Mario Balotelli
Encyclopedia
Mario Balotelli (ˈmarjo baloˈtɛlli; born 12 August 1990) is an Italian
footballer who plays as a striker for English team Manchester City
and the Italian national team
.
He started his professional football career at Lumezzane
and only played for the first team twice before having an unsuccessful trial at FC Barcelona
, and subsequently joining Internazionale
in 2007. Roberto Mancini
brought Balotelli into the first team but, when Mancini left, Balotelli's disciplinary record fell away. Balotelli had a strained relationship with new head coach José Mourinho
and in January 2009 he was suspended from Inter's first team after a number of disciplinary problems. His problems deepened in March 2010 when he came under heavy criticism by the 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 Internazionale, former coach Roberto Mancini at Manchester City was keen to give Balotelli a fresh chance at a new club. He joined Manchester City in August 2010, where his performances and off-field activities have continued to be enigmatic. Balotelli earned his first cap for the Italian national team
on 10 August 2010, in a friendly match against the Côte d'Ivoire
.
, Sicily
, to Ghana
ian immigrants Thomas and Rose Barwuah. The family moved to Bagnolo Mella in the province of Brescia
, Lombardy, shortly after he was born. As an infant, he had life-threatening complications with his intestines which led to a series of operations, although his condition had improved by 1992. Mario's health problems and the family's cramped living conditions meant the Barwuahs decided to ask for the help of social services who recommended that he be fostered. In 1993, the Barwuah family agreed to entrust the three-year-old boy to Francesco and Silvia Balotelli, with the legal move formalized by the Court of Brescia. When Mario Balotelli became famous, his biological parents asked for his return. He later accused them of "glory hunting", stating that they only wanted him back because of the prominence he had gained. According to Law 91 of 5 February 1992, Balotelli had to wait until his 18th birthday to request Italian citizenship, as the Balotellis had not adopted him, and he officially gained citizenship on 13 August 2008.
. 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
.
at the age of 15 Balotelli was signed by Internazionale
in 2006 on a loan deal with an option to purchase. He made his first team and Serie A
debut on 16 December 2007 replacing David Suazo
in a 2–0 win against Cagliari
. Three days later he featured in the starting lineup in a Coppa Italia match against Reggina
, scoring two goals in a 4–1 win. 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 Internazionale. His first Serie A goal then came in April 2008 in a 2–0 away win against Atalanta
. Inter went on to win the 2007–08 Serie A. Balotelli was a substitute in the 2008
Supercoppa Italiana
final against A.S. 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.
In November 2008 he scored his first Champions League goal in a 3–3 draw against Cypriot
side Anorthosis Famagusta
, becoming the youngest Inter player (at 18 years and 85 days) to score in the Champions League
. This beat the previous record set by Obafemi Martins
at 18 years and 145 days. In April 2009 Balotelli scored Inter's goal in a 1–1 draw with Juventus and was racially abused
by Juventus fans throughout the game, including chants such as "Black Italians do not exist". This led to Massimo Moratti saying that he would have pulled the team off the pitch if he had been present. 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. Inter won Serie A for the fourth time in a row.
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
." Balotelli continued to be the subject of racist chants throughout the season, becoming the focus of Juventus fans even during games not involving Internazionale, leading to Juventus being fined twice and the club ultimately punished with a partial stadium closure.
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". The young striker again incurred the wrath of Juve (Juventus) fans in the heated Derby d'Italia
away encounter with Juventus on 5 December 2009 which Inter lost 2–1. When he was elbowed by Juve midfielder Felipe Melo in the shoulder he fell on the pitch clutching his face and was promptly booked, while Melo was sent off for a second yellow card. The incident sparked a fiery altercation between teammate Thiago Motta
and Juve goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon
. The tension between player and manager 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 Mourinho. Despite Inter's 1–0 win at Stamford Bridge
, London, Balotelli was criticized by several senior players including captain Javier Zanetti
and veteran defender Marco Materazzi
as well as his own agent. In March 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
.
Balotelli released a statement of apology in Internazionale
's official website that read:
After a spell out of the team, Balotelli was recalled for the match against Bologna and he marked his return with a goal in their 3–0 win. He soon caused controversy again in the Champions League semi-final against Barcelona
on 20 April 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. This led to an attempt by a small group of supporters to physically attack Balotelli after the end of the game. His behaviour brought disapproval from fans, team-mates and football pundits.
on 12 August 2010, believed to be for around £24 million. However Inter reported it received €21.856 million, net of solidarity contribution to Inter and to other club, which in total about €22.6 million (as about 3.29% as solidarity contribution, payment to former club he spent in 9 years and a month). At Manchester City Balotelli reunited with his former boss, Roberto Mancini
. 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".
On 19 August 2010 Balotelli came on as a substitute to score in his debut against FC Timişoara in a 1–0 away win in the Europa League. Unfortunately he injured the lateral meniscus
in his right knee in the match and on 8 September he underwent surgery that saw him sidelined until October. Balotelli eventually made his Premier League debut on 24 October as a substitute in a 0–3 home defeat to Arsenal
and made his full debut on 30 October in a 2–1 away defeat to Wolverhampton Wanderers
. Balotelli scored his first and second Premier League goals on 7 November in a 2–0 away win to West Brom
. 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. 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.
