 2018 |agency=BBC}}</ref>

== International career ==
In 1991, Batistuta was selected to play for [[Argentina national football team|Argentina]] in the [[1991 Copa América|Copa América]] held in [[Chile]], where he finished the tournament as top scorer with six goals as Argentina romped to victory.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://muyfutbol.com/36561/equipos-historicos-argentina-1991-la-era-post-maradona-y-un-comienzo-auspicioso/ |title=Equipos históricos: Argentina 1991, la era post Maradona y un comienzo auspicioso |publisher=Muy Futbol |date=31 August 2012 |access-date=15 June 2013 |language=es |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130618105830/http://muyfutbol.com/36561/equipos-historicos-argentina-1991-la-era-post-maradona-y-un-comienzo-auspicioso/ |archive-date=18 June 2013}}</ref> The following year, he won the [[1992 FIFA Confederations Cup|FIFA Confederations Cup]] with Argentina, finishing as the tournament's top scorer. In 1993, Batistuta played in his second [[1993 Copa América|Copa América]], this time held in [[Ecuador]], which Argentina won with Batistuta scoring both goals in a 2–1 win over [[Mexico national football team|Mexico]] in the final.<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20090321081724/http://rsssf.com/tables/93safull.html "1993 Copa America"]. Rsssf. Retrieved 17 August 2018</ref>

The [[1994 FIFA World Cup|1994 World Cup]], held in the [[United States]], was a disappointment. After a promising start Argentina were beaten by [[Romania national football team|Romania]] in the last 16. The morale of the team was seriously affected by [[Diego Maradona]]'s doping suspension. Despite the disappointing Argentine exit, Batistuta scored four goals in as many games, including a [[hat-trick]] in their opening game against [[Greece national football team|Greece]].<ref>{{cite web |url=https://archive.seattletimes.com/archive/19940621/1916661/batistuta-maradona-star-in-argentinas-4-0-win-over-greece |title=Batistuta, Maradona Star in Argentina's 4–0 Win Over Greece |publisher=Seattle Times |date=21 June 1994 |access-date=15 June 2013 |archive-date=14 July 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140714122600/http://community.seattletimes.nwsource.com/archive/?date=19940621&slug=1916661 |url-status=live }}</ref>

During the qualification matches for the [[1998 FIFA World Cup|1998 World Cup]] (with former River Plate manager [[Daniel Passarella]]) Batistuta was left out of the majority of the games after falling out with the coach over team rules. The two eventually put the dispute aside and Batistuta was recalled for the tournament. In the game against [[Jamaica national football team|Jamaica]], he recorded the second hat-trick of his World Cup career, becoming the fourth player to achieve this (the others were [[Sándor Kocsis]], [[Just Fontaine]], and [[Gerd Müller]]) and the first to score a hat-trick in two [[FIFA World Cup|World Cup]]s. Argentina were knocked out of the World Cup by the [[Netherlands national football team|Netherlands]] courtesy of a last-minute [[Dennis Bergkamp]] winner after the two sides had been locked at 1–1 for more than 70 minutes.

After a good series of performances by Argentina in the qualification matches for the [[2002 FIFA World Cup|2002 World Cup]], hopes were high that the South Americans – now managed by [[Marcelo Bielsa]] – could win the trophy, and Batistuta announced that he planned to quit the national team at the end of the tournament, which Argentina aimed to win. But Argentina's "[[group of death]]" saw the team fall at the first hurdle, only managing a victory against [[Nigeria national football team|Nigeria]] (Batistuta scored the match's only goal).<ref name="Reunion">{{cite news |url=https://www.foxsports.com.ar/news/356530-batistuta-hoy-me-encontre-con-bielsa-por-primera-vez-desde-el-mundial- |title=Batistuta: "Today I met Bielsa for the first time since the 2002 World Cup" |agency=Fox Sports|access-date=16 August 2018}}</ref> They later fell to [[England national football team|England]] 1–0 and managed a mere 1–1 tie against [[Sweden men's national football team|Sweden]]. This meant that the team was knocked out in the opening round for the first time since 1962. With 54 goals from 77 games, Batistuta was the record goalscorer for Argentina, a record he held until it was surpassed by [[Lionel Messi]] in 2016.<ref name="record"/> Batistuta admitted he was a little annoyed at losing the record, stating, "You go around the world and people say, 'he's the top scorer for the Argentina national team', before he then added, "But the advantage I have is that I'm second to an extraterrestrial."<ref name="record">{{cite news |title=Gabriel Batistuta - Lionel Messi taking my Argentina record annoyed me |url=http://www.espn.co.uk/football/argentina/story/3268110/gabriel-batistuta-lionel-messi-taking-my-argentina-record-annoyed-me |access-date=15 August 2018 |agency=ESPN}}</ref>

