Mario Balotelli

For the song, see Mario Balotelli (song).

Mario Balotelli

Balotelli with Liverpool in 2014.
Personal information
Full nameMario Barwuah Balotelli[1]
Date of birth12 August 1990
Place of birthPalermo, Italy
Height1.89 m (6 ft 2 1⁄2 in)[2]
Playing positionStriker
Club information
Current team
Liverpool
Number45
Youth career
2001–2006Lumezzane
Senior career*
YearsTeamApps†(Gls)†
2006–2007Lumezzane2(0)
2007–2010Inter Milan59(20)
2010–2013Manchester City54(20)
2013–2014A.C. Milan43(26)
2014–Liverpool15(1)
National team‡
2008–2010Italy U2116(6)
2010–Italy33(13)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 22:59, 25 April 2015 (UTC).

† Appearances (Goals).

‡ National team caps and goals correct as of 24 June 2014

Mario Barwuah Balotelli (Italian pronunciation: [ˈmaːrjo baloˈtɛlli]; born Mario Barwuah; 12 August 1990) is an Italian footballer who plays as a striker for Premier League club Liverpool and the Italian national team.[3][4] Balotelli is nicknamed Super Mario.[5]

He started his professional football career at Lumezzane and played for the first team twice before having an unsuccessful trial at FC Barcelona,[6] and subsequently joining Inter Milan in 2007. Inter manager Roberto Mancini brought Balotelli into the first team, but when Mancini left, Balotelli's disciplinary record fell away. He had a strained relationship with new manager José Mourinho and was suspended from Inter's first team in January 2009 after a number of disciplinary problems. In March 2010, he came under criticism by Inter fans after he appeared on the Italian TV show Striscia la notizia, wearing an A.C. Milan jersey. This damaged the prospect of him having a long career at Inter, but he did make several appearances after that.

With doubts over his career at Inter, former coach Roberto Mancini had since moved to Manchester City and decided to give Balotelli a fresh chance at a new club. He joined Manchester City in August 2010, where his performances and off-field activities continued to be enigmatic and unpredictable. Balotelli eventually fell out of favour with Mancini after a "training ground bust up" between the two in January 2013.[7] His departure from City and return to Italy with A.C. Milan followed several weeks later.[8] After 18 months at A.C. Milan, he returned to the Premier League with Liverpool.

Balotelli earned his first cap for Italy in a friendly match against Côte d'Ivoire on 10 August 2010. He has since amassed over 30 caps and represented his country at UEFA Euro 2012 and the 2014 FIFA World Cup, helping them reach the final of the former.

Early life

Mario Balotelli was born in Palermo, Sicily from Ghanaian immigrants.[9] The family moved to Bagnolo Mella in the province of Brescia, Lombardy, when he was two.[10]

In 1993, the authorities suggested he be placed into foster care. The Barwuah family gave up the three-year-old boy to an Italian foster family, the Balotellis.[9][11] His foster parents are Silvia, the Jewish daughter of Holocaust survivors,[12] and Francesco Balotelli.[13][14][15][16][17] They lived in the town of Concesio, Brescia, in northern Italy.[18]

At first, he stayed at the Balotellis during the weekdays, and returned to his biological parents on weekends. But after a while he started to be indifferent towards his biological parents and adopted the surname of the Balotellis, and it was arranged for him to be permanently fostered by the Balotellis.[19]

In June 2012, he dedicated his goals that put Italy in the final of the Euro 2012 football championships to his foster mother Silvia, and rushed over to embrace her as she wept after the win.[9][20]

Balotelli had to wait until his 18th birthday to request Italian citizenship, as the Balotellis had not adopted him. Balotelli officially gained citizenship in Concesio on 13 August 2008.[21] After the ceremony he released the following statement:

“ I am Italian, I feel Italian, I will forever play with the Italy national team.

Mario Balotelli[22]

 ”

Mario has three biological siblings: Abigail, Enoch, and Angel Barwuah.[23] Enoch Barwuah, two years his junior, had a trial at English Premier League side Stoke City in December 2011,[24] and Sunderland in January 2012,[25] before signing with Salford City on 16 November 2012.[26] Enoch switched to Maltese Premier League side Qormi in July 2013.[27]

Club career

Lumezzane

Balotelli began his career at Lumezzane. At the age of 15 he was promoted to the first team, making his first team debut in a Serie C1 league match against Padova on 2 April 2006.[10]

Inter Milan

Balotelli with Inter

Having had an unsuccessful trial with Barcelona at the age of 15,[6] Balotelli was signed by Inter Milan in 2006 on loan with a pre-set price of €150,000 to co-own the player.[28] In June 2007 Inter exercised the option and purchased another half for additional €190,000.[28] On 8 November 2007, as part of Sheffield F.C.'s 150th anniversary celebrations, Balotelli featured in a friendly between the two sides at Sheffield United's Bramall Lane. The game finished 5–2 to Inter, with Balotelli scoring twice.[29] He made his first team and Serie A debut on 16 December 2007, replacing David Suazo in a 2–0 win against Cagliari.[30] Three days later he was featured in the starting lineup in a Coppa Italia match against Reggina, scoring two goals in a 4–1 win.[31] Balotelli gained national attention after he scored two goals against Juventus in the return leg of the Coppa Italia quarter-finals, being instrumental in a 3–2 away win for Inter.[32] His first Serie A goal then came in April 2008 in a 2–0 away win against Atalanta.[33] Inter went on to win the 2007–08 Serie A.[34] Balotelli was a substitute in the 2008 Supercoppa Italiana final against Roma. He came on as a replacement for Luís Figo, scoring in the 83rd minute. Inter went on to win the final 6–5 on penalties after the match ended 2–2.[35]

Balotelli in 2009

In November 2008, Balotelli became the youngest Inter player (at 18 years and 85 days) to score in the Champions League when he scored a goal in a 3–3 draw against Cypriot side Anorthosis Famagusta, beating the previous record set by Obafemi Martins (at 18 years and 145 days).[36] In an April 2009 match with Juventus where he scored Inter's only goal in a 1–1 draw, Balotelli was racially abused by Juventus fans throughout the game. This led Inter owner Massimo Moratti to say that he would have pulled the team off the pitch had he been present.[37] The racist chants were also condemned by Juventus chairman Giovanni Cobolli Gigli and Juventus were given a one-game home-fan ban because of the incident.[38] Inter won Serie A for the fourth time in a row.[39]

In his second season with Inter, Balotelli had a number of disciplinary problems, most notably involving head coach José Mourinho who excluded him from the first team in the second half of January 2009. Earlier that season Mourinho had accused Balotelli of showing a lack of effort in training, stating "as far as I'm concerned, a young boy like him cannot allow himself to train less than people like Figo, Córdoba, and Zanetti."[40] Balotelli continued to be the subject of racist chants throughout the season, becoming the focus of Juventus fans even during games not involving Inter, leading to Juventus being fined twice and the club ultimately punished with a partial stadium closure.[41]

Balotelli's disciplinary problems, and his difficult relationship with Mourinho, continued in the 2009–10 season. In November Inter drew 1–1 against Roma and Mourinho criticized his players, even going as far as saying that Balotelli "came close to a zero rating".[42] Balotelli had another negative encounter with Juventus fans in the heated Derby d'Italia encounter in an away match against Juventus on 5 December 2009, which Inter lost 2–1. When he was elbowed by Juventus midfielder Felipe Melo in the shoulder, Balotelli fell theatrically onto the pitch, for which he was booked, while Melo was sent off for a second yellow card. The incident sparked an altercation between Balotelli's teammate Thiago Motta and Juventus goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon.[43][44][45] The tension between Balotelli and Mourinho reached its peak on the eve of the UEFA Champions League second leg against Chelsea after the young striker was not called-up, following an altercation with his manager.[46] Despite Inter's 1–0 win at Stamford Bridge, London, Balotelli was criticized by several senior players including captain Javier Zanetti[47] and veteran defender Marco Materazzi, as well as by his own agent.[48] In March 2010 he came under heavy criticism from fans after he publicly sported an A.C. Milan (Inter's cross-town rivals) jersey on the Italian show Striscia la Notizia.[49]

Zlatan Ibrahimović with Balotelli

Balotelli released a statement of apology in Inter Milan's official website that read:

“ "I am sorry for the situation that has been created recently. I am the first person who has suffered because I adore football and I want to play, and now I am waiting in silence so I can return to being useful to my team. I want to put the past behind me, look to the future and concentrate on the upcoming commitments and make myself ready."

