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Balotelli made his first team debut in December 2007, replacing [[David Suazo]] in a 2–0 win against [[Cagliari Calcio|Cagliari]]. Three days later, he featured in the starting lineup in a [[Coppa Italia 2007–08|Coppa Italia]] match against [[Reggina Calcio|Reggina]], scoring two goals in a 4–1 win.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.footballdatabase.com/index.php?page=player&Id=762&pn=Mario_Balotelli_Barwuah |publisher=Football Database|title=Balotelli Biography |accessdate=16 May 2009}}</ref> Balotelli gained national attention after he scored two goals against [[Juventus F.C.|Juventus]] in the return leg of the Coppa Italia quarter-finals, being instrumental in a 3–2 away win for the ''Nerazzurri''.<ref>{{cite news | date=31 January 2008 | url=http://soccerlens.com/internazionale-beat-juventus-3-2-and-a-star-is-born-in-milan-mario-balotelli/5501/| title=A star is born in Milan:Mario Balotelli| publisher=Soccer Lens| accessdate=16 May 2009}}</ref> His first Serie A goal then came in April 2008 in a 2–0 away win against [[Atalanta B.C.|Atalanta]].<ref>{{cite news | date=6 April 2008 | url=http://italiansoccerseriea.com/2008/04/06/results-italian-serie-a-week-32---atalanta--fc-inter.aspx| title=Inter Milan 2-0 Atalanta| publisher=Italian Soccer Serie A| accessdate=16 May 2009}}</ref> Inter went on to win the [[Serie A 2007–08|2007-08 scudetto]].<ref>{{cite news | date=18 May 2008 | url=http://soccernet-assets.espn.go.com/report?id=224402&&cc=5739| title=Parma 0-2 Inter Milan| publisher=[[ESPN]]| accessdate=16 May 2009}}</ref> Balotelli was a substitute in the [[2008 Supercoppa Italiana]] final against [[A.S. Roma|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.
Balotelli made his first team debut in December 2007, replacing [[David Suazo]] in a 2–0 win against [[Cagliari Calcio|Cagliari]]. Three days later, he featured in the starting lineup in a [[Coppa Italia 2007–08|Coppa Italia]] match against [[Reggina Calcio|Reggina]], scoring two goals in a 4–1 win.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.footballdatabase.com/index.php?page=player&Id=762&pn=Mario_Balotelli_Barwuah |publisher=Football Database|title=Balotelli Biography |accessdate=16 May 2009}}</ref> Balotelli gained national attention after he scored two goals against [[Juventus F.C.|Juventus]] in the return leg of the Coppa Italia quarter-finals, being instrumental in a 3–2 away win for the ''Nerazzurri''.<ref>{{cite news | date=31 January 2008 | url=http://soccerlens.com/internazionale-beat-juventus-3-2-and-a-star-is-born-in-milan-mario-balotelli/5501/| title=A star is born in Milan:Mario Balotelli| publisher=Soccer Lens| accessdate=16 May 2009}}</ref> His first Serie A goal then came in April 2008 in a 2–0 away win against [[Atalanta B.C.|Atalanta]].<ref>{{cite news | date=6 April 2008 | url=http://italiansoccerseriea.com/2008/04/06/results-italian-serie-a-week-32---atalanta--fc-inter.aspx| title=Inter Milan 2-0 Atalanta| publisher=Italian Soccer Serie A| accessdate=16 May 2009}}</ref> Inter went on to win the [[Serie A 2007–08|2007-08 scudetto]].<ref>{{cite news | date=18 May 2008 | url=http://soccernet-assets.espn.go.com/report?id=224402&&cc=5739| title=Parma 0-2 Inter Milan| publisher=[[ESPN]]| accessdate=16 May 2009}}</ref> Balotelli was a substitute in the [[2008 Supercoppa Italiana]] final against [[A.S. Roma|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.


