In order to understand the player you must first learn to understand the man and what life events have conspired to make him act the ways he does. Mario Balotelli has undoubted talent on the football pitch. When he turns it on he is a treasure to behold, then there is the other side, the side that frustrates and infuriates fans, team mates and American announcers.
Mario was born in Palermo, Italy to Ghanaian immigrant parents. He was very ill as an infant and went through several surgeries due to problems with his intestines. His health improved but his living conditions didn't, the government intervened and Mario was fostered out to the Balotelli family.
As Balotelli started to make his way in football his parents became more interested in reclaiming their son. This led to Mario accusing them of being motivated by greed and the relationship was unrepairable.
Mario made his league debut at the age of 15 before then having an unsuccessful trial with Barcelona and then being taken in by Inter Milan. Roberto Mancini took him on loan with the option to purchase, which he did. Aged 17 he made his Serie A debut against Cagliari and he would score his first and second goal three days later against Reggina.
In April 2009, aged only 18, he scored in Inters 1-1 draw with Juventus and was racially abused throughout the game with fans chanting ‘Black Italians do not exist’. Juve were given a one game home fan ban as a result of the behavior. The abuse was also condemned by the Juve chairman.
After Mancini left Inter, Balotelli's days were also numbered. The crowd turned on him and then eventually so did the rest of the squad. This wasn't all without cause though, Balotelli has never been one to avoid controversy and appeared on TV wearing an AC Milan shirt!
Then he secured a move back to Mancini and Manchester City. Once in Manchester he instantly repaid Mancini with a goal on his debut in the Europa League before getting injured and subbed off. On his second full league debut though he showed us exactly what he could do, scoring both goals in the 2-0 win against West Brom before being unfairly sent off.
More controversy was to follow with him being awarded with the Golden Boy Award. When accepting he stated that of the previous winners only Messi was 'slightly better' than he was and that he had never heard of runner up, Jack Wilshire. Ok lets analyze that, of the winners maybe new City signing Aguero might have something to say about that along with previous years winner, Pato. But Van Der Vaart has hardly set the world alight since he won it in 2003. Same could be said for 2006 winner Fabregas, with Arsenal winning trophy after trophy…not! That leaves two other winners, Anderson and Rooney? Any City fans think those two are better than Super Mario? as for the Wilshire statement, I can believe that Balotelli hadn’t heard of him more than I can the reasons for Wilshires nomination in the first place. Balotelli, winner of Serie A three times, and the Coppa Italia, Super Coppa Italiana and the Champions League once a piece. Mr Wilshire? FA youth cup winner and Premier Academy League.
Now to the latest controversy and a now famous bodged up back heel against the mighty LA Galaxy. For all of those up in arms and ready to throw him to the lions, relax, it was an exhibition game, and he is an exhibitionist! Maybe he even thought he was offside but whatever his thinking I highly doubt he would have done it in an important League game. I don’t remember him trying anything like that against United in the semis or Stoke in the final of the FA Cup. The comment has always been that he is moody and doesn’t seem to enjoy playing, the one time he does and he gets berated and hauled off! His reaction was a bit over the top but to me that just shows that he really wanted to continue playing. Mancini I am sure will be pleased to see that and I don’t think any more action will be taken. I say this because Balotelli has been named in the 28 man squad traveling to Ireland this weekend.
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