Since his arrival to Manchester City from Inter Milan on August 12, 2010, Mario Balotelli has been nothing short of A-grade entertainment. The last year and a half for Balotelli has been action packed and filled with a great deal of controversy. He started off his City career in fine form, netting the winning goal in a 1-0 win against FC Timisoara. Only a few days after joining City, he crashed his car. When the police stopped him, they asked him why he was carrying 5,000 pounds in cash (approximately $8,000) to which Balotelli replied, “Because I am rich.”
A few months into his Manchester City career, Balotelli won the Golden Boy Award (an award for the top under-21 footballer in Europe). Upon receiving the prize, he comically claimed that Lionel Messi (one of the previous winners) was only slightly better than him. Balotelli also claimed to have not heard of Jack Wilshere, England and Arsenal protege, a player he only barely beat to the award.
Other Balotelli “incidents” include him throwing darts at a youth team player as part of a prank, and confronting the bully of a young Manchester City fan who wasn’t in school because he was afraid of being bullied. In Manchester City’s clash with Dynamo Kiev in March 2011, Balotelli required assistance to put on a training bib. According to several reports, Balotelli has also turned the garden of his Manchester home into a racetrack for quad bikes. In an act of pure comedy, Balotelli was caught playing with his iPad while sat on the substitute’s bench for Italy during a game against the Faroe Islands.
Just a short while ago in December 2011, Balotelli was spotted in a London curry house using rolling pins in a play sword fight with his friends. Reports also indicate that Balotelli went to a pub in Chorlton (near Manchester) and bought a round of drinks for everyone there.
Despite his off-field activities making the most headlines, no one can deny Balotelli’s great skills on the field. His pace, dribbling ability and powerful shot make him one of football’s most promising young stars. His two goals against Manchester United in a 6-1 win were extremely well taken, and he was voted Man of the Match in the 1-0 win against Stoke City in the FA Cup final.
Balotelli has also done something not many footballers do dedicate vast amounts of time and money to charity. On June 6, 2011, Mario arrived in Curtatone (Italy) where he visited a non-profit organization that his funding supports. Balotelli also recently contributed to the completion of a children’s school in Sudan. These are only a couple of the many ways Balotelli gives back to the community. If given a chance to put a smile on the face of someone in need, Balotelli will not hesitate. Super Mario was certainly a nickname given for the right reasons.