Before the start of the 2008-09 season Balotelli signed a three-year contract with Inter.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.inter.it/aas/news/reader?N=29477&L=en|title=Balotelli signs new contract with Inter|date=26 August 2008|accessdate=26 August 2008|publisher=Inter.it}}</ref> In November 2008, he scored his first [[UEFA Champions League 2008–09|Champions League]] goal, against [[Cyprus|Cypriot]] side [[Anorthosis Famagusta FC|Anorthosis Famagusta]], becoming the youngest Inter player ever to score in the [[UEFA Champions League|Champions League]]> At 18 years and 85 days he beat the previous record set by [[Obafemi Martins]], at 18 years and 145 days.{{Citation needed|date=December 2009}} In April 2009, Balotelli scored Inter's goal in a 1–1 draw with Juventus, and was [[Racism|racially abused]] by Juventus fans throughout the game, including chants such as "a Black Italian does not exist".<ref name="juve_chairman">{{cite news |url=http://football.uk.reuters.com/seriea/news/LJ467490.php |publisher=[[Reuters]] |accessdate=20 April 2009 |date=19 April 2009 |title=Juve president slams own fans for racist chants}}</ref> This led to Massimo Moratti saying that he would have pulled his team off if he had been present.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://uk.reuters.com/article/sportsNews/idUKTRE53J1ED20090420 |publisher=[[Reuters]] |accessdate=20 April 2009 |date=20 April 2009 |title=Inter president chides Juve fans for racist chants }}</ref> The [[Racism in association football#Italy|racist]] chants were also condemned by Juventus chairman [[Giovanni Cobolli Gigli]].<ref name="juve_chairman" /> Juventus were handed a one game home fan ban because of the incident.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/europe/8008928.stm |publisher=BBC Sport|accessdate=15 May 2009 |date=20 April 2009 |title=Juve punished over racial abuse }}</ref> Inter won the Serie A for the fourth time in a row.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://uk.eurosport.yahoo.com/10052009/58/serie-round-chievo-hold-inter.html |publisher=[[Eurosport]]|accessdate=18 May 2009 |date=10 May 2009 |title=Chievo hold Inter }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/europe/8053989.stm |publisher=BBC Sport|accessdate=18 May 2009 |date=16 May 2009 |title=Mourinho wins Serie A with Inter }}</ref>
Before the start of the 2008-09 season Balotelli signed a three-year contract with Inter.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.inter.it/aas/news/reader?N=29477&L=en|title=Balotelli signs new contract with Inter|date=26 August 2008|accessdate=26 August 2008|publisher=Inter.it}}</ref> In November 2008, he scored his first [[UEFA Champions League 2008–09|Champions League]] goal, against [[Cyprus|Cypriot]] side [[Anorthosis Famagusta FC|Anorthosis Famagusta]], becoming the youngest Inter player ever to score in the [[UEFA Champions League|Champions League]]. At 18 years and 85 days he beat the previous record set by [[Obafemi Martins]], at 18 years and 145 days.{{Citation needed|date=December 2009}} In April 2009, Balotelli scored Inter's goal in a 1–1 draw with Juventus, and was [[Racism|racially abused]] by Juventus fans throughout the game, including chants such as "a Black Italian does not exist".<ref name="juve_chairman">{{cite news |url=http://football.uk.reuters.com/seriea/news/LJ467490.php |publisher=[[Reuters]] |accessdate=20 April 2009 |date=19 April 2009 |title=Juve president slams own fans for racist chants}}</ref> This led to Massimo Moratti saying that he would have pulled his team off if he had been present.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://uk.reuters.com/article/sportsNews/idUKTRE53J1ED20090420 |publisher=[[Reuters]] |accessdate=20 April 2009 |date=20 April 2009 |title=Inter president chides Juve fans for racist chants }}</ref> The [[Racism in association football#Italy|racist]] chants were also condemned by Juventus chairman [[Giovanni Cobolli Gigli]].<ref name="juve_chairman" /> Juventus were handed a one game home fan ban because of the incident.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/europe/8008928.stm |publisher=BBC Sport|accessdate=15 May 2009 |date=20 April 2009 |title=Juve punished over racial abuse }}</ref> Inter won the Serie A for the fourth time in a row.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://uk.eurosport.yahoo.com/10052009/58/serie-round-chievo-hold-inter.html |publisher=[[Eurosport]]|accessdate=18 May 2009 |date=10 May 2009 |title=Chievo hold Inter }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/europe/8053989.stm |publisher=BBC Sport|accessdate=18 May 2009 |date=16 May 2009 |title=Mourinho wins Serie A with Inter }}</ref>


