Mario Balotelli to decorate Italian home with life-sized statue… of himself

Football fans in these parts feared that Mario Balotelli’s move to AC Milan would mean a shortage of crazy stories involving the Italian striker, but the good stuff keeps on comin’.

Balotelli has made a cracking start to his career with the Rossoneri, making a significant impact on the pitch, while his general demeanour seems to be much improved from his final days with Manchester City.

Obviously comfortable in his new surroundings and not going anywhere for a while yet, Mario has hired a local artist to make a life-sized statue of himself for his house in Brescia.

"I have received the commission, but I've never met Balotelli so I am working from photos," the artist in question, Livio Scarpella, told Il Giornale di Brescia.

"I presented several drawings but Mario wanted to be immortalised in a pose that shows him having scored a goal, highlighting his muscles and with an expression of defiance.

"I have imagined him as an athlete from ancient times and the statue will be a mix of classical and pop style in platinum and coloured bronze with the eyes made of stones."

Italian media have suggested that Balotelli wants to be immortalised in the famous pose he adopted after scoring against Germany in the Euro 2012 semi-final last year, a pose which highlighted his rather sculpted physique and was the subject of numerous photoshops afterwards.

If the sculptor can somehow fit the equally ripped Ja Fallon in there, we’re sure Mario wouldn’t mind...