Mario Balotelli[50]

 ”

After a falling-out with Mourinho, Balotelli was recalled for Inter's April 2010 match against Bologna, and he marked his return with a goal in their 3–0 win.[51] He again caused controversy in the Champions League semi-final against Barcelona on 20 April 2010 as he threw his jersey on the ground after the final whistle, in response to Inter fans who had booed him for his poor performance.[52] He admitted three years later that the incident was the only regret in his life.[53] Disgruntled fans confronted and tried to attack Balotelli after the game. His behavior on the pitch brought disapproval from his teammates, with Zanetti publicly saying "Mario needs to focus on doing what he can do on the pitch, he can't allow himself to behave like this."[54] Amid these controversies with his club and manager, many Premier League teams, including Manchester United and Manchester City, indicated that they were interested in signing Balotelli in July 2010.[55]

Manchester City

2010–11

After weeks of speculation Inter reached an agreement for Balotelli's transfer to Manchester City on 12 August 2010 for €21.8 million.[56][57] At Manchester City Balotelli reunited with his former boss, Roberto Mancini,[58] who said, "His style of play will suit the Premier League, and because he is still so young there is a big chance for him to improve. He is a strong and exciting player, and City fans will enjoy watching him."[58] Balotelli exchanged squad number with teammate Greg Cunningham so that he could continue to wear the number 45 shirt.[59]

Balotelli (right) with Alex Song and Bacary Sagna in April 2012.

On 19 August 2010 Balotelli came on as a substitute to score in his debut against Politehnica Timişoara in a 1–0 away win in the Europa League,[60] but during the match injured the lateral meniscus in his right knee and on 8 September underwent surgery that sidelined him until October.[61] Balotelli eventually made his Premier League debut on 24 October as a substitute in a 3–0 home defeat to Arsenal[62] and made his first Premier League on 30 October in a 2–1 away defeat to Wolverhampton Wanderers.[63] Balotelli scored his first and second Premier League goals on 7 November in a 2–0 away win to West Brom.[64] In the same game Balotelli received a red card for violent conduct as the result of a clash with Youssuf Mulumbu, which his manager Roberto Mancini described as unfair.[65] Balotelli scored the first two of City's three goals in the 3–0 win over FC Red Bull Salzburg in Manchester City's Europa League group stage match.[66]

On 21 December 2010 Balotelli won the Golden Boy Award, saying that only one of the past winners was slightly better than he was – Lionel Messi. He also claimed not to know of Arsenal's Jack Wilshere, the player he narrowly beat to the award.[67] On 28 December 2010 Balotelli scored his first Premier League hat-trick in a 4–0 win over Aston Villa.[68] Despite this success Balotelli still had disciplinary problems, and in March 2011 he was sent off in the second-leg of Manchester City's Europa League draw with Dynamo Kyiv.[69] On 14 May 2011 Balotelli was man of the match in the 2011 FA Cup Final as Manchester City defeated Stoke City 1–0 to win their first trophy in thirty-five years.[70]

2011–12

"The problem is because of his age, he can make some mistakes. He's Mario. He's crazy – but I love him because he's a good guy."

Roberto Mancini, Balotelli's manager at Inter Milan and Manchester City in October 2011[71]

Balotelli scored his first goal of the 2011–12 campaign in a 2–0 League Cup win against Birmingham City. He followed this up with the opening goal against Everton three days later. On 1 October 2011 he scored his third goal in as many games in a 4–0 win away to Blackburn Rovers. Balotelli scored the opening two goals and forced the dismissal of Jonny Evans as City beat Manchester United 6–1 at Old Trafford on 23 October 2011 in what would prove to be a decisive game in helping win Manchester City the league title.[72] Balotelli made his Champions League debut for City on 2 November 2011, in the second leg against Villarreal. He scored on a penalty shot near the end of the first half, his first Champions League goal for City and his seventh goal overall in the season.[73] On 27 November, Balotelli came on as a 65th minute substitute against Liverpool and was sent off after receiving two yellow cards.[74] Balotelli scored using his right shoulder in City's 5–1 win over Norwich City on 3 December.[75] He put City 1–0 up against Chelsea at Stamford Bridge after just two minutes on 12 December, although Chelsea rallied to win 2–1.[76]

On 22 January 2012, Balotelli came on as a substitute during a match against Tottenham Hotspur. He appeared to stamp on Scott Parker during the match against Tottenham, but, already booked, did not get a second yellow from referee Howard Webb, who did not see the incident.[77] Balotelli subsequently scored his first goal of 2012, an injury-time penalty which secured a 3–2 win for City.[78] He was charged for violent conduct for the kick against Scott Parker and was suspended for four matches, three for violent conduct and one for his second sending off.[77] On 25 February, he scored his tenth league goal of the season in a 3–0 home win against Blackburn Rovers.[79] He scored again the following game in a 2–0 win against Bolton Wanderers.[80] On 31 March, Balotelli scored twice as City drew 3–3 at home against Sunderland. However, Balotelli was criticized for his actions in the match after squabbling with Aleksandar Kolarov over a free kick. Roberto Mancini claimed after the game that he had considered substituting Balotelli just five minutes into the match.[81] On 8 April 2012, Balotelli received his fourth red card of the season, after receiving his second yellow card during the match for a tackle against Bacary Sagna during City's 1–0 loss to Arsenal in April 2012.[82] He was banned for three games (one for the two yellow cards and two for the previous two red cards in the same season).[83] After the Arsenal match, Mancini appeared to have finally lost his patience with Balotelli, suggesting that Balotelli would not play any part in the remainder of City's season and be sold by the club.[84] Despite this, Balotelli did make an appearance as a late substitute in the last game of the season, a title-deciding match against Queens Park Rangers. Balotelli provided the assist to striker Sergio Agüero, who scored in the 94th minute to give City their first league title since 1968.[85]

2012–13

In December 2012, Balotelli decided to fight against Manchester City's decision to fine him two weeks' wages for his poor disciplinary record the previous season by taking his club to a Premier League tribunal. Balotelli missed 11 games domestically and in Europe last season because of suspensions. With less than a day remaining to the start of the hearing, Balotelli dropped his tribunal action and accepted the fine.[86]

A.C. Milan

Balotelli playing for A.C. Milan in 2013.

"I will remember my brilliant team-mates, the manager and all the supporters. They are the best, they were great with me and I will always have a very special place in my heart for City, it's a great club with a great future."
"I spoke with Roberto before I went to speak to the players. We spoke for some time about lots of things. He was sad, and I was too. But it was a good conversation. I love Roberto, he has been very important for my career, and I will always thank him for having trust and faith in me."[87]

Mario Balotelli on his transfer to A.C. Milan
A mural of Balotelli outside of the San Siro in Milan

On 29 January 2013, A.C. Milan's organising director Umberto Gandini announced that the team had agreed a deal to sign Balotelli from Manchester City on a four-and-a-half year deal rumoured to be worth €20 million plus bonuses and add-ons.[88] Manchester City's then manager Roberto Mancini suggested he had sanctioned Balotelli's sale to A.C. Milan for the good of the player, describing the forward as "like another one of my children" and saying Balotelli could become one of the best players in the world when restored to Serie A.[89] On 31 January 2013, the Serie A giants completed the signing,[90] and Balotelli was awarded the number 45 shirt, the same number he wore for Inter Milan and Manchester City. A.C. Milan's vice-president, Adriano Galliani, said "Balotelli in Rossoneri is a dream that has been realized. It is a transfer that everyone wanted: club, president and fans."[91] Balotelli received a warm reception when he returned to Milan. His arrival saw some fans scuffling with police and one policeman was taken to hospital with head injuries.[92] It was stated that Silvio Berlusconi's signing of Balotelli would help him gain extra votes in the 2013 Italian general election.[93]

2012–13

Balotelli playing for Liverpool in September 2014.

