Diego Maradona vs Gabriel Batistuta
Argentina against Argentina. The almanac states its case, the crowd votes, you decide.
Diego Maradona
Argentina · 1986–90 · CAM
- Almanac rating
- 99
- Rank in Argentina
- #1 of 33
- Caps
- 91 · 34 goals
- Clubs
- FC Barcelona, SSC Napoli, Sevilla
- Honours
- FIFA Player of the Century 2000
At the Azteca on 22 June 1986 he collected the ball in his own half, beat five England players over sixty yards in about eleven seconds, and rolled it past Peter Shilton. He won the 1986 World Cup and its Golden Ball, took Napoli to their first two Serie A titles in 1987 and 1990, added the 1989 UEFA Cup, and reached the 1990 World Cup final. Career record: 91 caps and 34 goals for Argentina; club career at FC Barcelona, SSC Napoli, Sevilla; honours include FIFA Player of the Century 2000.
Gabriel Batistuta
Argentina · 1991–2002 · ST
- Almanac rating
- 91
- Rank in Argentina
- #7 of 33
- Caps
- 78 · 56 goals
- Clubs
- ACF Fiorentina, AS Roma, Al-Arabi SC
Relegation to Serie B in 1993 was the moment other strikers would have left Fiorentina, and he stayed, scored them back up in one season and finished as the club's leading Serie A scorer with 151 goals. No one else has scored World Cup hat-tricks at two tournaments, 1994 and 1998, and he won the Copa América in 1991 and 1993, the Serie A title with Roma in 2001, and held Argentina's scoring record until Messi. Career record: 78 caps and 56 goals for Argentina; club career at ACF Fiorentina, AS Roma, Al-Arabi SC.
The verdict
The almanac puts Diego Maradona ahead by 8 rating points, 99 against 91.
Fans have not settled this one yet. Cast the first vote in the duels.