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. On 28 December 2010 Balotelli scored his first Premier League hat-trick in a 4–0 win over Aston Villa
. Despite this Balotelli still had problems and in March 2011 he was sent off in the second-leg of Manchester City's Europa League tie with Dynamo Kiev.
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.
Balotelli scored his first goal of the 2011/12 campaign in a 2-0 Carling 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 1-6 at Old Trafford
on 23 October 2011. Balotelli made his Champions League
debut for Man City on 2 November 2011, in the return match against Villarreal. He scored from the penalty spot on the stroke of half time during the match, scoring his first CL goal for them in the process and his seventh goal overall in the season.
On 7 August 2007, five days before his 17th 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. He declined the offer citing once again his willingness to play for Italy when he became eligible. He also stated his willingness to represent Italy at international level once he acquired an Italian passport.
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 and Casiraghi called him to join the Italy national under-21 football team
"Azzurrini" on 29 August for the matches against Greece and Croatia
. 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 Championship
s 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 defender Pontus Wernbloom
.
Balotelli received his first call-up for the Italian senior team
, as part of the squad announced by new head coach Cesare Prandelli
, for a friendly match against Côte d'Ivoire
- the first match after the 2010 World Cup. On 10 August 2010, two days before his 20th birthday, he made his debut in that match partnering Cassano
and Amauri
in a 0–1 loss.
On 11 November 2011, Balotelli scored his first senior international goal in a 2–0 win against Poland
at Stadion Miejski in Wroclaw
, Poland
.
often serenade a song with lyrics referring to his antics.
Within days of joining Manchester City, Balotelli was involved in a car crash. It was reported that Balotelli was carrying £5000 cash to which a police officer queried why with Balotelli replying: "Because I am rich". Off field activities which have been reported include driving into a women's prison in Italy, confronting a bully in a school after querying why a young City fan was not at school, giving £1000 to a homeless man on the streets of Manchester and throwing darts in an undue manner during a training ground 'prank'.
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. The day before the match a firework was set off in Balotelli's home, and later that week he was unveiled as an ambassador for firework safety. On 5 November 2011, at the annual fireworks display at Edenbridge, Kent
, a 40 feet (12.2 m) tall effigy of Balotelli was burned.
Manchester City
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
footballer who plays as a striker for English team Manchester City
Manchester City F.C.
Manchester City Football Club is an English Premier League football club based in Manchester. Founded in 1880 as St. Mark's , they became Ardwick Association Football Club in 1887 and Manchester City in 1894...
and the Italian national team
Italy national football team
The Italy National Football Team , represents Italy in association football and is controlled by the Italian Football Federation , the governing body for football in Italy. Italy is the second most successful national team in the history of the World Cup having won four titles , just one fewer than...
.
He started his professional football career at Lumezzane
A.C. Lumezzane
Associazione Calcio Lumezzane is an Italian association football club, based in Lumezzane, Lombardy. The club was founded in 1948. The club currently plays in Lega Pro Prima Divisione....
and only played for the first team twice before having an unsuccessful trial at FC Barcelona
FC Barcelona
Futbol Club Barcelona , also known as Barcelona and familiarly as Barça, is a professional football club, based in Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain....
, and subsequently joining Internazionale
F.C. Internazionale Milano
Football Club Internazionale Milano, often referred to as Internazionale or simply Inter, is a professional Italian football club based in Milan, Italy. Outside Italy, the club is often called Inter Milan. They are the reigning FIFA Club World champions and Coppa Italia holders.Inter have always...
in 2007. Roberto Mancini
Roberto Mancini
Roberto Mancini is an Italian football manager, formerly an international player and current manager of Premier League club Manchester City.As a player Mancini was best known for his time at Sampdoria, where he played more than 550 matches, and helped them win the Serie A league title, four Coppa...
brought Balotelli into the first team but, when Mancini left, Balotelli's disciplinary record fell away. Balotelli had a strained relationship with new head coach José Mourinho
José Mourinho
José Mário dos Santos Félix Mourinho is a Portuguese football manager and the current manager of Real Madrid. He is commonly known as "The Special One".Mourinho is regarded by some players, coaches and critics as the best ever coach in football....
and in January 2009 he was suspended from Inter's first team after a number of disciplinary problems. His problems deepened in March 2010 when he came under heavy criticism by the Inter fans after he appeared on the Italian TV show Striscia la Notizia
Striscia la notizia
Striscia la notizia is an Italian television program on the Mediaset-controlled Canale 5. Its name in Italian translates as "the news slithers", a probable parody of the slighting italian journalist, submitted to politicians and overwhelmed with shame...
wearing an A.C. Milan
A.C. Milan
Associazione Calcio Milan, commonly referred to as A.C. Milan or simply Milan , is a professional Italian football club based in Milan, Lombardy, that plays in the Serie A. Milan was founded in 1899 by English lace-maker Herbert Kilpin and businessman Alfred Edwards among others...
