Argentine striker Gabriel Batistuta has made the startling admission that he “didn’t enjoy playing football” during a prolific career that brought 183 Serie A goals, a World Cup winners’ medal and legendary status at Fiorentina.
The former Roma and Inter forward, speaking to Gazzetta dello Sport, revealed that physical pain and a crushing sense of professional obligation robbed him of pleasure during his playing days. “I didn’t allow myself to have fun,” Batistuta explained. “When I scored, I felt it was my responsibility to put on the best show. And I wasn’t born Maradona; I had to work for it.”
The 56-year-old, who scored 183 goals in 318 Serie A appearances, added: “I was hard on myself for 40 years; now I live what’s left with joy.”
The eternal debate
Batistuta refused to be drawn on whether Lionel Messi or Diego Maradona deserves the title of Argentina’s finest player. When pressed on the debate dividing football supporters, he replied: “Hey, they told me this was a serious interview, not a trivial one. The truth is, we ask ourselves that question too… and we don’t have an answer.”
The striker, who represented Argentina in three World Cups, offered his assessment of the current national side defending their title. He praised manager Lionel Scaloni’s rapport with the squad, stating: “The team is happy with him. Let’s be honest, this is football; you don’t need to study it like going to the moon. If the manager and the team have a good relationship, that’s a huge achievement: everyone will follow his ideas. And Scaloni is succeeding at that.”
Knockout caution
With Argentina preparing to face Cape Verde in the Round of 32, Batistuta struck a cautious note despite his country’s status as defending champions. He dismissed suggestions the match would be straightforward, particularly when addressing Italian journalists.
“Calm down… You Italians can’t talk about easy matches,” he said. “Seriously, I’m confident but not relaxed. The group stage is one thing; playing to progress or go home is another. Everyone talks, but they forget that football is about chasing a ball, which sometimes hits the post, and you don’t know if it will go in or out.”
Returning to Florence
Batistuta, who won the Scudetto with Roma in 2000-01 and also played for Inter and Lazio, now lives in his hometown of Reconquista managing cattle and travelling with FIFA Legends. “Like everyone, I don’t know how long it will last. I have cows in the countryside. Usually, I manage them, but sometimes I need to look after them directly, and I do,” he said.
He maintains a distant but respectful connection with his former club Fiorentina, noting their appointment of manager Fabio Grosso. Batistuta confirmed he will return to Florence later this summer to celebrate the club’s 100th anniversary, marking another chapter in his enduring relationship with the city where he spent nine seasons.