Antoine Batistuta

Antoine Batistuta

Batistuta at the 2017 MBF Awards.
Personal information
Full name	Antoine Yves Batistuta Ġenerożo
Date of birth	(1976-03-08) 8 March 1976
Place of birth	Torosa, Montcrabe
Height	1.88 m (6 ft 2 in)
Playing position(s)	Striker
Youth career
1986–1989	Crabontaine Academe
1989–1991	Sinatre Youth
1991–1993	Real Parante Youth
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
1993–1994	Real Parante	3	(1)
1994–1995	→ Dynamo Montena (loan)	36	(17)
1995–2012	Real Parante	510	(421)
2012–2015	CF Bautista	68	(46)
Total		617	(485)
National team
1993–1995	Montcrabe U23	23	(12)
1995–2012	Montcrabe	154	(100)
Honors Men's football Representing Montcrabe Terraconservan Cup Runner-up BLANK HERE Copa Sur Runner-up BLANK HERE
Signature
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only

Antoine Yves Batistuta Ġenerożo (born 8 March 1976), commonly known as simply Tuta, is an Montcrabin former football player who played as a striker. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest players of all time, best known for his career at Real Parante, where he won four Ballun Deheb, five MBF Awards awards in the Crabliga A and 9 league titles. Batistuta was a major part of the Les Invictorees squad, who went entirely unbeaten in the Crabliga through the 2003–04 season, and is considered one of the best teams in football history. An icon of the sport, he was renowned for his exceptional dribbling ability, technical skill, pace, physicality, powerful finishing and flair, including the use of feints, no-look passes and acrobatics. Having scored 724 throughout his career, he is one of the highest goalscorers of all time, being the all-time top-scorer of the Montcrabe national football team (100), Real Parante (422 league, 591 total), and the Crabliga as a whole (439).

Batistuta was promoted to the Real Parante senior team in December 1993, following great performances for the youth team. Despite only making three appearances and one goal that season, Batistuta won his first two trophies as Parante would go on to win the domestic treble (Crabliga and Coppa Crabe). Looking for playing time, he was loaned out to Dynamo Montena for the 1994 season, scoring 17 league goals for the team. His return to Real Parante would see him become an integral player for the club for the next few seasons. At age 24, in 2000, Batistuta would go on to win his first Ballun Deheb for his role in Real Parante's Surcampeon title that season. He would repeat the feat in 2003, after Real Parante's first unbeaten season in the Les Invictorees era.

A Montcrabin international, Batistuta is the country's all-time top goalscorer with 100 goals, holding third place for most caps earnt behind Francois Ochoa and Maxence Colbert. At youth level, Antoine drew comparisons to Montcrabin legend, Artale Ġelardu, thanks to his attacking style of play and shown potential. Batistuta represented Montcrabe in five Copa Sur and Terraconservan Cups. Following his national team debut in 1995, he became the youngest Montcrabin player to score in a Terraconservan Cup, at the age of 20 (record that would later be broken by Wayne Sainz in the 2016 Terraconservan Cup, scoring at 18 years old). He earnt the Golden Ball and Golden Boot on five occasions, three times in the Copa Sur (1998, 2002 and 2006) and twice in the Terraconservan Cup (2000 and 2004), and was named Young Player of the Year in the 1996 Terraconservan Cup. His performance in the 2006 Copa Sur is what would eventually earn him his third Ballun Deheb the next year, paired with his club's league and supercup win.

In July 2012, aged 36, Batistuta moved to struggling Liga Imperial club CF Bautista for a club record fee of CRᕮ35 million (plus add-ons) to see out the rest of his career in a period marred by controversy. Despite declining performances—attributed to his growing discontent and lack of motivation with the sport—he remained the club's top goalscorer for the two full seasons he played for them, scoring 56 goals in 68 league appearances and winning the Golden Boot once. Controversy and a year-long suspension in his third season led to his contract termination in 2015 and the announcement of his retirement from football at age 39.

Early and personal life

Antoine Yves Batistuta Ġenerożo was born on 8 March 1976 in Torosa, Montcrabe as a single child. His mother, Antoinette Klementa, was a water treatment worker for the Torosa Water Authority. His father, Serge Yves Batistuta, was an amateur football player for then fifth-division club Tolecia Ecole, and a car repairman. Growing up in a footballing household, Antoine always accompanied his father to his games on the weekend, himself earning a spot in the underfunded youth team of Tolecia Ecole at the age of 6. Since very young, he started to show some glimpses of his footballing potential, earning an early move to Forza Torosa's youth aged 8. In the two years he played for Forza, he scored over 300 goals, and regularly featured on local propaganda pieces and recruitment advertisements to the team's academy. His successful period in the youth leagues led to his scouting by members of the Principati's Talents Project, who offered his parents jobs in Montcrabe City to convince them of a move to the capital. The family agreed, and Antoine enrolled into the Crabontaine Academe for three years.