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 Internazionale, former coach Roberto Mancini at Manchester City was keen to give Balotelli a fresh chance at a new club. He joined Manchester City in August 2010, where his performances and off-field activities have continued to be enigmatic. Balotelli earned his first cap for the Italian national team
Italy national football team
The Italy National Football Team , represents Italy in association football and is controlled by the Italian Football Federation , the governing body for football in Italy. Italy is the second most successful national team in the history of the World Cup having won four titles , just one fewer than...
on 10 August 2010, in a friendly match against the Côte d'Ivoire
Côte d'Ivoire national football team
The Côte d'Ivoire National Football Team or Ivory Coast National Football Team, nicknamed Les Éléphants , represents Côte d'Ivoire in international football and is controlled by the Fédération Ivoirienne de Football...
.
Early life
Mario Balotelli was born in PalermoPalermo
Palermo is a city in Southern Italy, the capital of both the autonomous region of Sicily and the Province of Palermo. The city is noted for its history, culture, architecture and gastronomy, playing an important role throughout much of its existence; it is over 2,700 years old...
, Sicily
Sicily
Sicily is a region of Italy, and is the largest island in the Mediterranean Sea. Along with the surrounding minor islands, it constitutes an autonomous region of Italy, the Regione Autonoma Siciliana Sicily has a rich and unique culture, especially with regard to the arts, music, literature,...
, to Ghana
Ghana
Ghana , officially the Republic of Ghana, is a country located in West Africa. It is bordered by Côte d'Ivoire to the west, Burkina Faso to the north, Togo to the east, and the Gulf of Guinea to the south...
ian immigrants Thomas and Rose Barwuah. The family moved to Bagnolo Mella in the province of Brescia
Province of Brescia
The Province of Brescia is a Province in Lombardy, Italy. It borders with the province of Sondrio in the N and NW, the province of Bergamo in the W, province of Cremona in the SW and S, the province of Mantova to the S, and to the east, the province of Verona and Trentino .Source for statistical...
, Lombardy, shortly after he was born. As an infant, he had life-threatening complications with his intestines which led to a series of operations, although his condition had improved by 1992. Mario's health problems and the family's cramped living conditions meant the Barwuahs decided to ask for the help of social services who recommended that he be fostered. In 1993, the Barwuah family agreed to entrust the three-year-old boy to Francesco and Silvia Balotelli, with the legal move formalized by the Court of Brescia. When Mario Balotelli became famous, his biological parents asked for his return. He later accused them of "glory hunting", stating that they only wanted him back because of the prominence he had gained. According to Law 91 of 5 February 1992, Balotelli had to wait until his 18th birthday to request Italian citizenship, as the Balotellis had not adopted him, and he officially gained citizenship on 13 August 2008.
Lumezzane
Balotelli began his career with LumezzaneA.C. Lumezzane
Associazione Calcio Lumezzane is an Italian association football club, based in Lumezzane, Lombardy. The club was founded in 1948. The club currently plays in Lega Pro Prima Divisione....
. 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
Calcio Padova
Calcio Padova is an Italian football club, based in Padua, Veneto. The club was founded in 1910. Padova is playing in Serie B, having last been in Serie A in 1996...
.
Internazionale
Having had an unsuccessful trial with FC BarcelonaFC Barcelona
Futbol Club Barcelona , also known as Barcelona and familiarly as Barça, is a professional football club, based in Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain....
at the age of 15 Balotelli was signed by Internazionale
F.C. Internazionale Milano
Football Club Internazionale Milano, often referred to as Internazionale or simply Inter, is a professional Italian football club based in Milan, Italy. Outside Italy, the club is often called Inter Milan. They are the reigning FIFA Club World champions and Coppa Italia holders.Inter have always...
in 2006 on a loan deal with an option to purchase. He made his first team and Serie A
Serie A
Serie A , now called Serie A TIM due to sponsorship by Telecom Italia, is a professional league competition for football clubs located at the top of the Italian football league system and has been operating for over eighty years since 1929. It had been organized by Lega Calcio until 2010, but a new...
debut on 16 December 2007 replacing David Suazo
David Suazo
Óscar David Suazo Velázquez is a Honduran football striker who currently plays for Calcio Catania in the Italian Serie A. He is also a member of the Honduran national team.-Early career:...
in a 2–0 win against Cagliari
Cagliari Calcio
Cagliari Calcio is an Italian football club based in Cagliari, Sardinia. The club was formed in 1920 and currently plays in Italian Serie A, having spent a large part of recent years mainly in Serie A and Serie B....
. Three days later he featured in the starting lineup in a Coppa Italia match against Reggina
Reggina Calcio
Reggina Calcio are an Italian association football club, the main club of the city of Reggio Calabria. Founded in 1914, they currently play in the Italian Serie B, and play their home matches at the 27,763 seater Stadio Oreste Granillo...
, scoring two goals in a 4–1 win. Balotelli gained national attention after he scored two goals against Juventus
Juventus F.C.
Juventus Football Club S.p.A. , commonly referred to as Juventus and colloquially as Juve , are a professional Italian association football club based in Turin, Piedmont...
in the return leg of the Coppa Italia quarter-finals, being instrumental in a 3–2 away win for Internazionale. His first Serie A goal then came in April 2008 in a 2–0 away win against Atalanta
Atalanta B.C.
