Argentinean soccer greats coming to Jakarta

The Jakarta Post ,  Jakarta   |  Wed, 04/16/2008 12:31 PM  |  Headlines

Argentinean soccer great Gabriel Omar Batistuta and former Argentine national goalie Sergio Javier Goycochea will arrive in Jakarta next month to share their knowledge and experience.

"They will arrive on May 2 for a three-day sport and social visit here," said Luis M. Lestani, chief executive officer of Latin America Corp.

Lestani said the visit was part of a cooperation agreement with the Asian Football Confederation under the Vision Asia project to help develop the growth of soccer in the region.

"Aside from giving clinics to professional soccer players, they (Batistuta and Goycochea) will also visit schools and attend some charity activities for the poor," Lestani said

The 39-year-old Batistuta, also known as Batigol, is a former striker for Italy's Fiorentina and AS Roma. With these teams, he scored 184 goals in 318 matches between 1991 and 2003, placing him eighth on the list of all-time scorers in Italy's Serie A.

Leading the Argentine national teams at three World Cups, Batistuta scored 56 goals in 78 matches.

In 2004, he was named to world soccer governing body FIFA's list of the "125 Greatest Living Footballers".

He failed to win the Italian league title with Fiorentina, but when he moved to AS Roma in 2000, he led the team to the Serie A championship. He played his final season in Qatar with Al-Arabi before retiring in 2005.

Batistuta currently works as a commentator for Televisa Deportes.

Goycochea, nicknamed El Goyco, is a former national goalkeeper known for his penalty kick saves.

During the 1990 World Cup, the 45-year-old got his big break after replacing the injured Nery Pumpido. In a shootout during the semifinal match against Italy, he made saves against Roberto Donadoni and Aldo Serena, helping Argentina to the win.

Although Argentina lost to Germany 1-0 in the final, Goycochea was chosen as the World Cup's All-Star team goalkeeper.

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