A devout Montcrabin Catholic, Batistuta adopted an introverted attitude since young, which led to him being mocked and belittled in his academy days. His difficulties in adapting to Montcrabe City and his academy peers led him to push himself even further, staying in training almost twice the normal hours in an attempt to impress his coaches. His motivated performances were noticed by Sinatre scouts, who tried to convince him of signing a youth contract upon his graduation from the Crabontaine. Batistuta, alongside his family, were hesitant of moving to yet another city in such a short period, and delayed the decision until he was out of the academy. Eventually, they agreed to sign, arranging for the final paperwork to be sealed in a local restaurant. Real Parante representatives, who had grown interested in Batistuta during the graduation ceremony from the Crabontaine, arranged to hijack Sinatre's prospect, and stormed the restaurant with an improved contract. Antoine, who had been a Parante fan since young, agreed to the new proposal. Batistuta's jump to the mainstream came at the age of 15, after he scored all goals (including an own-goal) in a 29–1 victory over Sinatre's youth team under Real Parante. His generational skill, paired with his physicality, eventually led him to promotion into the senior team of Parante, and his debut in the Crabliga.

Batistuta has one child, with full custody over him. He has never publicly revealed the mother's identity, after a legal settlement with her in 2014. He has dated former secretary, Jeanne Lonz, since December 2017.

Batistuta is an avid Gran-Prix One fan, claiming the competition helped him as a newfound hobby following his retirement and struggles with alcoholism. He waved the checkered flag in the 2015 Montcrabe City Grand Prix.

Club career

Real Parante

1993–94: Promotion to the first team

Batistuta with Parante prior to his debut against AC Edde.

The 1993–94 season initially saw Batistuta playing a mix of B team and youth league games for Real Parante. His four years in the club's lower echelons had garnered a lot of attention from coaches and media alike. At the age of 15, he already had been interviewed by MUDN and labelled "one of Montcrabe's best upcoming talents". His appearance in Balompié Mondiel's Top 100 U18 Youngsters solidified the speculation of his talent. Receiving bids of over CRᕮ10 million from Dynamo Montena and Liga Imperial giants CF Salvador, Parante held onto their youngster with a one year contract renovation to ease transfer rumors.

Halfway through the 1993–94 Crabliga A season, 17 year old Batistuta was promoted to Real Parante's first team for added squad depth, following the injury of back-up striker Gwido Taro, in what had been a highly expected move for months. Comfortably sitting top of the table, and performing at levels that would later see the team become domestic treble winners, Batistuta struggled to find playing time or a spot in the starting XI. Nonetheless, the youngster's technical skills and physicality at his age impressed coaching staff in training. Taro spoke on Batistuta's first training sessions with the first team: "[...] even back then, there was something special about Tuta. He was bodying some of our starting defenders, and got up without one word whenever a bad tackle flew in. I sat there, in the midst of my injury, and genuinely worried for my future at the team. He was that good."

Antoine Batistuta made his debut for Real Parante at the age of 17, on 25 January 1994, in a league game against AC Edde. Coming on in the 65th minute, he provided an assist to seal the game as a 4–2 victory. His impressive performance saw him subbed in the next game, providing yet another assist to win the match 3–1 against Avilbao. His first start for the team came in the subsequent Coppa Crabe game against second-division Bucca Juniore. He scored his first goal for the club against Bucca, but suffered from a pulled stomach muscle, which would sideline him for the next three months.

Through the six months he was called up to the first team for that season, Antoine only managed two substitute appearances, and one start, partly thanks to his injury. Batistuta later reflected on the affair, stating: "It's shocking how fast things can take a turn in football. One moment, I had scored my first goal for Parante, and the next, I was crying on the pitch and being pulled away with a stretcher." With the return of Taro, the decision was made to loan Batistuta out for him to develop at Dynamo Montena the following season, club which had previously attempted to bid for the youngster. Nonetheless, with Real Parante's domestic treble that season, Batistuta earnt his first three major trophies.

Dynamo Montena

1994–95: Loan at Montena

Following the retirement of former striker, Paul van Haver, Dynamo Montena had sought a young attacker as his replacement for the 1993–94 season. The club had originally bid for Tuta during that period, but were rejected by Real Parante. With little other options, they bought 31-year-old Gunnröður Oddfreysson from Real Nàtfari. The Reykani striker scored 12 goals in 37 appearances for the club, and signed a contract extension in what was then assumed to be a fix to Montena's striker issues. An ACL tear during the preseason for the ensuing 1994–95 season, though, forced Oddfreysson's early retirement from football, as Dynamo once again bid for Antoine. Parante were unwilling to agree to the transfer, but expressed their willingness to make the deal a temporary one instead. Montena agreed, and Batistuta was brought in for a CRᕮ3 million loan fee, taking the number 9 shirt vacated by Gunnröður.

Batistuta scored his first goal for Dynamo with a header against Reguecos KS, going on to score 17 league goals, including a hattrick, in his next 36 appearances. His highlights in Montena included a 93rd minute winner against Inter Montena from outside the box, his Coppa Crabe equalizer against Cardiace to win on penalties and reach the quarter-finals, and his solo run against Verbao Bahhara, generated off of an opposing corner kick which he recovered and carried through the entire length of the pitch to score. Tuta was Dynamo's top scorer with 25 goals and 11 assists in all competitions that season, being named the club's player of the season. His performances out on loan earnt him his first call-up to the Montcrabe national team.