Atalanta Bergamasca Calcio, commonly known as just Atalanta, Atalanta Bergamo or the abbreviation Atalanta BC, is an Italian football club based in Bergamo, Lombardy.They are nicknamed the Nerazzurri and the orobici...
. Inter went on to win the 2007–08 Serie A. Balotelli was a substitute in the 2008
2008 Supercoppa Italiana
The 2008 Supercoppa Italiana is a football match that was played by Serie A 2007-08 winners Internazionale and Coppa Italia 2007-08 winners Roma. The match proved to be a tightly contested affair. After exchanging goals, it appeared that Inter was on its way to victory on Mario Balotelli's goal...
Supercoppa Italiana
Supercoppa Italiana
The Supercoppa Italiana is a pre-season football competition held the week before the season begins in Italy every year. It is contested by the winners of the Serie A and the Coppa Italia in the previous season, as a curtain raiser to the new season. It is usually played at the home of the Serie A...
final against A.S. Roma
A.S. Roma
Associazione Sportiva Roma, commonly referred to as simply Roma, is a professional Italian football club based in Rome. Founded by a merger in 1927, Roma have participated in the top-tier of Italian football for all of their existence but one season in the early 50s...
. He came on as a replacement for Luís Figo
Luís Figo
Luís Filipe Madeira Caeiro Figo, OIH, is a Portuguese former international footballer. He played as a midfielder for Sporting CP, FC Barcelona, Real Madrid, and Internazionale, during a career which spanned over a period of 20 years. He retired from football on 31 May 2009...
, scoring in the 83rd minute. Inter went on to win the final 6–5 on penalties after the match ended 2–2.
In November 2008 he scored his first Champions League goal in a 3–3 draw against Cypriot
Cyprus
Cyprus , officially the Republic of Cyprus , is a Eurasian island country, member of the European Union, in the Eastern Mediterranean, east of Greece, south of Turkey, west of Syria and north of Egypt. It is the third largest island in the Mediterranean Sea.The earliest known human activity on the...
side Anorthosis Famagusta
Anorthosis Famagusta FC
Αnorthosis Famagusta FC is a Cypriot football and volleyball club which is originally based in Famagusta, but is now temporarily based in Larnaca, due to the Turkish invasion. Anorthosis is one of the most successful clubs in Cypriot football, having won 13 league titles, 10 Cypriot Cups and 6...
, becoming the youngest Inter player (at 18 years and 85 days) to score in the Champions League
UEFA Champions League
The UEFA Champions League, known simply the Champions League and originally known as the European Champion Clubs' Cup or European Cup, is an annual international club football competition organised by the Union of European Football Associations since 1955 for the top football clubs in Europe. It...
. This beat the previous record set by Obafemi Martins
Obafemi Martins
Obafemi Akinwunmi Martins is a Nigerian footballer who plays as a striker for Rubin Kazan and the Nigeria national team. He is known for his speed on the ball....
at 18 years and 145 days. In April 2009 Balotelli scored Inter's goal in a 1–1 draw with Juventus and was racially abused
Racism
Racism is the belief that inherent different traits in human racial groups justify discrimination. In the modern English language, the term "racism" is used predominantly as a pejorative epithet. It is applied especially to the practice or advocacy of racial discrimination of a pernicious nature...
by Juventus fans throughout the game, including chants such as "Black Italians do not exist". This led to Massimo Moratti saying that he would have pulled the team off the pitch if he had been present. The racist chants were also condemned by Juventus chairman Giovanni Cobolli Gigli
Giovanni Cobolli Gigli
Giovanni Cobolli Gigli is the former president of Juventus Football Club. He has a business degree from Bocconi University. After starting out working in marketing for a multinational pharmaceutical company, in 1973 he joined Turin company IFI S.p.A.In September 1980, he became the executive...
and Juventus were given a one game home-fan ban because of the incident. Inter won Serie A for the fourth time in a row.
In his second season with Inter, Balotelli had a number of disciplinary problems, most notably involving head coach José Mourinho
José Mourinho
José Mário dos Santos Félix Mourinho is a Portuguese football manager and the current manager of Real Madrid. He is commonly known as "The Special One".Mourinho is regarded by some players, coaches and critics as the best ever coach in football....
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
Luís Figo
Luís Filipe Madeira Caeiro Figo, OIH, is a Portuguese former international footballer. He played as a midfielder for Sporting CP, FC Barcelona, Real Madrid, and Internazionale, during a career which spanned over a period of 20 years. He retired from football on 31 May 2009...
, Córdoba, and Zanetti
Javier Zanetti
Javier Adelmar Zanetti is an Argentine footballer who plays for Serie A club Inter. Javier Zanetti has played for Inter since 1995, taking the captain's armband from 29 August 1999. Known for his versatility, he is adept on both the left and right wing, having played on both flanks as a fullback...
." Balotelli continued to be the subject of racist chants throughout the season, becoming the focus of Juventus fans even during games not involving Internazionale, leading to Juventus being fined twice and the club ultimately punished with a partial stadium closure.
