Gabriel Batistuta, the former Roma and Fiorentina striker, has revealed he once asked a doctor to amputate his leg because of an agonising pain that was causing him to wet the bed.
Batistuta, 45, was regarded as one of the best strikers in the world during his pomp and Sir Alex Ferguson reportedly wanted him to replace Eric Cantona at Manchester United.
"I left football and overnight I couldn’t walk," Batistuta told TyC Sports. "I wet the bed even though the bathroom was only three meters away. It was 4am and I knew if I stood my ankle would kill me.
Batistuta was regarded as one of the best strikers in the world in the late 90s
"I went to see Doctor Avanzi (a specialist in Orthopaedics and trauma) and told him to cut off my legs. He looked at me and told me I was crazy.
"I couldn’t bare it any longer. I can’t put in to words just how bad the pain was. I looked at Oscar Pistorius and said, “that’s my solution”.
Batistuta has had one leg augmented and says he is "much better now", but concedes treatment has left him with no cartilage or tendons in the limb.