Gabriel Batistuta the legend who wanted to amputate his legs

Gabriel Batistuta the legend who wanted to amputate his legs

One of the best strikers in the 90’s and early 2000’s Gabriel Batistuta has admitted to TyC sports that he nearly made the ultimate decision to amputate his legs, in order to avoid crippling pain he felt in his ankles after playing sixteen years of top level football.

Batistuta who is also known as “Batigo” said that the pain in his ankles was so severe that, even getting out the bed and going to the toilet was a task in itself. Then he decided he couldn't make do with this pain and after watching Paralympian Oscar Pistorius race with his artificial limbs, the former Argentine international decided to cut his own legs off.

Batistuta in his interview to TyC sports: “I left football and overnight I couldn't walk,"

"I wet the bed even though the bathroom was only three metres away. It was 4am and I knew if I stood, my ankle would kill me.

"I went to see Doctor Avanzi and told him to cut off my legs. He looked at me and told me I was crazy.

"I couldn't bear it any longer. I can't put into words just how bad the pain was. I looked at Oscar Pistorius and said, 'That’s my solution'."

However, amputation wasn't necessary, the former Fiorentina, Roma and Inter marksman needing just two screws inserted in his right leg to kill the pain.

"My problem is that I have no cartilage or tendons. My 86 kilos are supported by bones alone. That's what generated the pain," Batistuta said.

"I'm much better now than I was three years ago."

Batistuta in numbers:

1988–1989 Newell's Old Boys; Games: 24 Goals: 7

1989–1990 River Plate; Games: 21 Goals : 4

1990–1991 Boca Juniors; Games 30 Goals: 13

1991–2000 Fiorentina; Games: 269 Goals: 168

2000–2003 Roma; Games: 63 Goals: 30

2003 Internazionale (loan); Games: 12 Goals: 2

2003–2005 Al Arabi; Games: 21 Goals: 25

Total 440 249

National team

1991–2002 Argentina; Games: 78 Goals: 56