Balotelli's disciplinary problems, and his difficult relationship with Mourinho, continued in the 2009–10 season. In November Inter drew 1–1 against Roma
A.S. Roma
Associazione Sportiva Roma, commonly referred to as simply Roma, is a professional Italian football club based in Rome. Founded by a merger in 1927, Roma have participated in the top-tier of Italian football for all of their existence but one season in the early 50s...
and Mourinho criticized his players, even going as far as saying that Balotelli "came close to a zero rating". The young striker again incurred the wrath of Juve (Juventus) fans in the heated Derby d'Italia
Derby d'Italia
The Derby d'Italia was coined back in 1967 by the famous Italian sports journalist Gianni Brera as the biannual football fixture in Italian football between Internazionale of Milan and Juventus of Turin...
away encounter with Juventus on 5 December 2009 which Inter lost 2–1. When he was elbowed by Juve midfielder Felipe Melo in the shoulder he fell on the pitch clutching his face and was promptly booked, while Melo was sent off for a second yellow card. The incident sparked a fiery altercation between teammate Thiago Motta
Thiago Motta
Thiago Motta Santon Olivares , known as Thiago Motta, is a Brazilian-born Italian footballer who plays as a central midfielder for Serie A club Internazionale....
and Juve goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon
Gianluigi Buffon
Gianluigi "Gigi" Buffon, Ufficiale OMRI , is an Italian footballer who plays as a goalkeeper for Serie A club Juventus and the Italian national team. He has won the FIFA World Cup and is widely considered by fans and experts to be one of most dominant and successful goalkeepers in history...
. The tension between player and manager reached its peak on the eve of the UEFA Champions League
UEFA Champions League
The UEFA Champions League, known simply the Champions League and originally known as the European Champion Clubs' Cup or European Cup, is an annual international club football competition organised by the Union of European Football Associations since 1955 for the top football clubs in Europe. It...
second leg against Chelsea
Chelsea F.C.
Chelsea Football Club are an English football club based in West London. Founded in 1905, they play in the Premier League and have spent most of their history in the top tier of English football. Chelsea have been English champions four times, FA Cup winners six times and League Cup winners four...
after the young striker was not called-up, following an altercation with Mourinho. Despite Inter's 1–0 win at Stamford Bridge
Stamford Bridge (stadium)
Stamford Bridge is a football stadium in Fulham, in the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham, West London, and is the home of Chelsea Football Club. The stadium is located within the Moore Park Estate also known as Walham Green and is often referred to as simply The Bridge...
, London, Balotelli was criticized by several senior players including captain Javier Zanetti
Javier Zanetti
Javier Adelmar Zanetti is an Argentine footballer who plays for Serie A club Inter. Javier Zanetti has played for Inter since 1995, taking the captain's armband from 29 August 1999. Known for his versatility, he is adept on both the left and right wing, having played on both flanks as a fullback...
and veteran defender Marco Materazzi
Marco Materazzi
Marco Materazzi , is an Italian footballer who plays as a defender, and is currently a free agent.At the beginning of his career, Materazzi played with various Italian teams in Serie B and Serie C, and with Premier League side Everton. He spent two periods with Perugia and signed for...
as well as his own agent. In March he came under heavy criticism from fans after he publicly sported an A.C. Milan
A.C. Milan
Associazione Calcio Milan, commonly referred to as A.C. Milan or simply Milan , is a professional Italian football club based in Milan, Lombardy, that plays in the Serie A. Milan was founded in 1899 by English lace-maker Herbert Kilpin and businessman Alfred Edwards among others...
(Inter's cross-town rivals) jersey on the Italian show Striscia la Notizia
Striscia la notizia
Striscia la notizia is an Italian television program on the Mediaset-controlled Canale 5. Its name in Italian translates as "the news slithers", a probable parody of the slighting italian journalist, submitted to politicians and overwhelmed with shame...
.
F.C. Internazionale Milano
Football Club Internazionale Milano, often referred to as Internazionale or simply Inter, is a professional Italian football club based in Milan, Italy. Outside Italy, the club is often called Inter Milan. They are the reigning FIFA Club World champions and Coppa Italia holders.Inter have always...
's official website that read:
After a spell out of the team, Balotelli was recalled for the match against Bologna and he marked his return with a goal in their 3–0 win. He soon caused controversy again in the Champions League semi-final against Barcelona
FC Barcelona
Futbol Club Barcelona , also known as Barcelona and familiarly as Barça, is a professional football club, based in Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain....
on 20 April 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. This led to an attempt by a small group of supporters to physically attack Balotelli after the end of the game. His behaviour brought disapproval from fans, team-mates and football pundits.
Manchester City
After weeks of speculation Inter reached an agreement for Balotelli's transfer to Manchester CityManchester City F.C.
Manchester City Football Club is an English Premier League football club based in Manchester. Founded in 1880 as St. Mark's , they became Ardwick Association Football Club in 1887 and Manchester City in 1894...
on 12 August 2010, believed to be for around £24 million. However Inter reported it received €21.856 million, net of solidarity contribution to Inter and to other club, which in total about €22.6 million (as about 3.29% as solidarity contribution, payment to former club he spent in 9 years and a month). At Manchester City Balotelli reunited with his former boss, Roberto Mancini
Roberto Mancini
Roberto Mancini is an Italian football manager, formerly an international player and current manager of Premier League club Manchester City.As a player Mancini was best known for his time at Sampdoria, where he played more than 550 matches, and helped them win the Serie A league title, four Coppa...