On 3 February 2013, Balotelli made his debut for A.C. Milan and scored two goals, including a last minute penalty to earn a 2–1 victory over Udinese. The win lifted A.C. Milan to fourth in the table, ahead of Inter Milan on goal difference.[94] In the next two matches, Balotelli scored two goals, including 30 yards (27 m) free-kick against Parma.[95] With that goal, he equaled Oliver Bierhoff's record of four goals in first three matches for A.C. Milan.[96] In his fifth appearance Balotelli appeared as a substitute against Genoa and scored his fifth goal for his new club.[97] In the match against Palermo, Balotelli continued his impressive scoring streak with two more goals, one from a penalty and another from an M'Baye Niang cross.[98]

On the final day of the season, Balotelli scored his twelfth goal in thirteen games for A.C. Milan as the team beat Siena to qualify for the 2013–14 Champions League.[99]

2013–14

On 22 September 2013, Balotelli missed a penalty in a competitive match for the first time in 22 attempts as a professional; the kick was saved by Pepe Reina as A.C. Milan lost 2–1 to Napoli.[100] During a match against Catania on 1 December, Balotelli accused opponent Nicolás Spolli of racially abusing him, but there was insufficient evidence for any action to be taken.[101] The following week, Balotelli scored two goals in a 2–2 draw with Livorno, including a sensational 30-yard direct free kick that was clocked at a speed of 109 km/h.[102]

Liverpool

2014–15

On 21 August 2014, A.C. Milan agreed a £16 million fee for Balotelli to return to the Premier League with Liverpool.[103] The signing was confirmed on 25 August 2014.[104] Later that day, he watched from the directors' box as Liverpool lost 3–1 at his former club Manchester City.[105] On 31 August, Balotelli made his Liverpool debut in a 3–0 away win against Tottenham Hotspur in the Premier League.[106]

Balotelli scored his first Liverpool goal on 16 September, opening a 2–1 Anfield victory against Ludogorets Razgrad in the group stage of the UEFA Champions League.[107] In a match in the same competition on 22 October against Real Madrid, Balotelli was substituted at half time for Adam Lallana with Liverpool losing 3–0 at Anfield. Manager Brendan Rodgers criticised him for having swapped shirts with opponent Pepe at half time, saying "It's something that doesn't happen here and shouldn't happen here."[108]

He scored his second goal for Liverpool on 28 October, when he turned the ball into the net after a cross from the right in the Football League Cup match against Swansea City in a 2–1 win.[109]

On 18 December 2014, he was suspended for one match and fined £25,000 for posting an image on social media, which appeared to contain anti-Semitic and racist references.[110]

Balotelli's first Premier League goal for Liverpool came on his 13th appearance, on 10 February 2015, an 83rd-minute winner in a 3–2 victory over Tottenham Hotspur at Anfield, nine minutes after replacing Daniel Sturridge.[111]

On 19 February 2015, Balotelli gave Liverpool a 1-0 win over Beşiktaş on a late penalty. The goal gave Liverpool a narrow Europa League lead over Besiktas ahead of the return match in Turkey. Before the penalty kick was taken there was a dispute with team captain Jordan Henderson regarding who should take it.[112]

International career

Balotelli was unable to answer call-ups to the Italian national under-15 and under-17 teams as he was still considered to be a Ghanaian immigrant.[113]

On 7 August 2007, five days before his seventeenth birthday, Balotelli received his first senior International call-up for Ghana from their coach Claude Le Roy for a friendly against Senegal at the New Den stadium in London, England, on 21 August 2007.[114] He declined the offer citing once again his willingness to play for Italy when he became eligible.[115] He also stated his willingness to represent Italy at international level once he acquired an Italian passport.[116]

Italy U-21 coach Pierluigi Casiraghi stated his intention to call up Balotelli once he obtained Italian citizenship. On 13 August 2008 Balotelli was finally given Italian citizenship.[117]

“ This is even more exciting than making my debut in Serie A. The best birthday present I could receive now would be a call to join the Italy squad, although I'd be happy to play for the Under 21 team.

Mario Balotelli[118]

 ”
Balotelli and Italy manager Cesare Prandelli (centre) meeting Italian President Giorgio Napolitano (right) in November 2011.

Casiraghi called him to join the Italy national under-21 football team Azzurrini on 29 August for the matches against Greece and Croatia.[119] In his debut on 5 September 2008 he scored his first international goal in a 1–1 draw with the Greek U-21's.

Balotelli was named in the final 23-man squad for the 2009 UEFA European Under-21 Football Championships and scored the opening goal against the hosts Sweden in the 23rd minute. Barely 15 minutes later he was shown a red card for retaliating against a Swedish midfielder Pontus Wernbloom.[120] Italy were eliminated by eventual champions Germany in the semi-finals, following a 1-0 defeat.

On 10 August 2010, Balotelli made his first appearance for the Italian senior team, as part of the squad announced by new head coach Cesare Prandelli, in a friendly match against Côte d'Ivoire – Italy's first match after the 2010 World Cup.[121] In that match he started alongside debutant Amauri and striker Antonio Cassano in a 1–0 loss.[122] On 11 November 2011, Balotelli scored his first senior international goal in a 2–0 win against Poland at Stadion Miejski in Wrocław, Poland, also setting up Italy's second goal of the match.[123]

UEFA Euro 2012

Balotelli playing for Italy in 2012.

Before the tournament in Poland and Ukraine kicked off, in June 2012 Balotelli was interviewed by a newspaper about the state of racism in the host countries. During the interview Balotelli reinforced his threats to walk off the pitch if any of the opposition's fans racially abuse him in any way, and said he would 'kill' anyone that threw a banana at him. He spoke about his increasing fears that black players will be targeted by racists and that he refuses to accept racism in any form, talking of his past incidents surrounding racism in football notably during his time playing in Serie A for Inter Milan.[124] During the build-up to the competition Manchester City's manager Roberto Mancini had repetitively defended Balotelli, but he and footballer Daniele De Rossi believed that Mario would need to grow up and mature if he was going to become the centrepiece of future Italian success.[125]

Balotelli representing Italy at Euro 2012 against England

On 10 June 2012, Balotelli also became the first black player to appear for Italy in a major tournament (Euro or World Cup) in a 1–1 draw against Spain, Italy's first match of Euro 2012. Italy and Spain later played each other for the second time in the tournament in the Ukraine's capital city of Kiev. During the 1–1 draw Balotelli failed to make an impact, he was substituted off during the 56th minute after missing multiple chances; specifically a one on one with Spanish goalkeeper and captain Iker Casillas just minutes before being subbed off. His replacement was Antonio Di Natale the 34 year-old managed to secure his 11th international goal and put Italy ahead within his time on the pitch. With Balotelli continuing his run of poor form for his nation, fans and critics began calling for Di Natale to replace the "immature and unpredictable striker."[126][127][128]

Later in the tournament, on 18 June 2012, Mario Balotelli scored his first goal in a major international tournament in a 2–0 victory against the Republic of Ireland. When he attempted to celebrate this goal, he was immediately halted by teammate Leonardo Bonucci, who covered Balotelli's mouth with his hand for fear that the striker would say something to "get in trouble."[129] Balotelli had been dropped to the bench by Cesare Prandelli prior to the game due to his lack of ability shown in his previous group games, so when he was subbed on against Ireland fans didn't expect him to have much of an impact, and his celebration of his goal may have originally been directed towards the naysayers who believe he is bad for the team. Balotelli went on to start against England in the quarter-finals, his performance was described as wasteful but his effort was rated highly in a game where he missed multiple chances. He scored the first penalty taken in the shootout against his Manchester City teammate Joe Hart.[130] Balotelli scored twice within the first 40 minutes in Italy's semi-final clash with Germany, as the Azzurri won 2–1 and progressed to the Euro 2012 final against European and World champions Spain.[131] Going into the final Balotelli said that, Manchester City's title success meant that failure in the Euros would not signal a personal failure this season. He also said that he was unfazed by the pressure he supposedly has on his shoulders going into the final, with new high expectations of him from his home supporters after his amazing performance against Germany.[132]

During the tournament, Balotelli was subject to a case of racial abuse during the game against Croatia, which led UEFA to fine the Croatian Football Federation €80,000.[133] Italy were defeated 4-0 in the final by defending champions Spain. Despite the heavy defeat, Balotelli was named as part of the Euro 2012 Team of the Tournament due to his performances. With 3 goals, Balotelli finished the tournament as the joint top scorer along with 5 other players, although the Golden Boot ultimately went to Fernando Torres, due to his assist in the Euro 2012 final.

2014 FIFA World Cup qualifying

After establishing himself in the side at Euro 2012, Balotelli remained the first choice striker for Italy's 2014 World Cup qualifying campaign.

On 21 March 2013, he scored a long range equaliser in a friendly match against Brazil at the Stade de Genève.[134] Five days later he scored both goals as Italy defeated Malta in a World Cup qualifier, continuing his prolific scoring streak for both club and country since signing for A.C. Milan.[135]

On 7 June 2013, Balotelli was sent-off in a 0–0 draw with the Czech Republic in Prague.[136] On 10 September 2013, Balotelli scored the winning goal in a World Cup qualifying match against the Czech Republic in Turin, which allowed Italy to clinch the first place spot in their qualifying group, and ultimately achieve their objective of qualifying for the 2014 World Cup.[137] Balotelli finished the 2014 World Cup qualifying campaign as Italy's top scorer, with 5 goals, and he was also the top scorer of his qualifying group, helping Italy to win their group undefeated and qualify for the upcoming World Cup.