== Style of play ==
{{quote box|width=25%|align=right|quote="Batistuta, dubbed "Batigol" by his fans, is the most successful striker of his generation, having achieved mythic status at Italian club Fiorentina in the 1990s before moving to AS Roma. With his shoulder-length blond hair and soulful eyes, he looks a likely lead in Jesus Christ Superstar, but he has the instincts of a cold-blooded killer."|source=—Bobby Ghosh writing for ''[[Time (magazine)|Time]]'' magazine, 2002.<ref name="Time">{{cite news |last1=Ghosh |first1=Bobby |title=Splitting a Pair |url=http://content.time.com/time/arts/article/0,8599,257149-2,00.html |access-date=15 August 2018 |work=Time magazine |archive-date=22 March 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190322104426/http://content.time.com/time/arts/article/0,8599,257149-2,00.html |url-status=dead }}</ref>}}
A quick, hard-working, and powerful player, with an eye for goal and a good all-round game, Batistuta is considered one of the most complete, feared and prolific strikers of his generation.<ref name="Time"/><ref name=britannica>{{cite web |url=https://www.britannica.com/biography/Gabriel-Batistuta |title=Gabriel Batistuta |publisher=Encyclopædia Britannica |author1=Natalia Cardenas |date=23 June 2016 |access-date=19 January 2017}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://usatoday30.usatoday.com/sports/soccer/world/2005-03-13-batistuta-retirement_x.htm |title=Argentine striker Gabriel Batistuta retires from soccer |publisher=USA Today |date=13 March 2005 |access-date=19 January 2017}}</ref> As a [[Striker (association football)|striker]], he was primarily known for his technique, offensive movement off the ball, strength in the air, and powerful, clinical finishing ability with both feet from anywhere on the pitch, despite being naturally right-footed.
{{blockquote|Batistuta struck shots with such controlled violence you'd think he had a vendetta against balls. And nets.|[[Talksport]] on the World Cup's most iconic players, Batistuta, May 2018.<ref>{{cite news |title=The World Cup's most iconic players: Argentina striker Gabriel Batistuta aka 'Batigol' |url=https://talksport.com/football/361501/world-cups-most-iconic-players-argentina-striker-gabriel-batistuta-aka-batigol-180420279699/ |access-date=15 August 2018 |agency=Talksport}}</ref>}}