. 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".
On 19 August 2010 Balotelli came on as a substitute to score in his debut against FC Timişoara in a 1–0 away win in the Europa League. Unfortunately he injured the lateral meniscus
Lateral meniscus
The lateral meniscus, also called the external semilunar fibrocartilage, is a fibrocartilaginous band that spans the lateral side of the interior of the knee joint. It is one of two menisci of the knee, the other being the medial meniscus. It is nearly circular and covers a larger portion of the...
in his right knee in the match and on 8 September he underwent surgery that saw him sidelined until October. Balotelli eventually made his Premier League debut on 24 October as a substitute in a 0–3 home defeat to Arsenal
Arsenal F.C.
Arsenal Football Club is a professional English Premier League football club based in North London. One of the most successful clubs in English football, it has won 13 First Division and Premier League titles and 10 FA Cups...
and made his full debut on 30 October in a 2–1 away defeat to Wolverhampton Wanderers
Wolverhampton Wanderers F.C.
Wolverhampton Wanderers Football Club is an English professional association football club that represents the city of Wolverhampton in the West Midlands region. They are members of the Premier League, the highest level of English football. The club was founded in 1877 and since 1889 has played at...
. Balotelli scored his first and second Premier League goals on 7 November in a 2–0 away win to West Brom
West Bromwich Albion F.C.
West Bromwich Albion Football Club, also known as West Brom, The Baggies, The Throstles, Albion or WBA, are an English Premier League association football club based in West Bromwich in the West Midlands...
. 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. 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.
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
Lionel Messi
Lionel Andrés "Leo" Messi is an Argentine footballer who plays for FC Barcelona and captains the Argentina national team, mainly as a striker. Messi received several Ballon d'Or and FIFA World Player of the Year nominations by the age of 21, and won in 2009 and 2010...
. He also claimed not to know of Arsenal's Jack Wilshere
Jack Wilshere
Jack Andrew Garry Wilshere is an English footballer who plays as a midfielder for Arsenal and the England national team....
, the player he narrowly beat to the award. On 28 December 2010 Balotelli scored his first Premier League hat-trick in a 4–0 win over Aston Villa
Aston Villa F.C.
Aston Villa Football Club is an English professional association football club based in Witton, Birmingham. The club was founded in 1874 and have played at their current home ground, Villa Park, since 1897. Aston Villa were founder members of The Football League in 1888. They were also founder...
. Despite this Balotelli still had problems and in March 2011 he was sent off in the second-leg of Manchester City's Europa League tie with Dynamo Kiev.
On 14 May 2011 Balotelli was man of the match in the 2011 FA Cup Final
2011 FA Cup Final
The 2011 FA Cup Final was the 130th final of the FA Cup, the world's oldest domestic football cup competition. The match took place on 14 May 2011 at Wembley Stadium in London. The clubs contesting the 2011 final were Premier League clubs Manchester City and Stoke City, with the victors guaranteed...
as Manchester City defeated Stoke City 1-0 to win their first trophy in thirty-five years.
Balotelli scored his first goal of the 2011/12 campaign in a 2-0 Carling Cup win against Birmingham City. He followed this up with the opening goal against Everton
Everton
Everton is a district of Liverpool, in Merseyside, England and a Liverpool City Council ward. At the 2001 Census the population was recorded as 7,398.-Toponymy:...
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
Jonny Evans
Jonathan Grant "Jonny" Evans is a Northern Irish footballer who plays as a defender for Manchester United and Northern Ireland. Evans was born in Belfast and started his career at Greenisland FC, where he was spotted by Manchester United scouts. He progressed through Manchester United's football...
as City beat Manchester United 1-6 at Old Trafford
Old Trafford
Old Trafford commonly refers to two sporting arenas:* Old Trafford, home of Manchester United F.C.* Old Trafford Cricket Ground, home of Lancashire County Cricket ClubOld Trafford can also refer to:...
on 23 October 2011. Balotelli made his Champions League
Champions League
Champions League may refer to various sports competitions. It most commonly refers to association football:-Association Football:*the UEFA Champions League, for Union of European Football Associations**the current UEFA Champions League season...
debut for Man City on 2 November 2011, in the return match against Villarreal. He scored from the penalty spot on the stroke of half time during the match, scoring his first CL goal for them in the process and his seventh goal overall in the season.
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.On 7 August 2007, five days before his 17th birthday, Balotelli received his first senior International call-up for Ghana
Ghana national football team
The Ghana national football team, popularly known as the Black Stars, is the national association football team of Ghana and is controlled by the Ghana Football Association...
from their coach Claude Le Roy
Claude Le Roy
Claude Le Roy is a French football manager and former player, who gained prominence at international level as coach to the Senegal and Ghana national teams...
for a friendly against Senegal
Senegal national football team
The Senegal national football team, nicknamed the Lions of Teranga, is the national team of Senegal and is controlled by the Fédération Sénégalaise de Football...
at the New Den stadium in London, England, on 21 August 2007. He declined the offer citing once again his willingness to play for Italy when he became eligible. He also stated his willingness to represent Italy at international level once he acquired an Italian passport.