2013 FIFA Confederations Cup

Balotelli training with Italy in 2014.

On 3 June 2013, he was named in Italy's squad for the 2013 Confederations Cup.[138] In Italy's opening match on 16 June, Balotelli scored a late-winner, helping Italy to beat Mexico 2–1.[139] In Italy's next group match with Japan, Balotelli scored a penalty to make it 3–2 after being 2–0 down in the first half. Italy went on to win the match 4–3, which allowed them to participate in the semi-finals of the Confederations Cup for the first time in their history.[140] In Italy's final group match against hosts and eventual champions Brazil, Balotelli set up Emanuele Giaccherini's equaliser with a back-heel, although Italy eventually lost the match 4–2.[141] Prior to the semi-final, Balotelli suffered a thigh injury, preventing him from playing in the remainder of the tournament.[142] Italy finished the tournament in third place after defeating Uruguay in a play-off.

2014 FIFA World Cup

On 1 June 2014, Balotelli was selected in Italy's squad for the 2014 FIFA World Cup.[143] In Italy's opening match of the tournament, he scored the team's winning goal in a 2–1 defeat of England on 14 June.[144] After the match against England, Balotelli says playing in the World Cup for the first time was"a wonderful sensation to experience" and dedicated the goal to his future wife.[145] Italy lost their next two matches, however, and were eliminated in the first round, finishing third in their group.

Style of play

Mario Balotelli in the final of Euro 2012.

Agile, quick and powerful,[146] Balotelli is credited with pace, strength, and technical ability, but criticized for a perceived poor and immature attitude at times.[147] Balotelli is also a set-piece specialist due to his powerful shot, and is regarded by teammates and the media as a promising but undisciplined player.[148] He is regarded as one of the best penalty kick takers in world football, a view backed by his former Manchester City goalkeeping team-mate Joe Hart. Balotelli missed his first competitive penalty against Napoli on 22 September 2013 when it was saved by Pepe Reina.

In his two years at Manchester City, he received four red cards – against West Bromwich Albion (November 2010), Dynamo Kyiv (March 2011), Liverpool (November 2011) and Arsenal (April 2012). He has also in this time served suspensions for other incidents such as the supposed stamp on Scott Parker.[83]

Personality and public image

"I told him, if you played with me 10 years ago I would give you every day maybe one punch in your head. There are different ways to help a guy like Mario. I don't speak with him every day, otherwise I would need a psychologist, but I speak with him because I don't want him to lose his quality. If Mario is not one of the best players in the world it will be his fault, because he has everything. Mario can be one of the top players in Europe. I don't want him to lose his talent."

Mancini in April 2012[149]

Balotelli has been given a reputation by the media for being a difficult character and taking part in questionable and often amusing activities. He was once described by Jose Mourinho as "unmanageable."[150] In June 2010, Balotelli and a group of friends fired air pistols in the open in Milan's Piazza della Repubblica.[151] Although denying that he is "crazy" as his mentor Roberto Mancini frequently claims, Balotelli has admitted that he "sometimes does strange things".[152] In 2010, he was photographed in the company of two noted Mafia mobsters.[153] Since joining Manchester City, Balotelli has gained a cult following.[154] Manchester City supporters regularly sang a song with lyrics which made reference to his activities.[155] Musician Tinchy Stryder recorded a song in Balotelli's honour, Mario Balotelli.[156]

Balotelli has been the subject of numerous newspaper stories since joining Manchester City; some have been confirmed as true while others have turned out to be erroneous. Within days of joining Manchester City, Balotelli was involved in a car crash.[157] It was reported that Balotelli was carrying £5,000 cash at the time – and that when a police officer asked why he had such a large sum of cash Balotelli replied: "Because I am rich".[158] Off-field activities involving Balotelli have included driving into a women's prison in Italy to "have a look round",[159] and throwing darts at a youth team player during a training ground 'prank'[160] – all of which have been confirmed to be true. Balotelli has also been subjected to tabloid rumours about him confronting a bully in a school after querying why a young Manchester City fan was not attending classes,[161] and giving £1,000 to a homeless man on the streets of Manchester.[162] Both of these allegations subsequently turned out to be false.[163][164]

"I've finished my words for him. I've finished. I love him as a guy, as a player. I know him. He's not a bad guy and [he] is a fantastic player. But, at this moment, I'm very sorry for him because he continues to lose his talent, his quality. I hope, for him, he can understand that he's in a bad way for his future. And he can change his behaviour in the future. But I'm finished."

Mancini in April 2012 following Balotelli's dismissal against Arsenal[84]

Video footage before City's Europa League clash with Dynamo Kiev in March 2011 showed Balotelli requiring assistance to put on a training bib,[165] an incident which teammate Edin Džeko was seen mimicking the following week in the warm up before City's game at Chelsea.[166] In September 2011, Balotelli was reportedly seen using his iPad whilst on the substitutes' bench for Italy during their game with the Faroe Islands,[167] although he denied this on a visit to a prison later that week.[168]

A t-shirt printed with the words "Why always me?", similar to the one worn by Balotelli

Balotelli celebrated his goal against Manchester United in October 2011 by unveiling a shirt with the words: "Why always me?" on it – a celebration which seemingly disputes the accuracy of newspaper reports.[169] The day before the match, Balotelli and his friends set Balotelli's house on fire when a firework was let off in it, and later that week Balotelli was unveiled as Greater Manchester's ambassador for firework safety.[170] On 5 November 2011, at the annual fireworks display at Edenbridge, Kent, a 12 metre tall bonfire effigy of Balotelli was unveiled – complete with a Super Mario hat, and a house in the right hand and a 'Giant TNT' firework in his left, which were reference to his recent incident.[171][172] In December 2011, Balotelli broke a 48-hour curfew before City's game against Chelsea to go to a curry house, although he "was not drinking alcohol, signed autographs, posed for pictures with fellow diners and was involved in a mock sword-fight using rolling pins". The club launched an internal investigation.[173] In March 2012, when Inter Milan (Balotelli's former club) held a press conference for their new manager Andrea Stramaccioni, Balotelli gatecrashed the event.[174] In December 2012, Balotelli was due to take Manchester City to a Premier League tribunal to protest a fine of two weeks' wages over his poor disciplinary record, but eventually dropped his tribunal action a day before the hearing.[175]

On 1 December 2014, Balotelli was accused of racism and antisemitism for posting an image on Instagram of the video game character Mario, with the caption "jumps like a black man and grabs coins like a jew". In response to criticisms, he wrote: "My Mom is jewish so all of u shut up please". Ballotelli was raised by his Jewish adoptive mother from the age of 3.[176][177][178]

Career statistics

Club

As of match played on 19 February 2015.[179]
Club Season League Domestic Cup[lower-alpha 1] League Cup[lower-alpha 2] Europe[lower-alpha 3] Other[lower-alpha 4] Total
Division Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Lumezzane 2005–06 Serie C1 20—20
Total20—20
Inter Milan 2007–08 Serie A 11344—0000157
2008–09 2282061113110
2009–10 2995181104011
Total5920115—142218628
Manchester City 2010–11 Premier League 176510063—2810
2011–12 2313002163103217
2012–13 14110114100203
Total54206132167108030
A.C. Milan 2012–13 Serie A 131200———1312
2013–14 3014111034118
Total432611—103—5430
Liverpool 2014–15 Premier League 15130315200264
Total15130315200264
Career total 172672176345143124792
Mario Balotelli with England defender Ashley Cole in Euro 2012

International

As of match played on 24 June 2014.[180]
National team Year Apps Goals
Italy 2010 2 0
2011 5 1
2012 9 4
2013 13 7
2014 4 1
Total 33 13