Real Parante

1995–1997: Development and breakthrough

Batistuta training with Real Parante in November 1995.

Batistuta's return to Parante was met with high expectations by fans and the media, especially thanks to his accolades earnt whilst out on loan. Despite initially requesting 9, he received the squad number 14 shirt, which had previously been worn by legends the likes of Maxence Colbert, Ferdinandu Tinu, and Gisep Caviezel. Wearing the number became a big motivator for Tuta, as he would later state: "If there's two iconic shirt numbers in Parante, it's 7 and 14. To be given one of those was magical, it definitely pushed me to perform and meet expectation. I have a painted mural of the number outside my house, still."

Tuta scored on his first game of the season for the club with a scissor kick against Blamora Metall in the Crabliga, and assisted another to see the match end 3–0 in Parante's favor. Receiving a standing ovation from home and away fans alike, Caviezel praised the season-opening performance as "befitting of a Parante 14". He would go on to score 5 goals in the next 8 league games, most notably a brace against rivals Inter Montena. A late free-kick would also send his team past Marbeles 2–1 in the early stages of the Coppa Crabe. Batistuta made his definitive breakthrough into the starting XI following his game-winning bicycle kick against Forza Torosa in the Coppa final to win 3–2 and earn his fourth major career trophy. Tuta earnt additional recognition for his physicality and acrobatic goal-scoring ability, netting 6 volleys, 3 scissors and 1 bicycle kick out of the 18 goals he came to score that season. Though, early signs of his irritable personality began to be evident, receiving two red cards that season and a one-match suspension imposed by CONFUSUR after kicking a corner flag into the stands and hitting a spectator in a Surcampeon match against CF Chalatenango.

The 1996–97 season began with rumors of Batistuta's departure, after AC Savotta offered to pay his CRᕮ75 million release clause and double his current wages. Antoine opted to stay with Parante, signing a contract extension to 1999 that saw him become the second-highest paid player in the team. After serving his 3 match suspension for a red card in the final match of the previous league season, Batistuta made his first start against Sinatre, providing an assist to see the game drawn at 3–3. Real Parante coach Jose Pires began testing Tuta in various different attacking positions during this period. Most notably, Antoine started 5 league games on the right-wing position, showing some disposition toward it after scoring 3 goals and assisting 2 in those. Forming a notable attacking duo with Paleocacherian winger, Zack Phelan, Batistuta was reverted back to his natural striker position, and went on to score his first hat-trick for Parante in the Derby Capitalien against Reguecos, including a bicycle kick which went on to win the "Goal of the Season" at the MBF Awards. Batistuta scored 22 league goals that season, placing third in the race for the Golden Boot, behind teammate Valeri Korzun, and Inter Montena's Abram Saint Aronne. Despite his additional 11 goals in other competitions, Real Parante would go without a major trophy that season, after being knocked out of the Surcampeon in the quarter-finals, and coming 3rd in the Crabliga.

1997–1999: Parante trophy drought

Prior to the 1997–98 season, on Batistuta's 21st birthday, yet another contract extension was announced for him to become Real Parante's highest paid active player, above Korzun, and the second best paid in history, with an annual salary of CRᕮ8.2 million. The extension included verbal promises from the club's board to improve the squad, following a disappointing two seasons. To address the midfield issues, Real Parante signed Patrice Patricio from Moinsel KS for an undisclosed fee. Additional transfers included the controversial departure of Valeri Korzun to AC Serino in a deal worth CRᕮ44 million, and the purchase of defender Ludwig Croque for CRᕮ12 million. The season got off to a terrible start, after Real Parante suffered a shock exit from the Coppa Crabe to second-division Sisyphus FC in the second round of the competition. Despite combining with Patricio and Phelan to score 39 goals and 9 assists that season, Tuta suffered a broken elbow in a match against Inter Montena, which sidelined him for two months. This loss was massive for the club, as they went on to lose form and drop from first place in the league.

"The strength with which he kicks [the] ball... wouldn't be surprised if Cradidas had to manufacture a steel-covered ball just for him not [to] break the normal ones."

– Real Parante teammate Patrice Patricio on Tuta's long-distance goal against Reguecos, August 1997.

Antoine made his return in the first-leg of the Surcampeon semi-final tie against CF Nueva Concepción, scoring a brace to win the match 3-1. Following the full-time whistle, Tuta was involved in an altercation with Nueva Concepción fans who chanted racial slurs at the player and his family. Kicking one of those involved in the chest, he was temporarily detained and received a three-match suspension from CONFUSUR. The second leg of the tie, missing a suspended Batistuta, led to a controversial 3–0 comeback for Nueva Concepción, and Real Parante's exit from the competition. The club appealed the suspension with CONFUSUR, resulting in its lifting and the eventual arrest of the fans involved in the chants by Montcrabin authorities. Manager Jose Pires would later comment: "Tuta's suspension cost us a place in the final, and I'm convinced it's a final we could've won. There's no place for fans like that in this sport, and Antoine was only defending his values and family in the stands."

