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The National Team
Gabriel Batistuta's debut in the National Team was on March 27, l991.
A friendly match that took place in "Curitiba" against Brazil. This
was the National Team of the likes of:
Ruggeri, Goicoechea, Caniggia.... and in the bench, Alfio Basile.
Batistuta was in the starting line-up but couldn't score. The goal was
scored by Caniggia.
The Argentina of the first years of the nineties was an excellent one.
True, it was not like the one of Kempes and Passarella that won the 77
World Cup, or the one of Maradona that won the Cup in 86, but this team
won thirty three international matches without a defeat. It was the
team of the talented ones, most of them play in Italy or were soon to
arrive there.
The first victory, you'll never forget. Gabriel won the "Copa America
of 91. Winning also the top scorer title with six goals in six
matches. This was what launched his international career. Many
European clubs wanted him, at the end it was Fiorentina the one that got
him. But lets go back to the 'white and blue' shirt.
Argentina arrived in the World Cup 94. Balbo, one of Bati's best
friend was also part of the squad. He was Caniggia's roommate. The
ambitions of the Argentinians seemed legitimate. Batistuta wanted to
prove himself once again, now that Fiorentina was relegated to Serie
B. He came with all the "batteries charged'. This also marked
the come-back of Maradona. Argentina's start in USA 94 was a good
one. They won 4-0 against Greece. Three goals scored by Bati and one
by Maradona. The second match against Nigeria was won by Argentina
2-0, two Caniggia goals.
What happened to Maradona ended Argentina's run. "Il pibe de oro" was
the charismatic figure of the squad. A player without parallel, at
least on the pitch. His positive result to the doping test was like a
blow to the squad. The atmosphere of the group changed. At the
begining they talked about efedrina, later on they speculated about some
kind of machination. We'll never know for sure what really
happened. The thing is that with Diego out, Argentina lost it's
spark, it's luster, it's strength. Romania won over Argentina 3-2,
left them out of USA 94.
Everything was changing, and with those changes came a new coach, Daniel
Passarella.
This way the destinies of "el caudillo" and Batistuta cross path
again. Passarella began his 'era' with an 'iron-hand', it seemed he
was ready to tear the world. It was not to be, the success of his team
was less than expected.
They were out of "Copa America" in the quarter finals. Brazil won
against Argentina in penalty kicks, Edmundo's goal the decisive one.
The qualifiers for France 98 were an agony for Bati. He was not part
of the National Team for almost a year. It seemed that Passarella was
not considering Bati as part of the team, eventhough Bati scored every
time he was called. It's precisely in this period of time that Bati
surpassed Maradona in goals scored for the National Team, becoming
Argentina's National top scorer.
Once again the Argentinians were not lucky at World Cup 98. The team
didn't convince,
eventhough Batistuta was unstoppable scoring five goals. They lost
against Holland in a match were Batistuta was substituted by Passarella
for Crespo. The substitution proved to be non positive for
Argentina. Crepo's perfomance was dissapointing. All this
contributed to end Passarellas's "era'.
Batistuta is one of the best strikers in the 'white and blue' National
Team were he expects to keep on giving his best.
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