International goals

Scores and results list Italy's goal tally first.
# Date Venue Opponent Score Result Competition
1. 11 November 2011 Stadion Miejski, Wrocław  Poland 1–0 2–0 Friendly
2. 18 June 2012 Municipal Stadium, Poznań  Republic of Ireland 2–0 2–0 Euro 2012
3. 28 June 2012 National Stadium, Warsaw  Germany 1–0 2–1 Euro 2012
4. 2–0
5. 16 October 2012 San Siro, Milan  Denmark 3–1 3–1 2014 World Cup qualifier
6. 21 March 2013 Stade de Genève, Geneva  Brazil 2–2 2–2 Friendly
7. 26 March 2013 Ta' Qali National Stadium, Ta' Qali  Malta 1–0 2–0 2014 World Cup qualifier
8. 2–0
9. 16 June 2013 Estádio do Maracanã, Rio de Janeiro  Mexico 2–1 2–1 2013 FIFA Confederations Cup
10. 19 June 2013 Arena Pernambuco, Recife, Brazil  Japan 3–2 4–3 2013 FIFA Confederations Cup
11. 10 September 2013 Juventus Stadium, Turin, Italy  Czech Republic 2–1 2–1 2014 World Cup qualifier
12. 15 October 2013 Stadio San Paolo, Naples, Italy  Armenia 2–2 2–2 2014 World Cup qualifier
13. 14 June 2014 Arena Amazonia, Manaus, Brazil  England 2–1 2–1 2014 World Cup
As of 14 June 2014.[181]

Honours

Club

Inter Milan
Manchester City

International

Individual

Personal life

In 2012, Balotelli featured in GQ where he and British musician Tinie Tempah were named as the best and second-best dressed men in the world respectively.[187] Balotelli also appeared on the cover of the November 2012 edition of Time Magazine.[188]

Balotelli is a fan of mixed martial arts, as he has stated in the past that he would love to compete in the sport professionally if he were not a footballer.[189]

Balotelli owns several cars, including a Range Rover Evoque, Ferrari 458 Spider, Bentley Continental GT, Maserati GT, and Audi R8 V10.[190]

In January 2013, Balotelli's net worth was estimated to be US$40 million,[190] up from US$25 million in January 2012.[191] Balotelli bought a £3 million mansion in the United Kingdom.[190]

Balotelli no longer drinks alcohol.[192]

In July 2012, Balotelli's former girlfriend Raffaella Fico claimed that she was pregnant with his child,[193] while Balotelli responded by claiming that he would only assume paternal responsibilities upon a positive paternity test.[194] Fico's daughter Pia was born on 5 December 2012.[195] Later in December 2012, Fico accused Balotelli of being "irresponsible" and "not interested" in her newborn daughter. In response, Balotelli threatened to take legal action against Fico to defend his reputation against what he considered false accusations.[196][197] In February 2014, Balotelli finally acknowledged paternity of his daughter Pia following a positive DNA test.[198][199]

In March 2013, Balotelli got engaged to his Belgian fiancée, Fanny Neguesha.[200] They split in September 2014.[201]

Notes

  1. ↑ Includes Coppa Italia and FA Cup.
  2. ↑ Includes Football League Cup.
  3. ↑ Includes UEFA Champions League and UEFA Europe League.
  4. ↑ Includes Supercoppa Italiana, UEFA Super Cup and FA Community Shield.

