Gabriel Batistuta

Argentina's record-breaking striker and World Cup hat-trick legend.

Gabriel Omar Batistuta (born 1 February 1969) is an Argentine former professional footballer. During his playing career, Batistuta was nicknamed Batigol as well as El Ángel Gabriel. Regarded as one of the best strikers of all time, he was named by Pelé in the FIFA 100 list of the world's greatest living players in 2004.

Quick Facts

Full name: Gabriel Omar Batistuta
Born: 1 February 1969
Birthplace: Reconquista, Santa Fe, Argentina
Height: 1.85 m / 6 ft 1 in
Position: Striker
Total caps: 444
Total goals: 248

Lore & Background

Batistuta is the only player in football history to score two hat-tricks in different World Cups. He is Argentina's second top scorer in the World Cup after Lionel Messi, and the joint tenth-highest World Cup goalscorer of all time. He held Argentina's all-time leading goalscorer record with 56 goals in 78 official matches until 21 June 2016, when he was surpassed by Lionel Messi.

Reader's Guide

Batistuta played most of his club football with Serie A club Fiorentina, where he is their all-time top scorer in Serie A with 151 goals. He won the 2000–01 Serie A title with Roma. With Argentina, he won two consecutive Copa América titles (1991 and 1993), the 1993 CONMEBOL–UEFA Cup of Champions, and the 1992 FIFA Confederations Cup.