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 and Casiraghi called him to join the Italy national under-21 football team
Italy national under-21 football team
The Italy national under-21 football team is the national under-21 football team of Italy and is controlled by the Italian Football Federation.The team competes in the UEFA European Under-21 Football Championship, held every two years...
"Azzurrini" on 29 August for the matches against Greece and Croatia
Croatia national under-21 football team
The Croatia national under-21 football team, also known as Croatia under-21 or Croatia U21 is a youth association football national team which represents Croatia at this age level and is a feeder team for the Croatia national football team....
. 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 Championship
2009 UEFA European Under-21 Football Championship
The 2009 UEFA European Under-21 Football Championship began on 15 June 2009, and was the 17th UEFA European Under-21 Football Championship. This was the first tournament after the competition reverted to a two-year format, following the single-year 2006-07 competition, which allowed the change to...
s 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 defender Pontus Wernbloom
Pontus Wernbloom
Pontus Anders Mikael Wernbloom is a Swedish footballer who plays for AZ in the Eredivisie.-Career:After playing for a local club, he joined the youth team of IFK Göteborg in 2004, before being promoted to the senior team in 2005. He quickly made a name for himself with his hard tackles, fighting...
.
Balotelli received his first call-up for the Italian senior team
Italy national football team
The Italy National Football Team , represents Italy in association football and is controlled by the Italian Football Federation , the governing body for football in Italy. Italy is the second most successful national team in the history of the World Cup having won four titles , just one fewer than...
, as part of the squad announced by new head coach Cesare Prandelli
Cesare Prandelli
Cesare Claudio Prandelli is an Italian football coach and former player. He is currently the manager of the Italy national football team.-Playing career:...
, for a friendly match against Côte d'Ivoire
Côte d'Ivoire national football team
The Côte d'Ivoire National Football Team or Ivory Coast National Football Team, nicknamed Les Éléphants , represents Côte d'Ivoire in international football and is controlled by the Fédération Ivoirienne de Football...
- the first match after the 2010 World Cup. On 10 August 2010, two days before his 20th birthday, he made his debut in that match partnering Cassano
Antonio Cassano
Antonio Cassano is an Italian footballer who plays for Serie A club Milan as a striker. Nicknamed Il Gioiello di Bari Vecchia , he is known for his short temper as much as his ability on the pitch, which led to the coining of the neologism Cassanata by his former coach, Fabio Capello, in November...
and Amauri
Amauri
Amauri Carvalho de Oliveira , better known as Amauri, is a Brazilian-born Italian footballer who plays as a striker for Serie A club Juventus.-Early career:...
in a 0–1 loss.
On 11 November 2011, Balotelli scored his first senior international goal in a 2–0 win against Poland
Poland national football team
The Poland national football team represents Poland in association football and is controlled by the Polish Football Association, the governing body for football in Poland...
at Stadion Miejski in Wroclaw
Wroclaw
Wrocław , situated on the River Oder , is the main city of southwestern Poland.Wrocław was the historical capital of Silesia and is today the capital of the Lower Silesian Voivodeship. Over the centuries, the city has been part of either Poland, Bohemia, Austria, Prussia, or Germany, but since 1945...
, Poland
Poland
Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
.
Style of play
Balotelli is credited with pace, a forceful shot and technical ability, but criticised for a petulant attitude. He is often nicknamed "Super Mario" and can play anywhere along the front line. Balotelli is also a set-piece (dead ball) specialist and is regarded as a promising but difficult young striker.Personality and reputation
Balotelli has gained a reputation for being a extrovert character and many of his off field antics have been reported in the press. His manager at Inter Milan and Manchester City, Roberto Mancini, has publicly stated: "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." Paying homage to Balotelli's extrovert activities, Manchester City supportersManchester City F.C. supporters
Since their inception in 1880 as St. Mark's , Manchester City F.C have developed a loyal, passionate and dedicated fanbase.Despite finishing 5th in English football's top division, the club were the third best supported team in English football by average league attendance in the 2009–10 season and...
often serenade a song with lyrics referring to his antics.
Within days of joining Manchester City, Balotelli was involved in a car crash. It was reported that Balotelli was carrying £5000 cash to which a police officer queried why with Balotelli replying: "Because I am rich". Off field activities which have been reported include driving into a women's prison in Italy, confronting a bully in a school after querying why a young City fan was not at school, giving £1000 to a homeless man on the streets of Manchester and throwing darts in an undue manner during a training ground 'prank'.
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. The day before the match a firework was set off in Balotelli's home, and later that week he was unveiled as an ambassador for firework safety. On 5 November 2011, at the annual fireworks display at Edenbridge, Kent
Edenbridge, Kent
Edenbridge is a town and civil parish in the Sevenoaks district of Kent, England. The town's name derives from Old English language "Eadhelmsbrigge" . It is located on the Kent/Surrey border on the upper floodplain of the River Medway and gives its name to the latter's tributary, the River Eden...
, a 40 feet (12.2 m) tall effigy of Balotelli was burned.