[[File:Ibrabalotelli.jpg|thumb|right|Balotelli (right) with [[Zlatan Ibrahimović]].]]
[[File:Ibrabalotelli.jpg|thumb|right|[[Zlatan Ibrahimović]] with Balotelli]]
In his second season with Inter's first team, Balotelli had a number of disciplinary problems, most notably involving Inter head coach [[José Mourinho]] who excluded him from the senior team in the second half of January. The Portuguese boss stated "as far as I'm concerned, a young boy like him cannot allow himself to train less than people like Figo, [[Ivan Cordoba|Córdoba]], and [[Javier Zanetti|Zanetti]]."<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.fifa.com/worldfootball/clubfootball/news/newsid=991318.html |publisher=[[FIFA]]|accessdate=18 May 2009 |date=12 January 2009 |title=Mourinho gets tough with Balotelli}}</ref> Earlier that season Mourinho had accused Balotelli of showing a lack of effort in training.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.goal.com/en/news/1707/inter/2008/12/01/991098/moratti-mourinho-right-to-show-balotelli-fist-of-steel |publisher=Goal.com|accessdate=18 May 2009 |date=1 December 2008 |title=Moratti: Mourinho Right To Show Balotelli Fist Of Steel }}</ref>
In his second season with Inter's first team, Balotelli had a number of disciplinary problems, most notably involving Inter head coach [[José Mourinho]] who excluded him from the senior team in the second half of January. The Portuguese boss stated "as far as I'm concerned, a young boy like him cannot allow himself to train less than people like Figo, [[Ivan Cordoba|Córdoba]], and [[Javier Zanetti|Zanetti]]."<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.fifa.com/worldfootball/clubfootball/news/newsid=991318.html |publisher=[[FIFA]]|accessdate=18 May 2009 |date=12 January 2009 |title=Mourinho gets tough with Balotelli}}</ref> Earlier that season Mourinho had accused Balotelli of showing a lack of effort in training.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.goal.com/en/news/1707/inter/2008/12/01/991098/moratti-mourinho-right-to-show-balotelli-fist-of-steel |publisher=Goal.com|accessdate=18 May 2009 |date=1 December 2008 |title=Moratti: Mourinho Right To Show Balotelli Fist Of Steel }}</ref>


Revision as of 09:25, 15 December 2009

Mario Balotelli
Personal information
Full name Mario Barwuah Balotelli[1]
Height 1.89 m (6 ft 2+1⁄2 in)[2]
Position(s) Striker[2]
Team information
Current team
 Internazionale
Number 45
Youth career
2001–2006 Lumezzane
2006–2007 Internazionale
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2006 Lumezzane 2 (0)
2007– Internazionale 46 (15)
International career‡
2008– Italy U-21 15 (6)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 5 December 2009
‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 13 November 2009

Mario Barwuah Balotelli[1] (born 12 August 1990) is an Italian footballer who plays for Serie A club Internazionale.

Known for his pace and technical ability, Balotelli, sometimes nicknamed Super Mario by commentators, can play anywhere along the front line, preferably as a centre forward. He is a good set-piece taker and is widely regarded as one of Italian football's most promising prospects for the future.[3][4]

Early life

Balotelli was born to Ghanaian immigrants Thomas and Rose Barwuah in the Italian city of Palermo. The family moved to Bagnolo Mella in the province of Brescia, Lombardy shortly after Balotelli was born. In 1993, at the age of three, the Barwuah family agreed to entrust Mario to the Balotelli family, with the legal move successively formalized by the Court of Brescia.[5] Balotelli later accused his biological parents of "glory hunting," stating that they only wanted him back when he became famous.[6] They lived in Concesio, a town and comune in Brescia. According to Law 91 of 5 February 1992,[7] Balotelli had to wait until his 18th birthday in order to request Italian citizenship, as his adoption was never made definitive, which he officially gained on 13 August 2008.[8]