Batistuta returned from the 1998 Copa Sur for the 1998–99 season having won both the Golden Shoe and Golden Ball for the tournament. Additionally, he was voted the second best footballer in the world in the Ballun Deheb ceremony as runner-up to Gjorka's Patrick Walter for his performances in the season prior. Despite previous years being marred by injury, Tuta accomplished his first full and uninterrupted season with the Rojours that year, accomplishing 34 goals and providing 11 assists in the league that season. 22 of his league goals were scored from first-touch volleys, a new record in world football, in addition to 6 bicycle, and 2 scissor kick goals. Real Parante would finish second in the table, ending runners-up in the Coppa Crabe to Sinatre, and being knocked out of the Surcampeon quarter-finals by CF Chalatenango. A shocking fourth season in a row without silverware saw questions raised about Batistuta's permanence in the club, receiving official bids from CF Salvador and Chalatenango themselves. Tuta refused to negotiate terms, remaining in Parante for the subsequent year.

1999–2001: First Ballun Deheb

The 1999–2000 season began with two friendlies for Real Parante, against CP Federazion and Chalatenango. Following a plane crash scare on the way to Tirol for the match against Federazion, the game was delayed by two days. According to teammate Patrice Patricio, Batistuta did not eat in the four days the team stayed in Ecros after the scare. The friendly would end 7–0 in favor of Parante, 5 goals and two assists from Tuta himself. The following match against Chalatenango would lead to a similar result in a 5–1 victory for the Montcrabin side, with Batistuta scoring all goals in the encounter (including an own-goal). The opening Crabliga match against Sinatre continued the trend of form for him, scoring a hat-trick in a 4–3 victory over the Par Bleu. Going on to score 17 goals in his next 10 league games, Antoine ended the season with an unprecedented 48 league goals and 11 assists that season. Other competitions brought his tally up to over 88, the most scored by any player in a single CONFUSUR season.

Real Parante would end up runners-up to rivals Inter Montena in the league that season, despite Batistuta's goalscoring performances. Losing the Coppa Crabe final to an extra time penalty also proved a massive blow to Tuta's hopes of a trophy, considering he scored a brace that same match. Nonetheless, wins against Chalatenango in the round-of-16, CF Suchitoto in the quarter-finals, and Adolfosburg in the semi-finals by an aggregate score of 8–6, brought Parante to the Surcampeon final against Nueva Concepción to be played in the Campe Sou, Perelocusta. Batistuta provided the first assist of the encounter to teammate Patrice Patricio, who scored a weak-footed volley that went on to win goal of the tournament in the 8th minute. An equalizer from Concepción came a few minutes later to hold the game at 1-1 until the end of the first half. The second half, dominated by Parante, was only capitalized upon in the 63rd minute with a bicycle kick goal from Tuta. The final was sealed with Antoine completing his brace in injury time, heading the ball in from a corner to see the game out 3-1, and winning the 10th CONFUSUR Surcampeon trophy for the Principatis.

"Batistuta is the best player in the world right now, nobody can dispute that. He's gonna break so many records... but Parante have not won a domestic trophy in 6 years, you have to start wondering if maybe he's at the wrong club."

– Alvaro Morale after Tuta's first Ballun Deheb win on MUDN.

Thanks to his performances in the previous season, including his record-breaking 88 goals and 17 assists, and the club's lifting of the Surcampeon, Batistuta won the 2000 Ballun Deheb by a landslide vote. Second-placing Nicolas Baden later commented on the vote: "I'm not mad about it, it was pretty clear since January who deserved the award. Tuta earnt it on the pitch, he's a wonderful player." A drunk Batistuta gave a controversial winning speech during the ceremony, in which he criticized CONFUSUR and TUFA for the suspensions he had received in earlier seasons, framing them of "rigging Surcampeon against Parante". Antoine was escorted off the stage shortly after. Regardless, the award certified him as the best player in the world for that season.

Batistuta lifting his second Surcampeon in 2001.

The start 2000–01 season saw the summer signing of Rakhmani defender Fedor Mozov. The CRᕮ27 million signing of the defender included a friendly match to be played between FK Novinsk and Parante in the Aleksei National Stadium. The arrival of Les Rojours in Rakhman was attended by crowds of over fifty-thousand spectators. The audience included Tzar Aleksandr I of Rakhman, who would later award the Order of Tzar Lev Novinski to Batistuta himself following his 5-goal display in the friendly, for "promoting sport and health in Rakhman".

Parante returned to Montcrabe for the Crabliga opening matchday, facing eventual domestic treble-winners Sinatre in what would be a 4–3 defeat. Antoine went on to score 41 league goals, to win his 5th Golden Boot, and 9 assists. Despite the quality of the team, and yet another record-breaking goalscoring performance by Antoine that season, Real Parante extended their domestic trophyless-streak to a record 7 years after losing to Verbao in the Coppa Crabe semi-finals, leading to widespread criticism and protests among fans. Manager Jose Pires refused to hand in his resignation, backed by the team board, insisting the project needed time to pay off. Tensions with the fanbase were padded with the double contract extension of Batistuta and Patrice Patricio in March. Nonetheless, Surcampeon proved a saving grace that season, as Real Parante would go on to win the continental trophy for the second time in a row after beating FC Paluri in the R16, Concepción in the quarters, AC Alessandria in the semi-finals, and eventually winning the final against Adolfosburg thanks to a Tuta brace to end it 3–1. That same match made Antoine the joint highest goalscorer in Surcampeon finals with 4 goals.