References

  1. ↑ "Mario Balotelli". Goal.com. Retrieved 3 September 2011.
  2. ↑ "Mario Balotelli". liverpoolfc.com. Retrieved 9 September 2014.
  3. ↑ "Balotelli saluta l'Italia "Ho bisogno di giocare"". La Gazzetta dello Sport (in Italian). 13 August 2010. Retrieved 13 August 2010.
  4. ↑ "Balotelli signs for City". Manchester City F.C. 13 August 2010. Retrieved 13 August 2010.
  5. ↑ Leicester, John (29 June 2012). "Super Mario: Euro 2012: Super Mario Balotelli on target to finish as top scorer". thestar.com (Toronto Star). Retrieved 29 June 2012.
  6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 "Balotelli, maravillado con Thiago desde su paso por el Barça". Sport (newspaper) (in Spanish). 11 August 2011. Retrieved 11 August 2011.
  7. ↑ "Mario Balotelli & Roberto Mancini in 'training ground bust-up'". BBC Sport. BBC. Retrieved 21 August 2014.
  8. ↑ "Manchester City confirm Mario Balotelli transfer to AC Milan". http://www.telegraph.co.uk''. The Telegraph. Retrieved 21 August 2014.
  9. ↑ 9.0 9.1 9.2 Fiske, Gavriel. "The improbable Jewish 'heritage' of Italy's goal-scoring eccentric". The Times of Israel. Retrieved 4 September 2013.
  10. ↑ 10.0 10.1 "Mario Story". Mario Balotelli Official Website. Retrieved 7 November 2010.
  11. ↑ "Our man on the Italian side – Israel Culture, Ynetnews". Ynetnews.com. Retrieved 4 September 2013.
  12. ↑ http://www.haaretz.com/jewish-world/jewish-world-news/italian-son-of-jewish-foster-mom-leads-team-into-euro-2012-final-1.448119
  13. ↑ "'Super Mario' Challenges The Idea Of Who's An Italian". NPR. Retrieved 4 September 2013.
  14. ↑ "Italian soccer star raised by Jewish parents". The Canadian Jewish News. 6 July 2012. Retrieved 4 September 2013.
  15. ↑ Issacharoff, Avi. "The improbable Jewish 'heritage' of Italy's goal-scoring eccentric". The Times of Israel. Retrieved 4 September 2013.
  16. ↑ Racism: Italian Nazis abuse Mario Balotelli. The Mirror, By Simon Bird, 9 June 2012.
  17. ↑ Calvin, Michael (6 January 2013). "The Last Word: Kevin-Prince Boateng isn't a hero, just a human being". independent.co.uk (The Independent). Retrieved 6 January 2013.
  18. ↑ Williamson, Laura; Pisa, Nick (5 August 2010). "Mario Balotelli's double life: The bitter family feud that haunts the £29m Manchester City target". Daily Mail (London). Retrieved 6 August 2010.
  19. ↑ The improbable Jewish ‘heritage’ of Italy’s Ghana-born goal-scoring eccentric Times of Israel, 29 June 2012
  20. ↑ "Mario Balotelli: Israel's new darling". GlobalPost. 2 July 2012. Retrieved 4 September 2013.
  21. ↑ "Inter's Balotelli gets Italian citizenship". Italy Magazine. 15 August 2008. Retrieved 16 May 2009.
  22. ↑ "Balotelli tricolore: Sono italiano, mi sento italiano: mai voluto il Ghana". Il Giorno. 4 September 2008.
  23. ↑ Patrick, George (27 November 2012). "Yaya Toure convinces Balotelli to visit Ghana". AllSports. Retrieved 24 January 2014.
  24. ↑ "Stoke City: Balotelli junior finds it tough at Burton". The Sentinel. 8 December 2011. Retrieved 8 December 2011.
  25. ↑ "Mario’s brother Enoch ‘Luigi’, is on trial at Sunderland". socceringhana.com. Retrieved 13 August 2012.
  26. ↑ Cartwright, Phil (16 November 2012). "Mario Balotelli's brother Enoch signs for Salford City". BBC Sport (British Broadcasting Corporation). Retrieved 16 November 2012.
  27. ↑ Azzopardi, Kevin (26 July 2013). "Balotelli’s younger sibling keen to relaunch career with Qormi". Times of Malta. Retrieved 24 January 2014.
  28. ↑ 28.0 28.1 FC Internazionale Milano 2006–07 bilancio, require purchase in CCIAA (Italian)
  29. ↑ "Sheffield FC 2–5 Inter". sufc.co.uk. Sheffield United. 8 November 2007. Retrieved 8 November 2007.
  30. ↑ "Cagliari 0–2 Inter Milan". ESPNSoccernet. Retrieved 30 December 2010.
  31. ↑ "Balotelli Biography". Football Database. Archived from the original on 14 August 2010. Retrieved 16 May 2009.
  32. ↑ "A star is born in Milan:Mario Balotelli". Soccer Lens. 31 January 2008. Retrieved 16 May 2009.
  33. ↑ "Inter Milan 2–0 Atalanta". Italian Soccer Serie A. 6 April 2008. Retrieved 16 May 2009.
  34. ↑ "Parma 0–2 Inter Milan". Soccernet (ESPN). 18 May 2008. Retrieved 16 May 2009.
  35. ↑ "Inter Milan-AS Roma: Penalty Shootout Seals Super Cup Victory For Jose Mourinho". bleacherreport.com (Bleacher Report). 24 August 2008. Retrieved 16 July 2012.
  36. ↑ Chinellato, Davide (4 November 2008). "Cruz toglie l'Inter dai guai 3–3 con l'Anorthosis". La Gazzetta dello Sport (in Italian). Retrieved 30 December 2010.
  37. ↑ Meadows, Mark (20 April 2009). "Inter president chides Juve fans for racist chants". Reuters. Retrieved 20 April 2009.
  38. ↑ "Juve punished over racial abuse". BBC Sport. 20 April 2009. Retrieved 15 May 2009.
  39. ↑ "Mourinho wins Serie A with Inter". BBC Sport. 16 May 2009. Retrieved 18 May 2009.
  40. ↑ "Mourinho gets tough with Balotelli". FIFA. 12 January 2009. Retrieved 18 May 2009.
  41. ↑ "Juve fans continue to bait Balotelli". AFP. 17 January 2010. Retrieved 25 January 2010.
  42. ↑ "Jose Mourinho savages 'awful' Inter players". The Guardian (UK). 9 November 2009. Retrieved 12 May 2010.
  43. ↑ "Juventus 2–1 Internazionale: Marchisio magic seals Juve win over Inter". Soccernet (ESPN). 6 December 2009.
  44. ↑ "La meglio gioventù". La Stampa (in Italian) (Italy). 7 December 2009.
  45. ↑ "Mourinho sees red as Inter lose in Turin". Cable News Network (CNN). 5 December 2009. Retrieved 21 June 2012.
  46. ↑ Fifield, Dominic (15 March 2010). "I should still be manager at Chelsea, says José Mourinho". The Guardian (UK). Retrieved 19 March 2010.
  47. ↑ "Inter Milan captain Zanetti urges Balotelli to get head down and work". TribalFootball.com. 16 March 2010. Retrieved 19 March 2010.
  48. ↑ "Materazzi questions Balotelli attitude". Soccernet (ESPN). 17 March 2010. Retrieved 19 March 2010.
  49. ↑ "Tapiro a Balotelli Mario indossa la maglia del Milan". La Stampa (in Italian) (Italy). 22 March 2010.
  50. ↑ "Mario Balotelli statement". Internazionale. 1 April 2010. Retrieved 1 April 2010.
  51. ↑ "Bad-boy Balotelli scores on return as leaders Inter Milan bounce back". Cable News Network (CNN). 3 April 2010. Retrieved 21 June 2012.
  52. ↑ "Inter round on Balotelli". Sky Sports. 21 April 2010. Retrieved 22 April 2010.
  53. ↑ "Balotelli: Italy helped my popularity". Fox Sports on MSN. 24 March 2013. Retrieved 17 May 2014.
  54. ↑ "Booed Balotelli throws jersey And fans try to attack him". La Gazzetta dello Sport. 20 April 2010. Retrieved 22 April 2010.
  55. ↑ Hyde, Thomas (13 July 2010). "Manchester United join City in race to sign Inter Milan striker Mario Balotelli". The Telegraph. Retrieved 21 June 2012.
  56. ↑ FC Internazionale Milano Spa 2010–11 Bilancio [Report and Accounts]. FC Internazionale Milano (in Italian) (Registro Imprese & C.C.I.A.A.). October 2011.
  57. ↑ "Inter, una tripletta in rosso". ju29ro.com. 31 December 2010. Retrieved 23 June 2011.
  58. ↑ 58.0 58.1 "Man City complete Balotelli deal". BBC Sport. 13 August 2010.
  59. ↑ Brown, Zak (17 August 2010). "Mario Balotelli to wear No.45 for Manchester City after swapping with youngster Greg Cunningham". Goal.com. Retrieved 24 January 2014.
  60. ↑ "FC Timişoara 0–1 Man City". BBC Sport. 19 August 2010. Retrieved 19 August 2010.
  61. ↑ "Mario Balotelli moves closer to Man City return". BBC Sport. 28 September 2010. Retrieved 29 September 2010.
  62. ↑ "Balotelli does not have a release clause and will not leave City, says agent". BBC Sport. 29 October 2010. Retrieved 7 November 2010.
  63. ↑ "Mario Balotelli pleads for time at Manchester City after admitting physical struggles". Daily Telegraph (London). 3 November 2010. Retrieved 7 November 2010.
  64. ↑ "West Brom 0–2 Man City". BBC Sport. 7 November 2010. Retrieved 7 November 2010.
  65. ↑ "Man City will appeal against Mario Balotelli's red card". BBC Sport. 7 November 2010. Retrieved 7 November 2010.
  66. ↑ Chowdhury, Saj (1 December 2010). "Man City 3–0 Red Bull Salzburg". BBC Sport. Retrieved 23 February 2011.
  67. ↑ Katy Murrels (22 December 2010). "Balotelli wins award". The Guardian (UK). Retrieved 22 December 2010.
  68. ↑ Fletcher, Paul (28 December 2010). "Man City 4–0 Aston Villa". BBC Sport. Retrieved 23 February 2011.
  69. ↑ Chowdhury, Saj (17 March 2011). "Man City 1 – 0 Dynamo Kiev (agg 1 – 2)". British Broadcasting Company (BBC Sport). Retrieved 23 March 2011.
