GAbuel Batistuta sat down in front of Rio Ferdinand for an interview you can’t miss. There was soccer, there were memories, and there were still open wounds. Because when Diego Maradona’s name came up, the atmosphere changed. And he simply said, “He died alone. No one was with him. He died like a dog.”
Batigor did not hide. He turned and looked inward. “I cursed myself, too, because I could have been one of his supporters. If I wanted to, I could help someone in their time of need.” These words carry weight. That hurt. It depicts shared guilt. “It wasn’t anyone’s fault,” he said, then pointed to the uninhibited environment, saying, “When I was younger, no one said no. Everything was fine. That was a big mistake.”
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The talk, which was broadcast on YouTube’s “Rio Ferdinand Presents” series, began in a different way. It’s always like that in Argentina: Lionel Messi or Maradona. Batistuta didn’t shy away from controversy. “Maradona and Messi are different. Messi scored 1,000 goals, Maradona 200. Messi is a quiet man, Maradona was not,” he concluded his thoughts without nuance. “Maradona was and is at the top because he can play, he can deal with referees and opponents and he can do unbelievable things. Messi can do that, but I don’t think he has the same charisma.”
It’s not a new word for him. He’s already said it, and he meant it. He also claimed that the World Cup does not define everything. It may be important to fans, but it doesn’t mark the line between one and the other. He assessed Messi’s current form and ambitions in the final stages of his career, as well as opening the door for Argentina’s further attacks at the next World Cup.
In his memories, Batistuta returned to his history with Maradona. A poster that hung in his room when he was not yet a soccer fan. The leap to shared changing rooms. He then made his debut at the 1994 World Cup in the United States, scoring three goals against Greece on the day Diego scored his last goal for the national team.
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There was room for England, too, in a rivalry that intensified during the heat of the Falklands war, with Maradona providing emotional fuel in the dressing room. Batistuta recalled how the context helped shape the clash, which was full of symbolism.
Ferdinand remembered the scene from the past without hiding his admiration. That match at France 98, a 2-2 draw with England. “Yes, in 1998,” Batty admitted. He scored a penalty a few minutes later, leaving a strong impression: “It was 7 o’clock.” On the same day, their son Joaquin was born. “No, I stayed,” he said of potentially leaving camp. He stayed and scored.
The review also revealed about his life after football. About the pain that had plagued him for years and kept him awake. Regarding ankle surgery in 2019. And about the words that explain it all: “Just cut your leg.” “I didn’t want any more pain. Never again. It doesn’t matter if I have two legs or two prosthetics. I didn’t want any pain. It’s all about football. Football has given me so much, but football has taken so much from me.”
Already in the present, he has turned his attention to the forwards he currently commands. Big names to watch: Kylian Mbappe, Lautaro Martinez, Erling Haaland. The Norwegian was shocked by his untaught instinct for scoring goals.
And he left another clue for the future. He sees England as having a chance to compete at the next World Cup, even if history doesn’t come with it. Words from a goalscorer who holds nothing to himself even when talking about what hurt the most.
