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Mario Balotelli. Photo by Steindy.

Top 10 Facts about Mario Balotelli

Everyone has an opinion about Mario Balotelli, whether they like him or not.

Because of his emotionally intertwined past and his volcanic actions since then, he has become one of the most intriguing and exciting figures in world football, dividing his fans into two very different camps.

Balotelli is now playing for his third first-division club in Europe, and Milan is where he hopes to flourish and fully realize his limitless potential.

1. Mario Balotelli was adopted as a child

Mario Balotelli. Photo by Kamran Hussain.

It was discovered that Mario’s biological parents had chosen child care as a result of a dangerous illness that had affected Mario as a child. They couldn’t afford Mario’s expensive medications. When Mario’s family needed it the most, the Balotellis stepped up. When Mario grew up, he had the option of returning to his natural guardians, but he refused, claiming that he despised the way they had abandoned him as a child.

Silvia and Francesco Balotelli, who live in the Italian town of Brescia, welcomed him. Mario met his natural guardians on a regular basis for the first few years, but eventually stopped and recognized Silvia and Francesco as his guardians. The Balotelli family was wealthy, ensuring Mario a comfortable life.

2. Mario Balotteli was fined $400,000 for hitting up a strip club before a game

Striper on a pole. Photo by Lorado.

At the time, Balotelli was playing for Manchester City under manager Robert Mancini. It’s worth noting that Mancini has just given Balotelli another chance to redeem himself at Manchester City.

Nonetheless, he did not appear grateful to the head coach. One of his misfortunes resulted in a $400,000 fine. This massive fine was imposed because Balotelli violated the isolation rule that is commonly found in football clubs. Essentially, this means that players are not permitted to go out the night before a game for a variety of reasons, including not becoming inebriated, injured, or simply caught off guard for the actual endeavours that await them the following day.

Mario did go out, but he also went to a strip joint at 2 a.m. This was considered highly controversial and was listed as one of his ‘crazy’ actions.

3. Mancini is not the only coach Mario Balotelli trouble with

The Italian striker is notorious for not getting along with his managers. Of course, there were a few incidents involving Robert Mancini. José Mourinho, on the other hand, was not thrilled with Balotelli. Mourinho recalls one incident with the former Manchester City striker.

“I recall going to play Kazan in the Champions League one time. I had all of my strikers injured in that game. “Without Diego Milito and Samuel Eto’o, I was really in trouble, and Mario was the only one,” Mourinho recalled.

Mario got a yellow card in the 42nd minute. So when Mourinho arrived at half-time, he spent about 14 minutes of the 15 available speaking only to Mario. He told him, “Mario, I can’t change you because I don’t have any strikers on the bench, so don’t touch anyone and play only with the ball. There will be no reaction if we lose the ball. No reaction if someone provokes you; no reaction if the referee makes a mistake.”

Instead, Balotelli got a red card in the 46th minute!

4. Mario Balotelli set off fireworks from his bathroom

A person holding a firecracker. Photo by Clément M.

Very interesting story. Balotelli is forced to flee his bathroom after it catches fire after fireworks were set off in it. Fortunately, the Italian striker was unharmed, but the incident landed him in hot water with then-manager Roberto Mancini.

The story, however, does not end there. The irony is that he was later appointed as the City of Manchester’s fireworks safety ambassador. What on earth were they thinking?

5. He initially denied having a daughter

A baby girl covering her own face. Photo by Omid Armin.

Pia Balotelli, Balotelli’s daughter, was born on December 5, 2012. Balotelli initially denied she was his daughter, but eventually admitted liability after a positive DNA test proved paternity.

6. Mario shares a friendship with hip-hop superstar Drake

Drake. Photo by thecomeupshow.

While performing in Manchester, he formed a strong friendship with Canadian rapper Drake, who also performed there in 2012. They had dinner together and continued to communicate publicly via social media. Drake even mentioned Balotelli in one of his songs, urging him to try a few times, while Balotelli dedicated his winning goal against Mexico’s national team to the rapper back in 2013.

7. Balotelli confronted a bully

Mario Balotelli. Photo by danheap77.

For some, however, Balotelli is a hero. In 2010, a young boy approached him and asked for an autograph. He asked the boy why he wasn’t at school, and the boy told him that he was being bullied. Outraged, Balotelli accompanied the boy to school, and we can only imagine what he said to the bully. He even had a conversation with the headmaster about it. It is safe to assume that the boy was not bullied again at that point.

8. Balotelli had the audacity to appear on Italian television wearing an AC Milan shirt

After promising to be more professional and falling out of favour with Mourinho, Balotelli thought it was appropriate as an Inter player to wear a Milan shirt on national television.

What fuelled this act even more was Balotelli’s previous declaration that he was a Milanista. When asked why he chose Inter over Milan, he replied, “Well, I’m playing for Inter this year.” With practically every Italian team booing Balotelli, some even racially abusing him, it was difficult to understand why Balotelli would choose to alienate his own fans, teammates, and, of course, Inter, who employs him.

Mino Raiola, Balotelli’s agent, attempted to limit the damage by dismissing the TV show as a joke and then pleaded with Inter fans to understand Balotelli was only 19 and had no idea the consequences of his actions.

If Balotelli had kept his promise to be more professional, he would have stayed back after training and done the hard yards to give Mourinho a reason to start him again. Instead, Balotelli was on national television wearing a Milan shirt, reinforcing Mourinho’s decision to bench him.

9. Balotelli allegedly brought a massive trampoline instead of an ironing board and iron

Kids playing on a trampoline. Photo by Elisa Kennemer.

The average person is sent to the store to purchase bread, milk, butter, and, if the rush is not too ridiculous, toilet paper. However, legend has it that when Balotelli was sent out to buy an iron and an ironing board from his mother, the Italian instead returned with a giant trampoline.

While Balotelli always appeared to be a wide-eyed child at heart, this story is unfortunately unverified and thus suspect. Despite the fact that the Italian hitman appears to be impulsive, his obvious love and respect for his mother suggests he would not have the audacity to defy her in this way.

10. He racked up around $10,000 in parking fines

His upbeat personality pervades all aspects of his life. Parking regulations in the United Kingdom, for example. Alternatively, as Mario would say, ‘what parking rules?’ Apparently, while playing for Manchester City, a team we now pity, he parked just about anywhere, resulting in a parking fine of more than $10,000. In addition, his beautiful white Maserati was impounded 27 times.