Batistuta also possessed an excellent positional sense, as well as an ability to anticipate defenders in the area, score acrobatic goals from [[Volley (association football)|volley]]s or [[bicycle kick]]s, and strike the ball first time from tight angles while on the run. He was also highly regarded due to his accurate heading and powerful [[Direct free kick|free-kick]] taking abilities; although he was a competent [[Penalty kick (association football)|penalty]] taker, his conversion rate from the spot throughout his career was less reliable. In addition to his skill and goalscoring abilities, Batistuta frequently stood out on the pitch throughout his career due to his leadership and fair-play.<ref name="One2Eleven">{{cite web |url=http://www.skysports.com/watch/news/10705992/rui-costa-picks-his-one2eleven-on-the-fantasy-football-club |title=Rui Costa picks his #One2Eleven on The Fantasy Football Club |publisher=Sky Sports |date=23 December 2012 |access-date=27 March 2017}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://archiviostorico.gazzetta.it/1998/novembre/14/Batistuta_manca_una_casella_ga_0_9811141586.shtml |title=A Batistuta manca una casella |publisher=La Gazzetta dello Sport |language=it |author1=Luca Calamai |date=14 November 1998 |access-date=27 March 2017}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://ricerca.repubblica.it/repubblica/archivio/repubblica/2000/11/22/batistuta-piu-pericoloso-senza-palla.html |title='Batistuta? Più pericoloso senza palla' |publisher=La Repubblica |language=it |author1=ALESSANDRO DI MARIA |date=22 November 2000 |access-date=27 March 2017}}</ref> [[Diego Maradona]] stated that Batistuta is the best striker he has ever seen play the game.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://bleacherreport.com/articles/1617278-radamel-falcao-the-natural-heir-to-gabriel-batistuta |title=Radamel Falcao: The Natural Heir to Gabriel Batistuta |publisher=Bleacher Report |date=25 April 2013 |access-date=15 June 2013}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.goal.com/en-gb/news/2889/south-america/2013/03/26/3854041/why-messi-will-struggle-to-surpass-batistutas-argentina |title=Why Messi will struggle to surpass Batistuta's Argentina record |publisher=Goal.com |date=26 March 2013 |access-date=15 June 2013}}</ref> Batistuta's [[goal celebration]] – both arms upturned with his fists clenched – features in his statue placed next to those of Maradona and Messi in an emblematic square in the [[Recoleta, Buenos Aires|Recoleta]] district of Buenos Aires.<ref>{{cite news |title=Lionel Messi, Diego Maradona y Gabriel Batistuta, homenajeados en Recoleta |url=https://www.lanacion.com.ar/1698742-lionel-messi-diego-maradona-y-gabriel-batistuta-homenajeados-en-recoleta |access-date=18 August 2018 |work=La Nacion}}</ref> Batistuta also often celebrated a goal by pretending he was firing a machine gun.<ref>{{cite news |title=Golden Goal: Gabriel Batistuta for Fiorentina v Arsenal (1999) |url=https://www.theguardian.com/football/blog/2015/dec/04/golden-goal-gabriel-batistuta-for-fiorentina-v-arsenal-1999 |access-date=9 October 2018 |work=The Guardian}}</ref> Batistuta suffered several injuries throughout his career, which often limited his playing time and fitness, in particular in his later career, which would eventually force him to retire.<ref>{{cite news |title=A nice problem for Argentina: Crespo or Batistuta? |url=http://www.cbc.ca/sports/soccer/a-nice-problem-for-argentina-crespo-or-batistuta-1.352488 |publisher=CBC Sports |access-date=19 January 2017 |date=20 August 2002}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.football-italia.net/node/16622 |title=Batistuta 'can't play football' anymore |publisher=Football Italia |date=13 March 2012 |access-date=19 January 2017}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.fcinter1908.it/ultimora/campioni-tormentati-dagli-infortuni-gli-addii-piu-tristi-del-calcio/7/ |title=Campioni tormentati dagli infortuni: gli addii più tristi del calcio |publisher=FC Inter 1908 |language=it |author1=Eva A. Provenzano |date=7 December 2016 |access-date=20 January 2017}}</ref>

== Filmography ==
{| class="wikitable sortable"
|-
! Year
! Title
! Role
! class="unsortable" | Notes
|-
|1999
|''[[Muñeca brava]]''
|Himself
|Episode 99; features a scene in which Batistuta is interviewed by [[Natalia Oreiro]]
|}

