Mario Balotelli

Mario Balotelli

Personal information
Full name	Mario Barwuah Balotelli[1]
Date of birth	12 August 1990 (age 22)[2]
Place of birth	Palermo, Italy
Height	1.89 m (6 ft 2 in)[3]
Playing position	Striker[2]
Club information
Current club	Manchester City
Number	45
Youth career
2001–2005	Lumezzane
2006–2007	Internazionale
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps†	(Gls)†
2005–2007	Lumezzane	2	(0)
2006–2007	→ Internazionale (loan)	0	(0)
2007–2010	Internazionale	59	(20)
2010–	Manchester City	49	(19)
National team‡
2008–2010	Italy U21	16	(6)
2010–	Italy	16	(5)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 6 October 2012. † Appearances (Goals). ‡ National team caps and goals correct as of 15 November 2012

Mario Barwuah Balotelli (Italian pronunciation: [ˈmaːrjo baloˈtɛlli]; born Mario Barwuah; 12 August 1990) is an Italian footballer who plays as a striker for Manchester City and the Italy national team.^[4][5] He started his professional football career at Lumezzane and played for the first team twice before having an unsuccessful trial at FC Barcelona,^[6] and subsequently joining Internazionale in 2007. Inter manager Roberto Mancini brought Balotelli into the first team, but when Mancini left, Balotelli's disciplinary record fell away. He had a strained relationship with new head coach José Mourinho and was suspended from Inter's first team in January 2009 after a number of disciplinary problems.
In March 2010, he came under criticism by Inter fans after he appeared on the Italian TV show Striscia la notizia, wearing an Milan jersey. This damaged the prospect of him having a long career at Inter, but he did make several appearances after that. With doubts over his career at Inter, former coach Roberto Mancini had since moved to Manchester City and decided to give Balotelli a fresh chance at a new club. He joined Manchester City in August 2010, where his performances and off-field activities have continued to be enigmatic and unpredictable. Balotelli, nicknamed Super Mario,^[7] earned his first cap for the Italian national team on 10 August 2010 in a friendly match against the Côte d'Ivoire.

Early life

Mario Balotelli was born in Palermo, Sicily, to Christian Ghanaian parents Thomas and Rose Barwuah. The family moved to Bagnolo Mella in the province of Brescia, Lombardy, shortly after he was born.^[8] As an infant, he had life-threatening complications with his intestines which led to a series of operations, although his condition had improved by 1992. Mario's health problems and the family's cramped living conditions meant the Barwuahs decided to ask for the help of social services who recommended that he be fostered.^[8]
In 1993, the Barwuah family agreed to entrust the three-year-old boy to an Italian foster family, the Balotellis. At first, he stayed at the Balotellis during the weekdays, and returned to his biological parents on weekends, but after a while it was arranged for him to be permanently fostered by the Balotellis.^[9] His foster parents Francesco and Silvia Balotelli, who have Italian Jewish heritage,^[10] lived in a large house in the affluent village of Concesio, Brescia.^[8] When Mario Balotelli became famous, his biological parents asked for his return. He later accused them of "glory hunting", stating that they only wanted him back because of the prominence he had gained.^[11] According to Law 91 of 5 February 1992,^[12] Balotelli had to wait until his 18th birthday to request Italian citizenship, as the Balotellis had not adopted him. Balotelli officially gained citizenship in Concesio on 13 August 2008.^[13] After the ceremony he released the following statement:

“	I am Italian, I feel Italian, I will forever play with the Italian National Team. Mario Balotelli[14]	”

Mario has three biological siblings: Abigail, Enoch and Angel Barwuah.^[15] Enoch Barwuah, two years his junior, had a trial at English Premier League side Stoke City in December 2011.^[16] and Sunderland in January 2012,^[17] before signing with Salford City on 16 November 2012.^[18]