#2 Gabriel Batistuta
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We tend to forget Gabriel Batistuta’s legendary status in South American and Italian club football. After navigating his way around Newell’s Old Boys, River Plate and Boca Juniors, the Argentine made his big European move to Fiorentina in 1991 where he remained for almost a decade playing some of the best football of his career.
Even though he went on to become the club’s all-time highest goalscorer, the Scudetto eluded him. However, Fiorentina did win the Coppa Italia and the Italian Super Cup during that time. The Argentine forward made his way to Roma in 2000 in search of a league trophy. It happened in his very first season there scoring 20 goals in their Scudetto-winning campaign.
In spite of the winners' medal in his bag, his time at Roma was uneventful and was even loaned out to Inter Milan. After his departure from Italy, he played for Qatar club Al-Arabi before he retired. Batistuta never performed as well as he did for Fiorentina and his country. He was Argentina's all-time top scorer with 56 goals until Lionel Messi broke his record in 2016.
Along with the success of his Roma days, the Argentine faced some tough times with the club when they were relegated in 1992-93. His total of 16 goals and the management of Claudio Ranieri led them to the Serie B title and they were back in the first division the following year.
