You would think that Mario Balotelli has been around for quite a long time, but today marks the striker’s 23rd birthday. And what an eventful career he has had thus far.
Now at his third club in three years, there is little doubt that the Italian is a highly gifted striker. There is also little doubt that, to borrow a phrase from Home and Away’s Alf Stewart, he is crazier than a bag of cross-eyed frogs.
Just a few days ago he proudly showed off his pet pig who he has christened Super and this is all in-keeping to the wonderful world of Mario Balotelli.
We have no idea what he is getting up to on his birthday – nothing conventional we’d wager – but to celebrate we take a look at five moments that demonstrate one of the most unique characters in the game.
We chose five, we could have many more.
Super Mario Kart
Only in the crazy world of Mario Balotelli does it seem logical to take a gleaming Ferrari 450 to a karting track and act as if everything is normal.
Just to point out that the fancy set of wheel left him £200,000 lighter in the pocket, not that it would bother him too much.
The owner seemed to see the funny side of things too. AC Milan had banned him from karting, but did not say that he couldn’t take his own car to the karting track.
“We let him take his new Ferrari out on the track and he was roaring around laughing and having fun,” owner Joe Ghiringhelli said.
Some man for one man.
Camouflaged Bentley
Nothing the striker does is understated, so when he purchased a Bentley, he was always likely to have it stand out from the crowd.
Balotelli turned up for training in Manchester in a £160,000 Bentley Continental GT and while we’re a fan of the car, we can’t say we’re too taken with the army camouflage vinyl wrap.
The bib saga
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lYU-SeVofHs
Ah, THAT bib. Only Mario could struggle so badly with a bib. The poor fella was really struggling to come to terms with it all, giving up the ghost like a frustrated child before assistance came to his side.
“Because I am rich”
It has been said on many an occasion that Balotelli has more money than sense. There have been more than enough examples to prove this, but one of our favourites occurred soon after joining Man City from Inter.
He was barely in Manchester when he was involved in a car crash. It was reported that Balotelli was carrying £5,000 cash at the time and that when a police officer asked why he had such a large sum of cash Balotelli simply replied “Because I am rich”.
Indeed you are.
Mourinho recalls his favourite Mario story
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dy3I8QzpvfU
Even The Special One had his work cut out with the Italian during his two years at Inter. During an interview with CNN’s Pedro Pinto, Mourinho told one of the many tales he has about the striker during a Champions League clash with Rubin Kazan.
A perfect insight into the wacky world of Balotelli.
Happy birthday Mario, the present’s in the post…