Five hours after the end of the match, Batistuta received a 5 match ban from CONFUSUR, following controversial comments made during the celebrations which incited deadly riots by Adolfosburg ultras, resulting in the death of 4 people, and the injury of 9 others. A public apology was released by both player and club, and the ban was shortened to the first 3 matches of the 2001–02 season season. Heavy media criticism was drawn from the event, framing Antoine as "drunk and careless".

2001–2003: All-time Real Parante top scorer

Batistuta knee-sliding following his five goal display against Inter Montena in 2001.

Aged 25, Batistuta had already scored over 279 goals in all competitions for Real Parante, only 11 away from then-top-goalscorer Alessandro Saura with 290. Goals in the first two matches of the league season, and an unprecedented 5 goals against fierce rivals Inter Montena, put him just 4 away from the record. He would both tie and break the mark just three matches later, scoring a brace against his father's former club, Tolecia Ecole, in the Coppa Crabe qualifying rounds. The feat was celebrated in Montcrabe City with the unveiling of a gigantic TIFO of Tuta himself by club ultras, which would feature in their next match against Sinatre. Antoine would go on to score 39 goals in all competitions for that season, 20 in the league, missing out on the Golden Boot by just two goals. Nonetheless, Real Parante broke their almost decade-long domestic trophy drought, winning the league by over 7 points, and defeating Verbao 4–1 to win the Supercoppa. Parante were knocked out of the Surcampeon by eventual winners Savotta. Batistuta missed out on over 9 matches that season, though, all suspensions from three red cards (two in the league, and one in the Surcampeon).

The 2002–03 season got off to a bad start for Real Parante and Antoine. After suffering an ACL tear in training in August 2002, Tuta was set to miss over 7 months from his injury. His injury, so late into the summer transfer window, forced the club's emergency signing of Hugues Rosselli, paying over CRᕮ10 million for the 32 year-old striker. Rosselli would only score 11 goals that season, leaving Parante in sixth place in the league prior to Batistuta's return. In just his three months back, he beat Hugues' season tally by scoring 13 goals in 10 league games (as Parante had already been knocked out of the Coppa and Surcampeon) and salvaging a 4th place finish in the Crabliga for Les Pinces Capitaliens to enter the Surcampeon qualifying rounds next season, the first time the club hadn't directly qualified to the continental competition in over 15 years. Hugues' contract was terminated amid major criticism from the media and fans alike.

2003–2005: Les Invictorees and second Ballun Deheb

Main article: Les Invictorees

"You have this massive titan of a man running through the field, you expect he's just gonna barrel past defenders... but instead, he dribbles past with the finesse of a leopard, it's mesmerizing. Parante have a super squad headed by an even better striker, of course it's hard to compete."

– Coach Gabriel Goffredu praises Tuta following his hat-trick against Forza Torosa.

The signing of midfielder Evelio Saldaña for a fee of CRᕮ45 million, and the promotion of breakthrough academy goalkeeper Francois Ochoa spelt high expectations for Real Parante. Early qualifying for the Surcampeon saw the Montcrabin club beat FC Nandarados by a score of 6–0, thanks to three different braces from Batistuta, Saldaña, and Zack Phelan. Pre-season friendlies against Alama United FC and FK Novinsk led to similar results, winning 5–1 and 4–0 respectively. The team, and new tactics adopted by Jose Pires, seemed to bring newfound chemistry to the team. Particularly, the midfield pairing of Patrice Patricio and Saldaña solved Parante's decade-long underperformances in the position. The opening matchday in the Crabliga led to a shocking 5–0 win over Sinatre, including a brace for Batistuta. Unbeaten in the following 5 league games, only drawing to Inter Montena, Real Parante had already scored 22 league goals by the September international break.

Batistuta celebrating Real Parante's unbeaten season in 2004.

The unbeaten trend continued, despite expected drops in form due to minor injuries for some members of the squad. The next five league matches brought Tuta's goal tally to 20, fifteen of those goals assisted by either Patricio or Saldaña. Going into the mid-season, Batistuta suffered from a muscle injury during training, and was expected to be sidelined for at least three matches. Though, trailing to Forza Torosa 2–0 at half-time in the next Crabliga matchday, Jose Pires decided to substitute him in an attempt to salvage the game. Despite his injury, Tuta went on to score a second-half hat-trick to win the match. Surcampeon was a similar affair for Parante, going through the round-of-16 and quarterfinals - both with braces from Antoine. Two penalty-shootout saves from Ochoa sent the unbeaten Rojours past CF Nuevo Xichútepa in the semi-finals to face Serino in the final, which would later be won by a score of 2–1. Scoring 55 goals in all competitions, 35 in the league, Batistuta led Real Parante to an entirely unbeaten season, the first time it had been accomplished in world football, in a sports dynasty later labelled Les Invictorees.

