Mario Balotelli

Lore & Background

Balotelli started his professional football career in 2005 at Lumezzane, before joining Inter Milan in 2007. He won the treble (Serie A, Coppa Italia, and Champions League) in 2010. Balotelli reunited with Internazionale manager Roberto Mancini at Manchester City in 2010, helping them win a Premier League title and FA Cup. He moved back to Italy in January 2013, signing for Inter's rival club, AC Milan, before returning to the Premier League with Liverpool 18 months later.

Following a return to Milan on loan, Balotelli departed to France, playing for Nice and Marseille in Ligue 1. He returned to Italy a third time, joining Serie A club Brescia in summer 2019, and Serie B club Monza in late 2020. The following summer, Balotelli signed for Turkish club Adana Demirspor. Balotelli earned his first cap for Italy in a friendly match against the Ivory Coast in 2010.

He amassed over 30 caps and represented his country at UEFA Euro 2012, the 2013 FIFA Confederations Cup, and the 2014 FIFA World Cup. He helped the national side reach the final of Euro 2012, scoring twice against Germany in the semi-finals, and won bronze at the Confederations Cup. Balotelli is Italy's sole top scorer in the UEFA European Championship with 3 goals.

Reader's Guide

Balotelli was born Mario Barwuah in Palermo, Sicily, to Ghanaian immigrants. The family moved to Bagnolo Mella in the province of Brescia, Lombardy, when he was two. In 1993, when he was three, he was placed in foster care to the Balotelli family when his own family was unable to pay for his health care needs. His foster parents are Silvia, the Jewish daughter of Holocaust survivors, and Francesco Balotelli.

They lived in the town of Concesio, Brescia, in northern Italy. At first, he stayed with the Balotelli family during the weekdays and returned to his biological parents on weekends. He later was permanently fostered by the Balotellis full-time and adopted their surname. In June 2012, he dedicated his goals that put Italy in the final of the Euro 2012 football championships to his foster mother Silvia.

Balotelli had to wait until his 18th birthday to request Italian citizenship, as his foster family had not adopted him. He officially gained citizenship in Concesio on 13 August 2008. Mario has three biological siblings: Abigail, Enoch (who is two years younger than Balotelli and also a professional footballer) and Angel Barwuah.

Did You Know?

• Balotelli began his career at local side Lumezzane, twenty minutes from the Balotelli residence in Concesio.
• At age 15, he was promoted to the first team, making his first team debut in a Serie C1 league match against Padova on 2 April 2006.
• Balotelli was signed by Inter Milan in 2006 on loan with a pre-set price of €150,000 to co-own the player.
• In November 2008, Balotelli became the youngest Inter player (at 18 years and 85 days) to score in the UEFA Champions League.
• Balotelli exchanged squad numbers with teammate Greg Cunningham so he could continue to wear the number 45 shirt at Manchester City.