Club career

Lumezzane

Balotelli began his career with Lumezzane. At the age of 15, he was promoted to the senior side, making his senior debut in a Serie C1 league match against Padova.[9]

Internazionale

Internazionale signed Balotelli on loan with option to purchase in 2006. He started in their under-17 squad then joined the Primavera under-20 team at the age of 16. He scored a tie-breaking penalty in a Primavera league final 1–0 win over Sampdoria, prompting high praise from people including Inter chairman Massimo Moratti.[10]

Balotelli made his first team debut in 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.[11] 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 the Nerazzurri.[12] His first Serie A goal then came in April 2008 in a 2–0 away win against Atalanta.[13] Inter went on to win the 2007-08 scudetto.[14] 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.

Before the start of the 2008-09 season Balotelli signed a three-year contract with Inter.[15] In November 2008, he scored his first Champions League goal, against Cypriot side Anorthosis Famagusta, becoming the youngest Inter player ever to score in the Champions League. At 18 years and 85 days he beat the previous record set by Obafemi Martins, at 18 years and 145 days.[citation needed] 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 "a Black Italian does not exist".[16] This led to Massimo Moratti saying that he would have pulled his team off if he had been present.[17] The racist chants were also condemned by Juventus chairman Giovanni Cobolli Gigli.[16] Juventus were handed a one game home fan ban because of the incident.[18] Inter won the Serie A for the fourth time in a row.[19][20]

Zlatan Ibrahimović with Balotelli

In his second season with Inter's first team, Balotelli had a number of disciplinary problems, most notably involving Inter head coach José Mourinho who excluded him from the senior team in the second half of January. The Portuguese boss stated "as far as I'm concerned, a young boy like him cannot allow himself to train less than people like Figo, Córdoba, and Zanetti."[21] Earlier that season Mourinho had accused Balotelli of showing a lack of effort in training.[22]

International career

Due to Balotelli's legal problems, he did not manage to answer a number of call-ups he received from the Italian national under-15 and under-17 teams, as he was still considered to be a Ghanaian immigrant.[23]

On 7 August 2007, five days before his 17th birthday, Balotelli received his first senior International call-up from Ghana coach Claude Le Roy for a friendly against Senegal at the New Den stadium in London, England on 21 August 2007.[24] However, he declined the offer citing once again his willingness to play for Italy when he becomes eligible.[25] He also stated his willingness to represent Italy at international level once he acquired an Italian passport.[26]

The Italy under-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 in a press conference on the same day he stated his desire to play for the Italy under-21 team.[27] On 29 August, Casiraghi finally called him to join the Azzurrini for the matches against Greece and Croatia.[28] He scored his first international goal in a 1–1 draw with Greece under-21's, then scored two goals against Israel in the qualification play-offs for the 2009 European Under-21 Championships.[29]

In February 2009, Italy under-21 coach Pierluigi Casiraghi criticised Balotelli after he missed a flight to Trieste where Casiraghi was holding a training session. Balotelli was alleged to have overslept and had to drive there himself to join the rest of the team.[30]

Balotelli was sent off in the 36th minute of the first half in a match with hosts Sweden at the European Under-21 Championship for retaliating against Pontus Wernbloom. This was after he had scored in the 23rd minute to put his team up 1–0.[31]

Honours

Internazionale

Career statistics

(Correct as of 29 October 2009)

Club Season Serie A Europe Cup and Supercup Total
Apps Goals Assists Apps Goals Assists Apps Goals Assists Apps Goals Assists
Internazionale 2007-08 11 3 3 0 0 0 4 4 0 15 7 3
2008–09 22 8 1 6 1 2 3 1 0 31 10 3
2009–10 13 4 3 5 1 1 1 0 1 19 5 5
Total 46 15 7 11 2 3 8 5 0 65 22 11

