Mario Balotelli (Italian pronunciation: [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.
Early life
Mario
Balotelli was born in Palermo, Sicily, to Ghanaian 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.
Lumezzane
Balotelli
began his career with 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.
Manchester City
After
weeks of speculation Inter reached an agreement for Balotelli's
transfer to Manchester City 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.
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 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 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 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.
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
supporters 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'.
0 komentar:
Posting Komentar