== Career statistics ==
=== Club ===
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|+ Appearances and goals by club, season and competition<ref>{{WorldFootball.net|gabriel-batistuta}}</ref><ref>{{BDFA|2066}}</ref>
|-
!rowspan="2"|Club
!rowspan="2"|Season
!rowspan="2"|Division
!colspan="2"|League
!colspan="2"|National cup{{efn|Includes [[Coppa Italia]], [[Emir of Qatar Cup]]}}
!colspan="2"|Continental
!colspan="2"|Other
!colspan="2"|Total
|-
!Apps!!Goals!!Apps!!Goals!!Apps!!Goals!!Apps!!Goals!!Apps!!Goals
|-
|[[Newell's Old Boys]]
|[[1988–89 Argentine Primera División|1988–89]]
|[[Argentine Primera División|Primera División]]
|24||7||colspan="2"|—||4||1||colspan="2"|—||28||8
|-
|[[Club Atlético River Plate|River Plate]]
|[[1989–90 Argentine Primera División|1989–90]]
|Primera División
|21||4||colspan="2"|—||2||0||colspan="2"|—||23||4
|-
|[[Boca Juniors]]
|[[1990–91 Argentine Primera División|1990–91]]
|Primera División
|34||13||colspan="2"|—||12||6||colspan="2"|—||46||19
|-
|rowspan="10"|[[ACF Fiorentina|Fiorentina]]
|[[1991–92 AC Fiorentina season|1991–92]]
|[[Serie A]]
|27||13||3||1||colspan="2"|—||colspan="2"|—||30||14
|-
|[[1992–93 AC Fiorentina season|1992–93]]
|Serie A
|32||16||3||3||colspan="2"|—||colspan="2"|—||35||19
|-
|[[1993–94 AC Fiorentina season|1993–94]]
|[[Serie B]]
|26||16||3||3||colspan="2"|—||colspan="2"|—||29||19
|-
|[[1994–95 AC Fiorentina season|1994–95]]
|Serie A
|32||26||5||2||colspan="2"|—||colspan="2"|—||37||28
|-
|[[1995–96 AC Fiorentina season|1995–96]]
|Serie A
|31||19||8||8||colspan="2"|—||colspan="2"|—||39||27
|-
|[[1996–97 AC Fiorentina season|1996–97]]
|Serie A
|32||13||1||0||7{{efn|Appearances in [[UEFA Cup Winners' Cup]]}}||4||1{{efn|name=SCI|Appearance in [[Supercoppa Italiana]]}}||2||41||19
|-
|[[1997–98 AC Fiorentina season|1997–98]]
|Serie A
|31||21||5||3||colspan="2"|—||colspan="2"|—||36||24
|-
|[[1998–99 AC Fiorentina season|1998–99]]
|Serie A
|28||21||9||4||4{{efn|name=UC|Appearances in [[UEFA Cup]]}}||1||colspan="2"|—||41||26
|-
|[[1999–2000 AC Fiorentina season|1999–2000]]
|Serie A
|30||23||2||0||11{{efn|name=UCL|Appearances in [[UEFA Champions League]]}}||6||colspan="2"|—||43||29
|-
!colspan="2"|Total
!269!!167!!39!!24!!22!!10!!1!!2!!331!!204
|-
|rowspan="4"|[[AS Roma|Roma]]
|[[2000–01 AS Roma season|2000–01]]
|Serie A
|28||20||0||0||4{{efn|name=UC}}||1||colspan="2"|—||32||21
|-
|[[2001–02 AS Roma season|2001–02]]
|Serie A
|23||6||0||0||11{{efn|name=UCL}}||0||1{{efn|name=SCI}}||0||35||6
|-
|[[2002–03 AS Roma season|2002–03]]
|Serie A
|12||4||2||1||6{{efn|name=UCL}}||1||colspan="2"|—||20||6
|-
!colspan="2"|Total
!63!!30!!2!!1!!21!!2!!1!!0!!87!!33
|-
|[[Inter Milan]] (loan)
|[[2002–03 Inter Milan season|2002–03]]
|Serie A
|12||2||colspan="2"|—||colspan="2"|—||colspan="2"|—||12||2
|-
|rowspan="3"|[[Al-Arabi SC (Qatar)|Al-Arabi]]
|[[2003–04 Qatar Stars League|2003–04]]
|[[Qatar Stars League]]
|18||25||2||1||colspan="2"|—||colspan="2"|—||20||26
|-
|[[2004–05 Qatar Stars League|2004–05]]
|Qatar Stars League
|3||0||1||1||colspan="2"|—||colspan="2"|—||4||1
|-
!colspan="2"|Total
!21!!25!!3!!2!!colspan="2"|—!!colspan="2"|—!!24!!29
|-
!colspan="3"|Career total
!444!!248!!44!!27!!61!!20!!2!!2!!551!!299
|}
{{notelist}}

