Mario Balotelli’s ten maddest moments aged of his debut for Liverpool.
As the Premier League gears up for the return of Mario Balotelli on Sunday afternoon, we decided to take a look back at some of the best moments that have made Mario so…Mario.
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Having courted controversy for the majority of his short career, there’s no denying that he is a character that enriches the game. And where many see a disruptive influence, others see a supremely confident being having fun as a young man playing football professionally and enjoying all that comes with it.
10. Mario checks out a women’s prison
Before he’d even kicked a ball for Manchester City, Balotelli was arrested and interviewed for over half an hour after he’d driven into a women’s prison. Apparently he was ‘just curious’ and ‘wanted to look around’.
9. That T-shirt
Balotelli is famed for his celebrations, and though the topless pose when playing for Italy sticks in the mind, it was undone by this effort whilst at Man City. The shirt was his response to the heavy handed treatment he’d been receiving from the British tabloids.
8. Fashion statements
Always one to push the boundaries of the fashion world. Whether it be silly hats, oversized headphones or a slightly ginger Mohican haircut, it’s fair to say you cannot accuse him of being a wall flower.
7. This back heel
Though Balotelli’s willingness to try something outlandish has always made him a favourite of the football purist, but the best thing about this effort is
A) How bad it is
B) How angry Roberto Mancini gets
C) How angry Roberto Mancini gets considering it’s just a friendly.
6. The Dartboard Incident
The Italian had been caught chucking darts at Manchester City youth players, and when asked why he did it, the forward said that he was bored and that he was trying to pass the time!
5. “I am rich”
Again, whilst at City, there were rumours that he handed over a large sum of money to one of the city’s homeless citizens. That story still remains as somewhat of an urban legend, but one thing is true; just a week after that story first appeared he was pulled over by police outside the club’s training ground. With £5,000 cad on his passenger seat, the police understandably wanted to know why he had so much cash on him, “Because I am rich'” came the reply.
4. This Machine Kills Fascists
Mario had a stern warning for anyone he caught dolling out racist abuse by saying: “I will not accept racism at all. It’s unacceptable. If someone throws a banana at me in the street, I will go to jail, because I will kill them.”
3. Mario the multitasker
Mario proved that modern man can indeed multitask by doing the ironing whilst reading the autobiography of his former teammate Zlatan Ibrahimovic.
2. Mario plays with fireworks
With question marks still hanging over his attitude in 2011, Mario did himself no favours by setting off some fireworks in his bathroom at 1am on the Saturday after a game.
1. Mario struggles to dress himself
He may have made some questionable choices in his career, but he’s not thick. Or so we thought until a video surfaced of him struggling to put his training bib on. Classic.
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