Batistuta

[Section_31]

What a beast he was. He always reminded me of an English centre forward, skillful yes - but it was all about the goals and the power with him. He loved the game too, as all the best strikers do - like a kid with a can.

 

His loyalty to Fiorentina was hugely impressive too.

 

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 popular sporting figure in Florence, the Fiorentina fans erected a life-size bronze statue of him in 1996, in recognition of his performances for Fiorentina.[1] He never won the Italian league with Fiorentina, but when he moved to 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.

 

Legend.

 

[YOUTUBE]Te2s3cywAUY[/YOUTUBE]

[KMD7]

Now he was a beast!! Fantastic player.

[Sparky]

I loved him, he was my favourite non-LFC player and one I always hoped we'd go in for.

 

Used to love watching Football Italia around 1998/99 when Fiorentina were at their peak with Batistuta, Rui Costa, Edmundo, Toldo. Always had a soft spot for them. Until 2010.

[WaltonRed]

he was fucking boss.

 

He was like a foreign Shearer but infinitely cooler cos he was argie and had long hair.

 

Serie a used to be proper exciting and now its pooh, it was like La Liga is now in the 90's

[George Costanza]

One of the greatest strikers of all time imo. Football was blessed with a lot of absolutely top class strikers in the 90's. Batistuta (along with Ronaldo) was the best of them.

[Section_31]

I loved him, he was my favourite non-LFC player and one I always hoped we'd go in for.

 

Used to love watching Football Italia around 1998/99 when Fiorentina were at their peak with Batistuta, Rui Costa, Edmundo, Toldo. Always had a soft spot for them. Until 2010.

 

Same here. Because of the European ban there was something 'other worldly' about Italian football, it was (and is) almost a completely different game with different values of what is and isn't considered a good match, plus you weren't getting to see these players week in and week out because it was only the mancs playing in the CL and there were still relatively few foreign players in the league, most of them in the arse end of their careers, so it was all the more fascinating to see. The late 90s Juventus team is one of my all time favourites, probably my 'second' favourite side after Liverpool. Worthy of their own thread really.

[Red Banjo]

One of the greatest strikers of all time imo. Football was blessed with a lot of absolutely top class strikers in the 90's. Batistuta (along with Ronaldo) was the best of them.

 

Remember Abel Balbo at Roma around the same time? He was brilliant too from what i remember.

 

Gazzetto with James Richardson on a sunday morning was essential TV back in the day

[Trumo]

One of the best at a time when Serie A was the best in the world.

[md1892]

There was a great documentary about him on SS, i think i was called 'footballs greatest'.

Had to be bullied by his coach to become a professional footballer as he wanted to go to uni to study finance.

 

Found it, well worth a watch.

 

Footballs Greatest - Gabriel Batistuta - Free football videos - Watch football live streams for free

[tobycatz]

Golacciooooo loved it.Veron was boss amazing how shit he was over here.

[George Costanza]

James Richardson is my favourite sports presenter. Footbaall Italia was quality

 

Strikers in Serie A i remember in the 90's. Papin, Batigol, Vieri, Del piero, Chiesa, Crespo, Signori, Zola, Mancini, Ronaldo, Balbo, Inzaghi, Montella, Vialli, Simone to name a few

[RobbieOR]

kHXfHFNlJ_w

 

Class.

[RobbieOR]

James Richardson is my favourite sports presenter. Footbaall Italia was quality

Strikers in Serie A i remember in the 90's. Papin, Batigol, Vieri, Del piero, Chiesa, Crespo, Signori, Zola, Mancini, Ronaldo, Balbo, Inzaghi, Montella, Vialli, Simone to name a few

 

Rumour had it the other week that Richardson was being hired by ESPN for their Serie A coverage. I was delighted. Turned out to be bullshit though.

 

He has been relegated to presenting 'The Worlds Strongest Man' on channel 5 now which is disappointing.

[BringbackBiscan]

Loved Italian football back in the 90's. Never had sly back then so channel four showing it was boss.

 

Kind of weird that I forget now how much I liked Mancini as a player. Makes me feel old too.

[VladimirIlyich]

Battistuta was always shite against us.

[KevieG]

Batigol was good, also had a lot of time for zamarano. Ruben soza was a cracker too for a few years.

 

But my favourite from that era was enzo francescolli. The epitomy of cool.

[Phoenix]

He was quality. Amazing that he didnt even really like football

[VladimirIlyich]

Batigol was good, also had a lot of time for zamarano. Ruben soza was a cracker too for a few years.

 

But my favourite from that era was enzo francescolli. The epitomy of cool.

 

Zidane shares your admiration.

 

Used to enjoy Alvaro Recoba's free kicks too.

[Edward.]

Apparently the team at Mousebreaker Games who made the Jumpers for goalpoasts game designed the game on the kind of goals that he scored. Or I could have made that up.

[Carradona]

Rumour had it the other week that Richardson was being hired by ESPN for their Serie A coverage. I was delighted. Turned out to be bullshit though.

 

He has been relegated to presenting 'The Worlds Strongest Man' on channel 5 now which is disappointing.

 

He was defo on in the studio during a game recently. I saw him with my very own eyes. although he defo wasn't on before the Milan match at the weekend, so not sure what the story is there.

[RobbieOR]

He was defo on in the studio during a game recently. I saw him with my very own eyes. although he defo wasn't on before the Milan match at the weekend, so not sure what the story is there.

 

It must have happened then, but only for one game. Bummer, he should be on there permanently.

[RedKnight]

Jimbo did the Serie A coverage with that fat chump Marcotti two weeks ago. I think ESPN are trying things to make their Sunday nights stand out.

[Carradona]

So they go and put Chappers and some fucking shit ex-Pompey player on it the next week. Good one, ESPN.

[Joso]

We could really use a Batistuta or Hugo Sanchez striker in our team.

[Scottish Steve]

James Richardson is my favourite sports presenter. Footbaall Italia was quality

 

Strikers in Serie A i remember in the 90's. Papin, Batigol, Vieri, Del piero, Chiesa, Crespo, Signori, Zola, Mancini, Ronaldo, Balbo, Inzaghi, Montella, Vialli, Simone to name a few

 

I agree. Back in the day he was quality. Bit of a smug cockmuncher now, though. Does the guardian podcast and these guys rarely have a good word to say about us