=== International ===
{{main|List of international goals scored by Gabriel Batistuta}}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|+ Appearances and goals by national team and year<ref name="RSSSF – Batistuta">{{cite web |last=Mamrud |first=Roberto |title=Gabriel Omar Batistuta – Goals in international matches |url=https://www.rsssf.org/miscellaneous/batistuta-intlg.html |access-date=3 June 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220603063739/http://www.rsssf.com/miscellaneous/batistuta-intlg.html |archive-date=3 June 2022 |website=[[RSSSF]] |url-status=live |language=en }}</ref>
|-
!National team!!Year!!Apps!!Goals
|-
|rowspan="12"|[[Argentina national football team|Argentina]]
|1991||7||6
|-
|1992||5||6
|-
|1993||15||6
|-
|1994||10||6
|-
|1995||11||9
|-
|1996||5||3
|-
|1997||2||0
|-
|1998||12||12
|-
|1999||2||2
|-
|2000||5||4
|-
|2001||1||1
|-
|2002||3||1
|-
!colspan="2"|Total!!78!!56
|}

== Honours ==
'''Newell's Old Boys'''
* [[Copa Libertadores]] runner-up: [[1988 Copa Libertadores|1988]]

'''River Plate'''
* [[Argentine Primera División]]: [[1989–90 Argentine Primera División|1989–90]]

'''Fiorentina'''
* [[Coppa Italia]]: [[1995–96 Coppa Italia|1995–96]]
* [[Supercoppa Italiana]]: [[1996 Supercoppa Italiana|1996]]
* [[Serie B]]: [[1993–94 Serie B|1993–94]]

'''Roma'''
* [[Serie A]]: [[2000–01 Serie A|2000–01]]
* Supercoppa Italiana: [[2001 Supercoppa Italiana|2001]]

'''Argentina'''
* [[Copa América]]: [[1991 Copa América|1991]], [[1993 Copa América|1993]]
* [[FIFA Confederations Cup]]: [[1992 King Fahd Cup|1992]]
* [[CONMEBOL–UEFA Cup of Champions]]: [[Artemio Franchi Trophy#1993|1993]]

