Daniel Batista

Infobox Football biography
playername = Daniel Batista


fullname = Daniel Batista Lima
dateofbirth = birth date and age|1964|9|9
cityofbirth =
countryofbirth = Cape Verde
dateofdeath =
cityofdeath =
countryofdeath =
height =
position = Striker
currentclub = Lamia
youthyears =
youthclubs =
years = 1986–1989
1989–1992
1992–1995
1995–1999
1999–2001
clubs = Ethnikos Piraeus
AEK Athens
Olympiacos
AEK Athens
Aris Thessaloniki
Total
caps(goals) = 067 (14)
090 (39)
078 (16)
077 (28)
005 0(0)
317 (97)
nationalyears = 1994–1997
nationalteam = Greece
nationalcaps(goals) = 014 0(2)
manageryears = 2003–2007
2007–2008
2008–
managerclubs = Diagoras
Fostiras
Lamia (Director of football)

Daniel Batista is a former football forward whose career in Greece spanned the 1987 through 2001 seasons.

Batista was born on September 9 1964, in the Cape Verde islands off the coast of Africa and came to Greece as a European, having acquired first Portuguese and later Dutch citizenship. Batista's uncle, Noni Lima, already had a successful career in Greece at Panionios.

Club career

Batista played for Ethnikos Piraeus from 1987 until 1989 when he moved to AEK Athens FC. At AEK, Batista established himself as one of the best forwards of the Greek Championship, earning himself the nickname "the Gullit of the poor". After the 1992 season, Batista made the jump to AEK's rivals Olympiacos F.C.. He returned to AEK in 1995 and stayed there until the end of the 1999 season when he transferred to Aris Thessaloniki F.C.. Batista retired after the 2001 season. Daniel Batista started his football career at feyenoord rotterdam. After playing there a while a good friend of him and also a Feyenoord supporter brought him to greece to follow his career there

International career

Having acquired Greek citizenship he debuted for the Greek national team (October 12 1994) being the first black sportsman to do so. He played 14 times scoring twice.

Managing career

After his playing days were over, Batista coached Diagoras F.C. and Fostiras F.C.. He is currently the director of football of Lamia F.C..

Honours

AEK Athens
*Greek Championship: 1992
*Greek Cup: 1996, 1997
*Greek Super Cup: 1989, 1996
*Greek League Cup: 1990
*Pre-1991 Mediterranean Games Cup: 1991

Olympiacos
*Greek Super Cup: 1992