International goals
| # | Date | Venue | Opponent | Score | Result | Competition | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | 11 November 2011 | Stadion Miejski, Wrocław, Poland Poland Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north... |
0–1 | 0–2 | Friendly | ||||||
| Correct as of 11 November 2011 | |||||||||||
Career statistics
| Club | Season | League | Cup | Europe | Other | Total | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Internazionale F.C. Internazionale Milano Football Club Internazionale Milano, often referred to as Internazionale or simply Inter, is a professional Italian football club based in Milan, Italy. Outside Italy, the club is often called Inter Milan. They are the reigning FIFA Club World champions and Coppa Italia holders.Inter have always... |
2007–08 Serie A 2007-08 The 2007-08 Serie A football season was the seventy-sixth since its establishment, and started on August 26, 2007 and ended on May 18, 2008. Internazionale successfully defended the championship on the final day of the season, finishing first with 85 points, three ahead of Roma.-Plusvalenze... |
11 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 15 | 7 |
| 2008–09 Serie A 2008-09 The 2008–09 Serie A was the seventy-seventh season since its establishment. It began on 30 August 2008 and ended on 31 May 2009, with the announcement of the list of fixtures made on 25 July 2008... |
22 | 8 | 2 | 0 | 6 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 31 | 10 | |
| 2009–10 | 26 | 9 | 5 | 1 | 8 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 40 | 11 | |
| Total | 59 | 20 | 11 | 5 | 14 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 86 | 28 | |
| Manchester City | 2010–11 | 17 | 6 | 5 | 1 | 6 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 28 | 10 |
| 2011–12 | 6 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 10 | 9 | |
| Total | 23 | 12 | 5 | 1 | 8 | 5 | 2 | 1 | 38 | 19 | |
| Career Total | 81 | 31 | 16 | 6 | 22 | 7 | 4 | 2 | 123 | 46 | |
- Other - League Cup & National Super Cup
Club
Internazionale- Serie ASerie ASerie A , now called Serie A TIM due to sponsorship by Telecom Italia, is a professional league competition for football clubs located at the top of the Italian football league system and has been operating for over eighty years since 1929. It had been organized by Lega Calcio until 2010, but a new...
(3): 2007–08, 2008–09, 2009–10 - Coppa ItaliaCoppa ItaliaThe Coppa Italia is an Italian football annual cup competition. Its first edition was held in 1922, but the second champions were not crowned until 1936. Roma and Juventus lead the way with nine wins. Roma has contested more finals, 16, while Torino and Juventus follow with 13...
(1): 2009–102009–10 Coppa ItaliaThe 2009–10 Coppa Italia was the sixty-second season of the tournament. The competition started on 2 August 2009 and ended on 5 May 2010.-Serie A :-Serie B :-Prima Divisione :-Seconda Divisione :... - Supercoppa ItalianaSupercoppa ItalianaThe Supercoppa Italiana is a pre-season football competition held the week before the season begins in Italy every year. It is contested by the winners of the Serie A and the Coppa Italia in the previous season, as a curtain raiser to the new season. It is usually played at the home of the Serie A...
(1): 20082008 Supercoppa ItalianaThe 2008 Supercoppa Italiana is a football match that was played by Serie A 2007-08 winners Internazionale and Coppa Italia 2007-08 winners Roma. The match proved to be a tightly contested affair. After exchanging goals, it appeared that Inter was on its way to victory on Mario Balotelli's goal... - UEFA Champions LeagueUEFA Champions LeagueThe UEFA Champions League, known simply the Champions League and originally known as the European Champion Clubs' Cup or European Cup, is an annual international club football competition organised by the Union of European Football Associations since 1955 for the top football clubs in Europe. It...
(1): 2009–10
Manchester City
- FA CupFA CupThe Football Association Challenge Cup, commonly known as the FA Cup, is a knockout cup competition in English football and is the oldest association football competition in the world. The "FA Cup" is run by and named after The Football Association and usually refers to the English men's...
(1): 20112011 FA Cup FinalThe 2011 FA Cup Final was the 130th final of the FA Cup, the world's oldest domestic football cup competition. The match took place on 14 May 2011 at Wembley Stadium in London. The clubs contesting the 2011 final were Premier League clubs Manchester City and Stoke City, with the victors guaranteed...
Individual
- Golden Boy Award (1): 2010
- FA Cup Final Man of the Match2011 FA Cup FinalThe 2011 FA Cup Final was the 130th final of the FA Cup, the world's oldest domestic football cup competition. The match took place on 14 May 2011 at Wembley Stadium in London. The clubs contesting the 2011 final were Premier League clubs Manchester City and Stoke City, with the victors guaranteed...
: 2011
External links
- Career profile La Gazzetta dello SportLa Gazzetta dello SportLa Gazzetta dello Sport is an Italian newspaper dedicated to coverage of various sports. It was first published on April 3, 1896, allowing it to cover the first modern Olympic Games held in Athens...
- Profile ESPNsoccernetESPNsoccernetESPN Soccernet is a website that provides comprehensive coverage of world football . Complete football information includes scores, statistics, and features of worldwide football.-History:...
- Premier League profile