Winning the treble the previous season, Batistuta won his second Ballun Deheb with over 98% of the vote. The ceremony was shortened to avoid a repeat of his controversial award speech two years earlier, but nonetheless gave him credibility as the best football player in the world. For the first time in club history, the entirety of the Ballun Deheb podium was made up of Real Parante players, with a second-placed Patrice Patricio, and third-placed Evelio Saldaña. The 2004–05 season extended the club's unbeaten streak in the league to 45 games, until losing 1–0 against Forza Torosa in the 8th matchday to break the streak. An early exit in the quarter-finals of the Surcampeon ruined the team's hopes of repeating the continental treble that season. Tuta reflected on the season: "It was a bit humbling... and that's saying something considering we still won three trophies that season. But coming off an entirely unbeaten year, to lose the league streak against Forza Torosa, and then exit the quarter-finals of the Surcampeon, [it] was a bit of a reality check."

Keeping form up in the league, regardless, Real Parante went on to win the Crabetto. Tuta scored 42 goals that season, breaking his own record for most first-touch goals in a single season with 25, and winning the Golden Boot once again. Some notable goals included the eventual goal of the tournament against Crabyol with a bicycle kick from outside the box, and a long-shot from 45 yards out against Bucca Juniore. That same season would see him reach 400 club goals, aged 28, scoring a brace in the Coppa Crabe final, against Blabao KS, to win the domestic treble for Parante.

2005–2007: Fifth league title and further injury

Now in his 11th season for Real Parante, at 29 years old, Tuta signed his fourth contract extension for the club, committing himself to the club for another 7 years. Despite media concerns over his growing age, two consecutive hat-tricks at the start of the Crabliga reasserted him as a vital piece of the Real Parante team. Though, after scoring in a Surcampeon round-of-16 tie against Savotta, Tuta requested to be substituted due to pain in his right knee. Further medical tests revealed a major injury, practically ruling him out for the entirety of the remaining 2005–06 season with just 9 goals that season, 7 in the league. Missing their star striker, Parante lost in the second-leg of the Surcampeon R16, coming third in the league and runners-up in the Coppa Crabe for their first trophyless season in 5 years.

Rumors of a possible early retirement for Batistuta, due to his knee injury, caught mainstream attention. Tuta commented on the situation: "To see news articles talking about my retirement, people gossiping about the end of my career... it was really depressing, I think that's around the period I started drinking." The following 2006–07 season was expected to be an underwhelming one for an injured Antoine, especially with the 2006 Copa Sur in the summer. Unexpectedly, Tuta went on to win the Golden Ball and Golden Boot of the Copa Sur, scoring 8 goals in the competition. Adopting a new celebration, where he pointed at his right knee and kissed it, he went on to score over 64 goals that season, his second best career tally. Real Parante would win the league and supercup that season, coming runners-up in the Surcampeon final against Sinatre, bringing Batistuta's career trophies to 16. A club investigation in 2014 found that Tuta had been drunk in over 13 matches that season, leading to the use of nicknames such "The Drunk Magician" on social media and newspapers.

2007–2009: All-time Crabliga top scorer and third Ballun Deheb

Batistuta posing with his third Ballun Deheb in 2018.

The highest goalscorer in Surian leagues, and in the Copa Sur, a 31 year-old Batistuta went on to win his third Ballun Deheb in 2007. With 338 goals in the Crabliga A, Tuta was 12 away from equaling the record set by Alessandro Saura, who's Real Parante record he had broken before. Coach Jose Pires reflected on the situation: "He was 31 years old, and 12 goals away from becoming the historic goalscorer of an entire league. Three Ballun Deheb, two Surcampeon, he had practically completed football by then. In his mind, he had nothing else to prove, except the Crabliga record." Asking to be benched and rested in Coppa and Surcampeon games, Batistuta focused on the league entirely, drawing widespread criticism from fans. Out of the 35 goals he scored that season, 28 were in the league. Real Parante, due to their star striker's lack of motivation and appearances in other competitions, went trophyless that season. Still, Tuta became the league's all-time topscorer.

The 2008–09 season saw similar performances from Batistuta, who was set on increasing his Crabliga record. His deteriorating form and determination caused rifts with both fanbase and teammates, as he began arriving late to trainings and club events. Missing a willing striker, Parante would be knocked out early into the Coppa Crabe by second-division Clube Jammy, losing both legs of their Surcampeon quarter-final tie against Chalatenango 2–0 each. 26 league goals from Tuta, for a total of 31 in all competitions, were enough for Parante to win league and supercup that season. The club atmosphere was described by journalist Alvaro Morale: "It's a bit of a conundrum for Real Parante fans, Batistuta is possibly the best player in the club's history... in Montcrabin history... but now, at his age, he's just refusing to do anything other than the league. Do you criticize him? Do you recognize the fact he has completed football and accept his behavior? It's ten times worse if you consider the conflicts brewing inside the dressing room: people late to training, nightclub parties, drugs and alcohol circulating in the club."

2009–2011: Controversy and decline

Main article: Sugargate scandal

Batistuta lifting his penultimate league title with Parante in 2011.