'''Individual'''
* [[Copa América records and statistics|Copa América Golden Boot]]: [[1991 Copa América|1991]], [[1995 Copa América|1995]]
* FIFA Confederations Cup top scorer: [[1992 King Fahd Cup|1992]]
* [[Capocannoniere|Serie A top scorer]]: [[1994–95 Serie A#Top scorers|1994–95]]<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.rsssf.org/tablesi/italtops.html |title=Italy – Serie A Top Scorers |author1=Roberto Di Maggio |author2=Igor Kramarsic |author3=Alberto Novello |date=11 June 2015 |access-date=2 December 2015 |url-status=live |website=[[RSSSF]] |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151031163443/http://www.rsssf.com/tablesi/italtops.html |archive-date=31 October 2015}}</ref>
* Coppa Italia top scorer: [[1995-96 Coppa Italia|1995–96]]<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.rsssf.org/tablesi/italcuptops.html |title=Italy – Coppa Italia Top Scorers |author1=Roberto Di Maggio |author2=Davide Rota |date=4 June 2015 |access-date=15 June 2015 |url-status=live |website=[[RSSSF]] |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151029033413/http://www.rsssf.com/tablesi/italcuptops.html |archive-date=29 October 2015}}</ref>
* [[FIFA World Cup Bronze Boot|FIFA World Cup Silver Shoe]]: [[1998 FIFA World Cup|1998]]<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.fifa.com/worldcup/archive/france1998/awards/index.html?intcmp=fifacom_hp_module_news |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150602191015/http://www.fifa.com/worldcup/archive/france1998/awards/index.html?intcmp=fifacom_hp_module_news |url-status=dead |archive-date=2 June 2015 |title=Awards |access-date=30 January 2015 |publisher=FIFA.com}}</ref>
* [[Argentine Player of the Year]]: 1998
* [[European Sports Media|ESM Team of the Year]]: [[European Sports Media#1998–1999|1998–1999]]<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.rsssf.org/miscellaneous/esm-xi.html |title=ESM XI |author1=Karel Stokkermans |date=14 March 2007 |access-date=29 November 2015 |url-status=live |website=[[RSSSF]] |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160207144925/http://www.rsssf.com/miscellaneous/esm-xi.html |archive-date=7 February 2016}}</ref>
* [[Serie A Foreign Footballer of the Year]]: 1999<ref name="Guerin d'Oro">{{cite web |url=https://www.rsssf.org/miscellaneous/italpoy.html |title=Italy – Footballer of the Year |access-date=6 February 2015 |url-status=live |website=[[RSSSF]] |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150121013030/http://www.rsssf.com/miscellaneous/italpoy.html |archive-date=21 January 2015}}</ref>
* [[FIFA World Player of the Year]] bronze award: [[1999 FIFA World Player of the Year|1999]]<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.fifa.com/ballon-dor/history/edition=1999/overview.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150602185316/http://www.fifa.com/ballon-dor/history/edition=1999/overview.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=2 June 2015 |title=Rivaldo on top of the world |access-date=27 January 2015 |publisher=FIFA.com}}</ref>
* [[Ballon d'Or]]: [[1998 Ballon d'Or|1998]] (6th place), [[1999 Ballon d'Or|1999]] (4th place), [[2000 Ballon d'Or|2000]] (7th place)
* [[FIFA 100]]<ref name="Pele">{{cite news |url=https://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/3533891.stm |title=Pele's list of the greatest |publisher=BBC Sport |date=4 March 2004 |access-date=15 June 2013}}</ref>
* [[Qatar Stars League#Top goalscorers|Qatari League top scorer]]: 2003–04
* [[Italian Football Hall of Fame]]: 2013<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.gazzetta.it/Calcio/27-10-2015/hall-of-fame-vialli-mancini-facchetti-ronaldo-herrera-agnelli-tardelli-ferlaino-130676725232.shtml |title=Hall of fame, 10 new entry: con Vialli e Mancini anche Facchetti e Ronaldo|trans-title=Hall of fame, 10 new entries: with Vialli and Mancini also Facchetti and Ronaldo |publisher=La Gazzetta dello Sport |language=it |date=27 October 2015 |access-date=27 October 2015}}</ref>
* [[ACF Fiorentina Hall of Fame]]: 2014<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.violanews.com/news-viola/iv-hall-of-fame-viola-toldo-chiarugi-e-non-solo-entrano-nella-galleria-degli-onori/ |title=IV Hall of Fame Viola: Toldo, Chiarugi e non solo entrano nella galleria degli onori |publisher=violanews.com |language=it |date=8 December 2015 |access-date=30 August 2016}}</ref>
* [[AS Roma Hall of Fame]]: 2015<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.asroma.com/it/club/hall-of-fame |title=Hall of Fame |publisher=A.S. Roma |language=it |access-date=27 July 2016 |archive-date=22 March 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190322104434/https://www.asroma.com/it/club/hall-of-fame |url-status=dead }}</ref>
* [[Argentine Football Association|AFA Team of All Time]] (published 2015)<ref>{{cite web |title=La Selección de Todos los Tiempos |trans-title=The Team of All Time |publisher=Argentine Football Association |language=es |date=4 January 2016 |url=http://www.afa.com.ar/3023/la-seleccion-de-todos-los-tiempos |access-date=29 January 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180814210638/http://www.afa.com.ar/3023/la-seleccion-de-todos-los-tiempos |archive-date=14 August 2018 |url-status=dead }}</ref>
* Fiorentina All-time XI<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.fiorentina.it/it/news/articolo.37.51489/festa-al-franchi-presenti-e-assenti-no-eccellenti-da-rui-costa-baggio-e-batistuta.html |title=Festa al Franchi, presenti e assenti. No eccellenti da Rui Costa, Baggio e Batistuta |publisher=Fiorentina.it |author1=Matteo Magrini |language=it |date=23 August 2016 |access-date=24 August 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160824134506/http://www.fiorentina.it/it/news/articolo.37.51489/festa-al-franchi-presenti-e-assenti-no-eccellenti-da-rui-costa-baggio-e-batistuta.html |archive-date=24 August 2016 |url-status=dead }}</ref>
* [[List of ACF Fiorentina records and statistics#Goalscorers|Fiorentina All-time top scorer in Serie A]]<ref>{{cite web |last1=Vinciguerra |first1=Roberto |last2=Milani |first2=Massimo |title=Leggende Viola, i cannonieri della serie A |url=http://museofiorentina.it/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=765:leggende-viola-i-cannonieri-della-serie-a&catid=84:news&Itemid=198 |website=museofiorentina.it |access-date=8 August 2014 |language=it}}</ref>
* [[GCC Golden Boot]]: 2003–04
* [[International Federation of Football History & Statistics|IFFHS]] Argentina All Times Dream Team: 2021<ref>{{cite web|url=https://iffhs.com/posts/1239|title=IFFHS ALL TIME ARGENTINA MEN'S DREAM TEAM|date=26 August 2021}}</ref>