References

  1. ^ a b "Barwuah Balotelli Mario" (in Italian). FC Internazionale Milano. Retrieved 18 October 2008.
  2. ^ a b West Ham United
  3. ^ "Inter, c'è un Fenomeno in casa" (in Italian). Alice Sport. 16 November 2006. Retrieved 16 November 2006.
  4. ^ "Barcelona eyeing Inter Milan Allievi whiz Balotelli". Tribalfootball.com. 9 October 2006. Retrieved 9 October 2006.
  5. ^ "Balotelli, il figlio campione che si è dimenticato di noi" (in Italian). Corriere della Sera. 12 October 2008. Retrieved 18 October 2008.
  6. ^ "Inter's Balotelli accuses biological parents". Daily Mail. 11 June 2008. Retrieved 18 May 2009. {{cite news}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
  7. ^ "Italian citizenship". Comune di Torino. 6 March 2006. Retrieved 6 March 2006.
  8. ^ "Inter's Balotelli gets Italian citizenship". Italymag.co.uk. 15 August 2008. Retrieved 16 May 2009.
  9. ^ "Biography". Mario Balotelli Official Website. Retrieved 16 May 2009.
  10. ^ "Moratti: Who needs Pato?". Channel 4. 19 August 2007. Retrieved 19 August 2007.
  11. ^ "Balotelli Biography". Football Database. Retrieved 16 May 2009.
  12. ^ "A star is born in Milan:Mario Balotelli". Soccer Lens. 31 January 2008. Retrieved 16 May 2009.
  13. ^ "Inter Milan 2-0 Atalanta". Italian Soccer Serie A. 6 April 2008. Retrieved 16 May 2009.
  14. ^ "Parma 0-2 Inter Milan". ESPN. 18 May 2008. Retrieved 16 May 2009.
  15. ^ "Balotelli signs new contract with Inter". Inter.it. 26 August 2008. Retrieved 26 August 2008.
  16. ^ a b "Juve president slams own fans for racist chants". Reuters. 19 April 2009. Retrieved 20 April 2009.
  17. ^ "Inter president chides Juve fans for racist chants". Reuters. 20 April 2009. Retrieved 20 April 2009.
  18. ^ "Juve punished over racial abuse". BBC Sport. 20 April 2009. Retrieved 15 May 2009.
  19. ^ "Chievo hold Inter". Eurosport. 10 May 2009. Retrieved 18 May 2009.
  20. ^ "Mourinho wins Serie A with Inter". BBC Sport. 16 May 2009. Retrieved 18 May 2009.
  21. ^ "Mourinho gets tough with Balotelli". FIFA. 12 January 2009. Retrieved 18 May 2009.
  22. ^ "Moratti: Mourinho Right To Show Balotelli Fist Of Steel". Goal.com. 1 December 2008. Retrieved 18 May 2009.
  23. ^ "Un prodigio ma non è azzurro" (in Italian). Avvenimenti. 8 December 2006. Retrieved 8 December 2006.
  24. ^ "Le Roy names 20 for friendly". Ghana Football Association. 7 August 2007. Retrieved 22 August 2007.
  25. ^ "Stars to tame the lions today". The Statesman. 21 August 2007. Retrieved 22 August 2007. {{cite news}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
  26. ^ "ESCLUSIVA TMW - Inter, il baby fenomeno Balotelli si racconta" (in Italian). TuttoMercatoWeb. 1 June 2007. Retrieved 19 July 2007.
  27. ^ "Casiraghi: "Occhio a Messi noi partiamo da Nocerino"" (in Italian). La Gazzetta dello Sport. 16 May 2008. Retrieved 17 May 2008. {{cite web}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
  28. ^ "Casiraghi convoca Balotelli" (in Italian). La Gazzetta dello Sport. 29 August 2008. Retrieved 29 August 2008. {{cite web}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
  29. ^ "Balotelli plots Italy's progress". UEFA. 15 October 2008. Retrieved 16 May 2009.
  30. ^ "Casiraghi disappointed with Balotelli attitude". Football Italiano. 12 February 2009. Retrieved 18 May 2009.
  31. ^ Peter Staunton (19 June 2009). "Ten-Man Italy Defeat Sweden After Balotelli Sent Off". Goal.com. Retrieved 19 June 2009.

External links

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