Batistuta`s Story 4

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.