== See also ==
{{Portal|Association football|Argentina}}
*[[List of men's footballers with 50 or more international goals]]

== Notes and references ==
=== Notes ===
{{notelist-ua}}
{{Reflist|group=note}}
{{reflist|group=lower-greek}}

=== References ===
{{reflist}}

== Further reading ==
* {{cite book | author = Wilson, Jonathan | author-link = Jonathan Wilson (writer) | title = Angels With Dirty Faces: The Footballing History of Argentina | publisher = Orion Publishing Group | year = 2016 | isbn = 978-1-409-14443-4}}

== External links ==
{{wikiquote}}
{{commons category}}
* {{Official website}} {{in lang|it|es|en}}
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20160131103934/http://www.rsssf.com/miscellaneous/batistuta-intlg.html International statistics] at [[rsssf]]
* {{NFT player}}
* [http://www.midfielddynamo.com/cups/ca/10_heroes.htm#SectionBatistuta  Midfield Dynamo's 10 Heroes of the Copa América] Batistuta listed in the top 10
* {{usurped|1=[https://web.archive.org/web/20080228173450/http://www.soccerwindow.com/Batistuta1.html Gabriel Batistuta]}} – Photo profile
* {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071020025216/http://futbolfactory.futbolweb.net/index.php?ff=historicos&f2=00001&idjugador=302 |date=20 October 2007 |title=Futbol Factory profile }} {{in lang|es}}

{{Navboxes
| title       = Argentina squads
| bg          = #6AB5FF
| fg          = white
| bordercolor = #00355E
|list1=
{{Argentina squad 1991 Copa América}}
{{Argentina squad 1992 King Fahd Cup}}
{{Argentina squad 1993 Copa América}}
{{Argentina squad 1994 FIFA World Cup}}
{{Argentina squad 1995 King Fahd Cup}}
{{Argentina squad 1995 Copa América}}
{{Argentina squad 1998 FIFA World Cup}}
{{Argentina squad 2002 FIFA World Cup}}
}}
{{Navboxes
|title=Awards
|bg=gold
|fg=navy
|list1=
{{FIFA Confederations Cup awards}}
{{Copa America top scorers}}
{{Serie A top scorers}}
{{Coppa Italia top scorers}}
{{Qatar Stars League top scorers}}
{{South American Footballer of the Year}}
{{Argentine Footballer of the Year}}
{{Serie A Foreign Footballer of the Year}}
{{FIFA 100}}
{{Italian Football Hall of Fame}}
{{AS Roma Hall of Fame}}
{{ACF Fiorentina Hall of Fame}}
}}
{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Batistuta, Gabriel}}
[[Category:1969 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:20th-century Roman Catholics]]
[[Category:21st-century Roman Catholics]]
[[Category:Footballers from Reconquista, Santa Fe]]
[[Category:Argentine people of Basque descent]]
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[[Category:Sportspeople of Italian descent]]
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[[Category:Newell's Old Boys footballers]]
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[[Category:1991 Copa América players]]
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[[Category:1995 Copa América players]]
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[[Category:2002 FIFA World Cup players]]
[[Category:Copa América–winning players]]
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[[Category:FIFA 100]]
[[Category:Argentine expatriate men's footballers]]
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[[Category:Argentine expatriate sportspeople in Qatar]]
[[Category:Expatriate men's footballers in Italy]]
[[Category:Expatriate men's footballers in Qatar]]
[[Category:Argentine male actors]]
[[Category:20th-century Argentine sportsmen]]
[[Category:21st-century Argentine sportsmen]]