Making the decision to replace Batistuta, Real Parante signed 22 year-old Karim Bencrabe from Sinatre for CRᕮ62.8 million. The summer signing would prove to be vital, as in August 2009, Batistuta would be photographed by media in a Montcrabe City nightclub doing cocaine. The scandal led to an 12 month football ban for the player by CONFUSUR, and public condemnations from both club and country. The controversy would come to be known as "Sugargate", after Tuta tried to justify the photographs as him snorting sugar in a press release by his agency. Despite several appeals from Real Parante, and the Montcrabin Football Federation, CONFUSUR refused to shorten the suspension on the player, who would see the first year without scoring a goal in his career. Tuta later spoke on the ban: "It was definitely not good for my mental health, the fact that I was already giving in to addictions... to then be slapped with a ban from doing the thing I love, the thing I live for. Football can be a heartless industry."

Batistuta was reintegrated to the Real Parante squad in August 2010, in time for the 2010–11 season, sparking debate and controversy between fans and media. Publicly apologizing and admitting fault for the event, Tuta became a bench player to the younger Bencrabe, coming off to score 11 goals in all competitions that season, his worst tally since his first season with Parante in 1993. Still the highest paid player in the club's history, Real Parante wanted Tuta to sign a new contract with reduced wages to account for his newfound role as a substitute and depth player in the team. Batistuta refused the change of contract, something he would later reflect on: "If there's one mistake I made in my career, besides the whole nightclub thing, it's refusing that contract in 2011. This was the club that made me what I am, I should've been thankful to be able to stay. I was blinded by the attention and ego that I always received from fans, I still saw myself as the best player in that team." Parante won the league that season, knocked out of both the Coppa Crabe and Surcampeon in the semi-finals.

2011–12: Final season at Real Parante

"Seeing a fellow teammate disinterested by the club is kind of demotivating, especially a player like Tuta. I hope he can still play at a high level, the squad would hate to see him go, he still has so much to do, I think."

– Teammate Karim Bencrabe in an interview for MUDN, following reports of Batistuta's possible exit from Parante.

The 2011 summer transfer window sparked serious rumors of Batistuta's departure from the club, after his refusal to accept decreased wages. A CRᕮ30 million bid from Adolfosburg, and another CRᕮ35 million from Alessandria, were both accepted by the club. Antoine, though, refused to discuss personal terms with the clubs, forcing his stay in Real Parante with two years left in his contract. The refusal to decrease his wages or move to another club caused massive rifts between the board and Tuta, especially after Real Parante chairman, Victore Rothscrab, demanded that coach Jose Pires not play him the entire season. Antoine verbally agreed with Rothscrab to leave the club the following year, signing a pre-contract with Creeperian club CF Bautista in October 2011, mending the disagreements about his departure. Tuta only made 15 appearances that season, 12 as a substitute, to score 8 goals in all competitions. Injury time winners, off the bench, against Sinatre, Inter Montena, and Reguecos, helped Real Parante lift what would be Batistuta's 8th, and last league title for Les Rojours. Tuta made his last appearance for Real Parante in the supercup tie against Coppa Crabe winners Sinatre, scoring once and assisting twice to win his final trophy with the club.

The departure of Batistuta was made official one month before the start of the 2011–12 season, with his farewell ceremony attended by over two hundred thousand fans in the streets of Montcrabe City. Despite only having one year left in his contract, CF Bautista agreed to bid a sum of CRᕮ45 million for the 36 year old. Three days before his flight to Creeperopolis, Tuta gave a teary and drunken press conference, in which he expressed his regret, and asked for forgiveness from the fans. Nonetheless, the transfer went through, as he became the second highest-paid player of the Liga Imperial.

CF Bautista

2012–2014: Return to form and retirement

Batistuta celebrating his first goal for CF Bautista.

Antoine arrived to the club in August 2012, greeted by the board of Bautista and thousands of fans. He signed a three-year deal until June 2015, with the option to extend it by another year, and was given the number 14 shirt he had worn his whole life. The transfer was criticized as "too expensive" and "a PR move" by news outlets, who particularly mocked the similarity between names of Antoine Batistuta and CF Bautista. Tuta made his debut for the club in the first matchday of the 2012–13 Liga Imperial season in a 4–3 win over CF San Nicolás at home, scoring the last and winning goal of the encounter in the 81st minute as a volley from outside the box. He went on to score 10 goals in the next 13 league matches, eventually winning the Golden Boot with 26 goals in the competition. Tuta's continued form was a shock to many, as he played outside the Crabliga for the first time in his career, nearing the age of 37. Other competitions saw him score an additional 4 goals and 9 assists for Bautista, immediately earning the respect and admiration of the CF Bautista fanbase. Antoine scored his 50th hat-trick during this season, a feat that was celebrated with the donation of 50,000 footballs to poorer neighborhoods of his hometown, Torosa, by the Bautista Foundation, which he became a major shareholder of in 2012.