  70. ↑ Tongue, Steve (16 May 2011). "Touré brings City's long wait to an end". The Independent (London). Retrieved 16 May 2011.
  71. ↑ "Balotelli as good as Messi and Ronaldo – Mancini". ESPN. 24 October 2011. Retrieved 26 October 2011.
  72. ↑ "Man Utd 1 – 6 Man City". British Broadcasting Company (BBC Sport). 23 October 2011.
  73. ↑ "Villarreal 0 – 3 Man City". British Broadcasting Company (BBC Sport). 2 November 2011.
  74. ↑ "City claim Anfield point". Sky Sports. 29 November 2011. Retrieved 24 January 2014.
  75. ↑ Daniel Taylor at the Etihad Stadium (5 December 2011). "Rampant Manchester City are 'frightening' says Norwich's Paul Lambert | Football". London: The Guardian. Retrieved 28 December 2011.
  76. ↑ Lyon, Sam (12 December 2011). "BBC Sport – Football – Chelsea v Man City as it happened". BBC News. Retrieved 28 December 2011.
  77. ↑ 77.0 77.1 "Mario Balotelli charged with violent conduct by FA". BBC. Retrieved 24 January 2012.
  78. ↑ McNulty, Phil (22 January 2012). "Man City 3 – 2 Tottenham". BBC. Retrieved 24 January 2012.
  79. ↑ Dawkes, Phil (25 February 2012). "Man City 3–0 Blackburn". BBC Sport (British Broadcasting Corporation). Retrieved 10 March 2012.
  80. ↑ Magowan, Alistair (3 March 2012). "Man City 2–0 Bolton". BBC Sport (British Broadcasting Corporation). Retrieved 10 March 2012.
  81. ↑ "Mancini nearly took Balotelli off after five minutes". uk.eurosport.yahoo.com. 31 March 2012. Retrieved 31 March 2012.
  82. ↑ Daniel Taylor (8 April 2012). "Manchester City's title hopes sunk by Mikel Arteta's late Arsenal goal". guardian.co.uk. Retrieved 8 April 2012.
  83. ↑ 83.0 83.1 "Man City's Mario Balotelli avoids ban for Alex Song tackle". BBC. 10 April 2012. Retrieved 21 June 2012.
  84. ↑ 84.0 84.1 Dominic Fifield (8 April 2012). "Mario Balotelli may have played last Manchester City game – Mancini". guardian.co.uk. Retrieved 8 April 2012.
  85. ↑ McNulty, Phil (13 May 2012). "Man City 3–2 QPR". BBC Sport (British Broadcasting Corporation). Retrieved 17 November 2012.
  86. ↑ Austin, Simon. "Mario Balotelli: Man City striker takes club to tribunal". BBC. Retrieved 18 December 2012.
  87. ↑ "Mario Balotelli completes move to Milan from Manchester City". guardian.co.uk (The Guardian). 31 January 2013. Retrieved 31 January 2013.
  88. ↑ "Mario Balotelli: AC Milan agree deal to sign Manchester City striker". bbc.co.uk. BBC. 29 January 2013. Retrieved 29 January 2013.
  89. ↑ Fifield, Dominic (29 January 2013). "Roberto Mancini 'so sad' over Mario Balotelli's Manchester City exit". guardian.co.uk (The Guardian). Retrieved 29 January 2013.
  90. ↑ "A.C. Milan Official Communication". acmilan.com. A.C. Milan. 31 January 2013. Retrieved 31 January 2013.
  91. ↑ Gorst, Paul (30 January 2013). "Balotelli: I ran to join Milan". goal.com. Goal.com. Retrieved 30 January 2013.
  92. ↑ "Mario Balotelli's return to Milan marred by fans clashing with police – video". guardian.co.uk (The Guardian). 31 January 2013. Retrieved 31 January 2013.
  93. ↑ "Italy’s election: Scandal, fascism and football". economist.com (The Economist). 2 February 2013. Retrieved 2 February 2013.
  94. ↑ "Mario Balotelli scores twice on Milan debut to secure win over Udinese". guardian.co.uk (The Guardian). 3 February 2013. Retrieved 3 February 2013.
  95. ↑ "Super Mario for Milan". Sky Sports. 15 February 2013. Retrieved 24 January 2014.
  96. ↑ "Mario Balotelli scored a brilliant free-kick last night to make it 4 goals in 3 games for AC Milan". The Score. 16 February 2013. Retrieved 24 January 2014.
  97. ↑ Adams, Tom (8 March 2013). "Serie A – Balotelli on target again as Milan beat Genoa". Yahoo Eurosport UK. Retrieved 24 January 2014.
  98. ↑ "Balotelli brace lifts Milan spirits". Sky Sports. 17 March 2013. Retrieved 24 January 2014.
  99. ↑ "Mario Balotelli helps rescue AC Milan Champions League place". BBC. 19 May 2013. Retrieved 8 June 2013.
  100. ↑ "Mario Balotelli misses first penalty of his career as AC Milan lose to Napoli in Serie A clash at San Siro". The Daily Telegraph. 23 September 2013. Retrieved 17 May 2014.
  101. ↑ "Balotelli hits out on Twitter". Football Italia. 3 December 2013. Retrieved 17 May 2014.
  102. ↑ "Balotelli's free-kick goal vs. Livorno was clocked at 109 km/h". 6 December 2013.
  103. ↑ Smith, Ben (21 August 2014). "Mario Balotelli: Liverpool agree £16m fee for AC Milan striker". BBC Sport. Retrieved 21 August 2014.
  104. ↑ "Mario Balotelli: Liverpool complete £16m transfer". BBC Sport. 25 August 2014. Retrieved 25 August 2014.
  105. ↑ McNulty, Phil (25 August 2014). "Man City 3-1 Liverpool". BBC Sport. Retrieved 25 August 2014.
  106. ↑ "BBC Sport - Tottenham Hotspur 0-3 Liverpool". BBC Sports. 31 August 2014. Retrieved 31 August 2014.
  107. ↑ Sheringham, Sam (16 September 2014). "Liverpool 2-1 Ludo Razgd". BBC Sport. Retrieved 17 September 2014.
  108. ↑ McNulty, Phil (23 October 2014). "Mario Balotelli's shirt swap angers Liverpool boss Brendan Rodgers". BBC Sport. Retrieved 23 October 2014.
  109. ↑ "Liverpool 2 – 1 Swansea". BBC Sport. 28 October 2014. Retrieved 29 October 2014.
  110. ↑ "Mario Balotelli: Liverpool striker banned for one game and fined". BBC Sport. Retrieved 18 December 2014.
  111. ↑ McNulty, Phil (10 February 2015). "Liverpool 3-2 Tottenham". BBC Sport. Retrieved 11 February 2015.
  112. ↑ McNulty, Phil (19 February 2015). "Mario wins for Liverpool". BBC Sport. Retrieved 20 February 2015.
  113. ↑ "Un prodigio ma non è azzurro" (in Italian). Avvenimenti. 8 December 2006. Retrieved 8 December 2006.
  114. ↑ "Le Roy names 20 for friendly". Ghana Football Association. 7 August 2007. Archived from the original on 21 August 2007. Retrieved 22 August 2007.
  115. ↑ "Stars to tame the lions today". The Statesman (India). 21 August 2007. Retrieved 22 August 2007.
  116. ↑ "ESCLUSIVA TMW – Inter, il baby fenomeno Balotelli si racconta" (in Italian). TuttoMercatoWeb. 1 June 2007. Retrieved 19 July 2007.
  117. ↑ "Casiraghi: "Occhio a Messi noi partiamo da Nocerino"" (in Italian). La Gazzetta dello Sport. 16 May 2008. Retrieved 17 May 2008.
  118. ↑ "Inter's Balotelli gets Italian citizenship". Italymag. 15 August 2008.
  119. ↑ "Casiraghi convoca Balotelli" (in Italian). La Gazzetta dello Sport. 29 August 2008. Retrieved 29 August 2008.
  120. ↑ Peter Staunton (19 June 2009). "Ten-Man Italy Defeat Sweden After Balotelli Sent Off". Goal.com. Retrieved 19 June 2009.
  121. ↑ "Italy turn to Balotelli, Cassano". FIFA.com. 6 August 2010. Retrieved 6 August 2010.
  122. ↑ "Italy 0–1 Ivory Coast". ESPNsoccernet. 10 August 2010. Retrieved 19 August 2010.
  123. ↑ "Poland 0 – 2 Italy". uefa.com. 11 November 2011. Retrieved 11 November 2011.
  124. ↑ Christenson, Marcus (30 May 2012). "Euro 2012: Mario Balotelli threatens to 'kill' banana-throwing fans". The Guardian. Retrieved 1 July 2012.
  125. ↑ Hayward, Paul (20 June 2012). "Euro 2012: Italy's Mario Balotelli told to grow up by Daniele De Rossi ahead of showdown with England". The Telegraph. Retrieved 1 July 2012.
  126. ↑ Nerozzi, Massimiliano (20 June 2012). "Mario Balotelli – Italy's super talented, super complicated soccer star". Worldcrunch. Retrieved 22 June 2012.
  127. ↑ Lowe, Sid (10 June 2012). "Euro 2012: Cesc Fábregas saves Spain with equaliser against Italy". The Guardian. Retrieved 22 June 2012.
  128. ↑ Panickar, Sreejith (1 June 2012). "Euro Cup 2012 – Review: Italy vs Spain". sreejith.inf. Retrieved 1 July 2012.
  129. ↑ "Mario Balotelli scores with impressive volley, gets censored by teammates". Yahoo Sports. 18 June 2012. Retrieved 21 June 2012.
  130. ↑ Tom Rostance & Phil Dawkes (24 June 2012). "Euro 2012 quarter-final: England v Italy". BBC Sport. Retrieved 1 July 2012.
  131. ↑ Dampf, Andrew (28 July 2012). "Italy beats Germany 2–1 to reach Euro 2012 final". Yahoo News. Retrieved 24 January 2014.
  132. ↑ "Balotelli unfazed by Euro pressure". soccerway.com. 30 June 2012. Retrieved 1 July 2012.
  133. ↑ "Euro 2012: Croatia fined for Mario Balotelli racial abuse". British Broadcasting Corporation. 19 June 2012. Retrieved 24 June 2012.
  134. ↑ "Mario Balotelli nets a superb equaliser as Italy draw against Brazil". Sky Sports. 21 March 2013. Retrieved 24 January 2014.
  135. ↑ "Malta vs. Italy – 26 March 2013". Soccerway. Retrieved 24 January 2014.
  136. ↑ "Balotelli sent off as Czech Republic hold Italy". FIFA. 7 June 2013. Retrieved 8 June 2013.
