Buzz
1. Commenting on Rooney
"He plays well, but he’s not the best player in Manchester" - Mario said during an interview when asked about Manchester United's Rooney. At that time, Mario was playing for Manchester City, and for him, it's clear who the best striker in Manchester was.
2. Speaking About His Roots
"At my core, I’m Ghanaian and I take pride in being African. But of course, I am Italian. I was born in Italy. I’ve never been to Africa, but I plan to visit one day." Although born in Italy, Balotelli never forgets his heritage, which is truly admirable.
3. Talking About His Mother
"To me, my mother is everything" - This heartfelt quote from the striker truly resonates with fans. His adoptive parents, especially his mother, mean the world to him. He dedicated his brilliant performance in the Euro 2012 match against Germany to his mother.
4. Speaking to Those Who Dislike Him
"You criticize me, yet I keep scoring goals." During his debut for Inter Milan, Mario was not welcomed warmly, with people throwing bananas at him. However, this didn’t deter him. He continued to score goals and became an indispensable part of the club during his time there.
5. Commenting on Gerard Pique
"I’ll invite Shakira to watch the final, she’ll see what I do to her boyfriend (Gerard Pique)." Balotelli humorously declared before the Euro 2012 final. The striker said he would turn the Barcelona and Spain defender, Gerard Pique, into a puppet right in front of his girlfriend. Of course, Pique and Spain had other plans, scoring four goals against Italy and securing the prestigious European Cup.
6. Commenting on Jack Wilshere
"Who is Jack? No, I don’t know him, but the next time I face Arsenal, I’ll keep an eye on him. Maybe I’ll show him my Golden Boy trophy and remind him that I’ve won it." Balotelli said after receiving the Golden Boy award. In the 2010 Golden Boy race, Mario finished first, with Arsenal’s Jack Wilshere in second. When a reporter asked him about the runner-up, he arrogantly dismissed Jack.
7. Speaking About Messi
"There’s only one player slightly better than me, and that’s Messi. All the other players are ranked behind me," Mario once proclaimed, calling himself the second-best in the world after Lionel Messi. While Mario has certainly been one of the top strikers in recent years, he should realize that he’s not quite on the same level as Messi as he once believed.