The 2013–14 season spelt similar results for Batistuta, who scored a brace on his opening match against CF Nuevo Xichútepa in what would be a 2–3 loss. Maintaining his consistent goalscoring form, Tuta scored 20 league goals by the 31st matchday, an additional 7 goals in all competitions. His season was brought to an abrupt halt, albeit, after he was involved in an altercation with a Chalatenango fan after a tense 1–1 draw. Ripping up one of the corner flags from the pitch, Batistuta charged at the fan, attacking him with the plastic pole after the former shouted racial slurs at him. Separated from the altercation by teammates and authorities alike, Tuta had to be restrained and brought back into the dressing rooms. Two days later, he received his fourth career suspension by CONFUSUR, and was banned from football for a period of 12 months.

Still the second highest-paid player in the league, CF Bautista were unable to play a 38 year-old Tuta for an entire year. By means of mutual agreement between the club and player, Batistuta's contract was terminated in June 2014, and his retirement from football was announced just a week later. Having scored 724 goals throughout his career, Balompié Mondiel named Tuta the "best player of the century" six months later. His retirement from football sparked parades throughout Montcrabe City in commemoration of the Real Parante legend's career.

International career

Montcrabe national football team

Main article: Montcrabe national football team

Player profile

Style of play

Batistuta is regarded as one of the greatest and most skillful players of all time, playing mainly as a striker, but also a winger and attacking midfielder throughout his career. Despite being right-footed, Tuta was regarded by many as one of the strongest weak-footed players. His strength and pace, paired with remarkable skill, made him an extremely hard player to mark or tackle, noted for his flair and agile dribbling. A tireless player, he was often praised for his stamina and determination in earlier seasons of his career, making runs to chase the ball even through into injury time. Especially through to his last seasons in Parante, Tuta was played in a far more creative role, often staying central to provide assists and lock down the edge of the box.

Image and comparisons to Ġelardu

Main article: New Ġelardu

Batistuta was compared to Artale Ġelardu by pundits ever since he made it out of the Crabontaine for his mix of physicality and skill in play. Ġelardu, considered one of the best football players in history, was a constant comparison for Tuta to match throughout his career, in a public debate over who the greatest Montcrabin player of all time was. Antoine's third Ballun Deheb served as a definitive sway in public opinion, but the comparisons between the two have always persisted.

Career statistics

Club

Appearances and goals by club, season and competition

Club	Season	League			Cup		Continental		Other		Total
		Division	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals
Real Parante	1993	Crabliga A	5	1	—						5	1
	Total		5	1	—						5	1
Dynamo Montena	1994	Crabliga A	34	17	5	4	2	4	—		41	25
	Total		34	17	5	4	2	4	—		41	25
Real Parante	1995	Crabliga A	20	12	7	7	4	2	1	0	32	18
	1996	Crabliga A	20	22	6	8	3	3	—		29	33
	1997	Crabliga A	23	20	10	13	3	6	—		33	39
	1998	Crabliga A	31	34	5	6	3	3	11	2	50	45
	1999	Crabliga A	35	48	30	29	7	10	—		72	88
	2000	Crabliga A	21	41	11	11	6	6	7	2	45	60
	2001	Crabliga A	23	20	6	9	5	10	—		34	39
	2002	Crabliga A	29	13	2	0	1	0	—		32	13
	2003	Crabliga A	26	35	10	17	3	3	—		39	55
	2004	Crabliga A	27	25	5	8	3	4	7	3	42	42
	2005	Crabliga A	8	7	3	2	—				11	9
	2006	Crabliga A	44	56	7	5	6	3	—		57	64
	2007	Crabliga A	28	28	5	6	1	1	—		34	35
	2008	Crabliga A	29	26	4	3	5	2	—		38	31
	2009	Crabliga A	1	0	—						1	0
	2010	Crabliga A	21	10	2	1	—				23	11
	2011	Crabliga A	7	4	2	1	5	3	—		14	8
	Total		393	421	115	126	55	56	26	9	586	590
CF Bautista	2012	Liga Imperial	31	26	5	4	—				36	30
	2013	Liga Imperial	26	20	9	7	—				35	27
	Total		57	46	13	11	—				71	57
Career total			489	485	133	141	57	60	26	9	703	673

International

Appearances and goals by national team, year and competition

Team	Year	Competitive		Friendly		Total
		Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals
Montcrabe U23	1993	–		12	21	12	21
	1994	–		11	19	11	19
	Total	0	0	23	40	23	40
Montcrabe	1995	5	7	5	0	10	7
	1996	5	4	5	1	10	5
	1997	5	2	5	1	10	3
	1998	8	7	3	1	11	8
	1999	5	4	5	3	10	7
	2000	10	5	3	3	13	8
	2001	5	7	5	1	10	8
	2002	8	8	3	2	11	10
	2003	5	9	4	1	9	10
	2004	10	8	3	1	13	9
	2005	5	5	3	2	8	7
	2006	8	7	3	1	11	8
	2007	5	1	3	1	8	2
	2008	5	5	–		5	5
	2009	–
	2010	–		6	7	6	7
	2011	–		6	8	6	8
	2012	–		3	2	3	2
	Total	89	82	65	18	154	100
Career total		89	82	88	58	176	140

See also

• Batistuta (film), a 2014 film based on Tuta's biography and controversial transfer to CF Bautista