  137. ↑ "Italy vs. Czech Republic (2-1)". Retrieved 10 September 2014.
  138. ↑ "Italy name Confederations Cup squad: Ogbonna and Ranocchia miss out". La Gazetta dello Sport. 4 June 2013. Retrieved 8 June 2013.
  139. ↑ Smith, Ben (16 June 2013). "Mexico 1 – 2 Italy". BBC Sport. Retrieved 24 January 2014.
  140. ↑ Mason, Peter (20 June 2013). "Italy's victory over Japan puts them into Confederations Cup semi-finals". The Guardian. Retrieved 20 June 2013.
  141. ↑ "Confederations, Italia-Brasile 2-4: gol di Dante, Giaccherini, Neymar, doppio Fred e Chiellini". Retrieved 10 September 2014.
  142. ↑ "Mario Balotelli ruled out of Confederations Cup with injury". BBC. 24 June 2013. Retrieved 28 June 2013.
  143. ↑ "World Cup 2014: Italy omit Giuseppe Rossi from final squad". BBC. 1 June 2014. Retrieved 15 June 2014.
  144. ↑ "England 1-2 Italy". BBC. 15 June 2014. Retrieved 15 June 2014.
  145. ↑ "My goal was for Fanny - Balotelli". Goal.com. 16 June 2014. Retrieved 16 June 2014.
  146. ↑ "Mario Balotelli". Retrieved 26 July 2012.
  147. ↑ Anderson, Michael (20 December 2010). "Mario Balotelli’s award inflates his ego". bettor.com. Retrieved 24 February 2011.
  148. ↑ Super Mario Balotelli's cartoon capers worth hassle for Manchester City, Daily Telegraph, 27 July 2010
  149. ↑ "Roberto Mancini jokes about 'punching' Mario Balotelli". BBC Sport. 6 April 2012. Retrieved 22 May 2012.
  150. ↑ Wilson, Jeremy (8 April 2012). "Manchester City striker Mario Balotelli facing Eastlands exit following sending off in defeat to Arsenal at Emirates". The Telegraph. Retrieved 5 July 2012.
  151. ↑ Bandini, Paolo (17 August 2010). "Mario Balotelli has a reputation to live down at Manchester City". The Guardian (London). Retrieved 5 July 2012.
  152. ↑ "Mario Balotelli: 'I am not crazy, but sometimes I do strange things'". The Independent. 9 November 2011. Retrieved 22 June 2012.
  153. ↑ Duff, Mark (7 September 2011). "Italian mafia investigators to approach Mario Balotelli". BBC. Retrieved 5 July 2012.
  154. ↑ Filmer, Dave (27 October 2011). "Mario Balotelli has become a cult hero for fans who love loose cannons". Metro. Retrieved 25 June 2012.
  155. ↑ Hattenstone, Simon (24 October 2011). "Mario Balotelli's quirky lifestyle honoured with a chant of its own". The Guardian (London). Retrieved 26 October 2011.
  156. ↑ "Hear Tinchy Stryder's tribute song to Manchester City's Mario Balotelli – audio". nme.com. 29 December 2011. Retrieved 29 December 2011.
  157. ↑ "Mario Balotelli escapes unhurt following car crash". Manchester Evening News. 29 August 2010. Retrieved 26 October 2011.
  158. ↑ "Revaled: Why Mario Balotelli had £5,000 in his back pocket when he crashed his car". Daily Mirror. 5 September 2010. Retrieved 26 October 2011.
  159. ↑ "Mario Balotelli: the life and times of Manchester City’s Italian bad boy". The Telegraph (London). 25 July 2011. Retrieved 26 October 2011.
  160. ↑ Sinnott, John (28 March 2011). "Mario Balotelli involved in dart incident". BBC. Retrieved 26 October 2011.
  161. ↑ "Mario Balotelli helps City fan being bullied at school". The Sun (London). 10 May 2011. Retrieved 26 October 2011.
  162. ↑ Smart, Gordon (20 April 2011). "Mario Balotelli wins £25,000... then gives £1000 to a tramp". The Sun (London). Retrieved 26 October 2011.
  163. ↑ It's Always Something With Balotelli – Wall Street Journal, 23 October 2011
  164. ↑ Mario's made-up Santa spree – Yahoo Eurosport, 19 December 2011
  165. ↑ "Mario Balotelli struggles to dress himself | The Sun |Sport|Football". London: The Sun. 18 March 2011. Retrieved 28 December 2011.
  166. ↑ Thornhill, Ted. "Edin Dzeko ridicules Mario Balotelli's bib struggle". Metro.co.uk. Retrieved 28 December 2011.
  167. ↑ Pangallo, Mark. "Mario Balotelli busted fiddling with iPad while on Italy substitutes' bench". Metro.co.uk. Retrieved 28 December 2011.
  168. ↑ Pangallo, Mark (7 September 2011). "Mario Balotelli goes to prison, gets mobbed then discusses iPad gaffe". Metro.co.uk. Retrieved 28 December 2011.
  169. ↑ "Why always me?". Sky Sports. 25 October 2011. Retrieved 29 October 2011.
  170. ↑ Nakrani, Sachin (24 October 2011). "Mario Balotelli becomes Manchester's ambassador for fireworks safety". The Guardian (London).
  171. ↑ "Lewes bonfire celebrations attracting up to 60,000". BBC News. 5 November 2011.
  172. ↑ "Huge effigy of Manchester City striker Mario Balotelli unveiled for bonfire night". The Telegraph. 2 November 2011. Retrieved 25 June 2012.
  173. ↑ "Mario Balotelli in hot water at Manchester City after curry | Football News". ESPN.co.uk. 12 December 2011. Retrieved 28 December 2011.
  174. ↑ "Mario Balotelli gatecrashes Inter Milan press conference". BBC News. Retrieved 19 May 2014.
  175. ↑ "Mario Balotelli: Man City striker takes club to tribunal". BBC Sport. 17 December 2012.
  176. ↑ "Mario Balotelli accused of antisemitism for Super Mario Instragram post". The Guardian. 1 December 2014. Retrieved 1 December 2014.
  177. ↑ Bascombe, Chris (1 December 2014). "Mario Balotelli risks racism and anti-Semitism storm over Instagram post". The Telegraph. Retrieved 1 December 2014.
  178. ↑ ‘Jewish’ soccer star Mario Balotelli under probe for ‘anti-Semitic’ post By Times of Israel, December 2, 2014
  179. ↑ 179.0 179.1 179.2 179.3 179.4 179.5 179.6 179.7 179.8 "Mario Barwuah Balotelli". Soccerway. Retrieved 23 February 2011.
  180. ↑ "Balotelli, Mario". National Football Teams. Retrieved 30 January 2013.
  181. ↑ Matches of M. Balotelli. soccerway.com. Retrieved 19 June 2013.
  182. ↑ "FIFA Confederations Cup Brazil 2013: Italy". FIFA. Retrieved 27 January 2015.
  183. ↑ Murrells, Katy (21 December 2010). "Mario Balotelli wins award – then has a dig at Wilshere, Fábregas and Rooney". The Guardian. Retrieved 27 January 2015.
  184. ↑ Martins, Cláudia (28 January 2014). "Pirlo e Conte distinguidos em Itália" [Pirlo and Conte distinguished in Italy] (in Portuguese). zerozero. Retrieved 27 January 2015.
  185. ↑ Bradbury, Jamie (14 May 2011). "City's Toure de force". The FA. Retrieved 27 January 2015.
  186. ↑ "UEFA EURO 2012 Team of the Tournament". UEFA. 2 July 2012. Retrieved 27 January 2015.
  187. ↑ Ella Alexander (30 January 2012). "Best Dressed Men". vogue.co.uk (Vogue). Retrieved 7 April 2013.
  188. ↑ Catherine Mayer and Stephan Faris (1 November 2012). "Behind the Cover: Photographing Super Mario". Time. Retrieved 25 August 2014.
  189. ↑ "'I love it': Manchester City's Mario Balotelli reveals he'd be a UFC fighter if not playing football". Retrieved 25 July 2012.
  190. ↑ 190.0 190.1 190.2 "Mario Balotelli". celebritynetworth.com. 19 June 2014. Retrieved 18 June 2014.
  191. ↑ "Report: Balotelli proposes to girlfriend". Foxsports.com (News Corp. Digital Media). 16 March 2013. Retrieved 7 April 2013.
  192. ↑ Brooks Peck (29 June 2012). "After beating Germany, Cesare Prandelli had a beer at his press conference". sports.yahoo.com (Yahoo! Sports). Retrieved 7 January 2013.
  193. ↑ "Balotelli to become a father, says ex-girlfriend". San Francisco Chronicle. 2 July 2012. Retrieved 5 July 2012.
  194. ↑ "Mario Balotelli Demands Paternity Test". International Business Times. 4 July 2012.
  195. ↑ Celentano, Alessandra (7 December 2012). "Raffaella Fico È Diventata Mamma" (in Italian). Style.it. Retrieved 20 May 2014. Mercoledì 5 dicembre è nata Pia, la figlia della showgirl Raffaella Fico e del suo ex fidanzato, il calciatore Mario Balotelli.
  196. ↑ Steve White (27 December 2012). ""My honour as a man is offended": Mario Balotelli calls in lawyers after being branded "irresponsible"". mirror.co.uk (Daily Mirror). Retrieved 9 April 2013.
  197. ↑ "Balotelli lawsuit Raffaella Fico". Vanity Fair Italy. Retrieved 20 May 2014.
  198. ↑ Eliot Rothwell (6 February 2014). "Mario Balotelli announces he's the father of one-year-old Pia after 'taking DNA test'". Irish Soccer. Retrieved 12 February 2014.
  199. ↑ Stefano Scacchi (8 February 2014). "Balotelli riconosce la figlia. Una scelta che farà felice Prandelli". La Repubblica. Retrieved 12 February 2014.
  200. ↑ Crawley, Joanna (25 June 2013). "Mario Balotelli has his spirits lifted by new fiancee Fanny Neguesha after jetting into Milan for treatment on football injury". Daily Mail. Retrieved 25 June 2013.
  201. ↑ Thorogood, Tom (1 September 2014). "No more Fanny business for Balo". The Sun.

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Mario Balotelli.