Mario Balotelli

At 34 years old, Mario Balotelli has this physical status:

Club career

Balotelli began his work with Lumezzane, just 20 minutes from the Balotelli residence in Conce. He was promoted to the first team in a Serie C1 league match against Padova on April 2, 2006, at the age of 15, making his first appearance in a Serie C1 league match against Padova.

Balotelli had a rocky start with Barcelona at the age of 15, and Inter Milan had signed him on loan with a pre-set price of €150,000 to co-own the player. Inter exercised the option in June 2007 and bought the other half for an additional €190,000. Sheffield F.C.'s eighth-November 2007 began as part of the Sheffield F.C. Balotelli, a representative of Sheffield United's Bramall Lane, appeared in a friendly between the two teams during the 150th anniversary celebrations. Inter was 5–2 down, with Balotelli scoring twice. In a 2–0 victory over Cagliari, he made his first squad and Serie A debut on December 16, 2007, replacing David Suazo. He was in the starting lineup in a Coppa Italia match against Reggina on March 3, scoring two goals in a 4–1 victory. Balotelli gained national attention after scoring two goals against Juventus in the return leg of the Coppa Italia quarter-finals, helping Inter win by a 3–2 victory. In April 2008, he scored his first Serie A goal against Atalanta, which was his first Serie A goal. Balotelli, a replacement for Luigis Figo and scoring in the 83rd minute, advanced to victory in the 2007–08 Serie A. After the match ended 2–2, Inter continued to win the final 6–5 on penalties.

Balotelli scored a goal in a 3–3 draw against Cypriot side Anorthos Famagusta, beating the previous record set by Obafemi Martins (at 18 years and 145 days). Balotelli was verbally assaulted by Juventus supporters throughout the game in April 2009, where he scored Inter's only goal in a 1–1 draw. Massimo Moratti, the team's owner, said he would have pulled the team off the field if he had been present. Juventus chairman Giovanni Cobolli Gigli had condemned the racial chanting, and Juventus was banned from playing a one-match home-fan ban as a result of the incident. Inter won Serie A for the fourth time in a row.

Balotelli's second season with Inter was marred by disciplinary difficulties, most notable in the second half of January 2009. Mourinho had accused Balotelli of showing a lack of effort in preparation earlier this season, saying, "A]so far as I'm worried, a young boy like him cannot encourage himself to train less than people like Figo, Córdoba, and Zanetti." Balotelli continued to be the object of racial chanting throughout the season, having Juventus supporters remain chastised twice and the club eventually banned with partial stadium closures.

In the 2009–2010 season, Balotelli's behavioural issues and his tumultuous friendship with Mourinho dominated. Inter defeated Roma 1–1 in November 2009, after Mourinho chastised his players, even going so far as saying Balotelli "came close to a zero rating." Balotelli had another bad time with Juventus supporters in a tense Derby d'Italia match against Juventus on December 5, 2009, which Inter lost 2–1. Balotelli collapsed theatrically onto the pitch, where he had been paid, while Melo was suspended for his second yellow card after being elbowed by Juventus midfielder Felipe Melo in the shoulder, but Melo was allowed to return to the field. Thiago Motta's teammate Thiago Motta and Juventus goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon were involved in an altercation. Following an altercation with his manager, the tense match between Balotelli and Mourinho reached its peak on the eve of the UEFA Champions League second leg against Chelsea. Despite Inter's 1–0 win at Stamford Bridge, Balotelli was chastised by several senior players, including captain Javier Zanetti and veteran defender Marco Materazzi, as well as his own agent. Since he openly sported an AC Milan shirt on the Italian show Striscia la Notizia in March 2010, he came under heavy criticism from fans.

In Inter's official website, Balotelli issued a letter of apologizing that read:

Balotelli was called back to Inter's 3–0 victory after a losing match with Mourinho, and he scored his first goal in their 3–0 victory. He threw his shirt on the ground after the final whistle in response to Inter fans who had booed him for his poor showing in the Champions League semi-final against Barcelona on April 20, 2010. He confessed that the incident was his only regret in his life three years later. After the match, dissatisfied fans confronted Balotelli and threatened to sue him. "Mario needs to concentrate on what he can do on the field, not allow himself to be like this," Javier Zanetti said on the pitch. Many English Premier League clubs, including Manchester United and Manchester City, announced their interest in signing Balotelli in July 2010.

Inter reached an agreement for Balotelli's transfer to Manchester City on August 10, 2010, a €21.8 million price, after weeks of rumors. Balotelli reunited with his former head coach at Inter, Roberto Mancini, who said, "His style of play will suit the Premier League," says the manager, and because he is still young, there is a great chance for him to progress. He is a versatile and exciting player, and City fans will love watching him." Balotelli changed squad numbers with teammate Greg Cunningham so he could keep wearing the number 45 shirt.

Balotelli started scoring in his debut against Romanian side Politehnica Timișoara on August 19th in a 1–0 away victory in the UEFA Europa League, but the lateral meniscus in his right knee was injured during the game, and he was hospitalized until October. Balotelli's return to Premier League on October 24th as a replacement in a 3–0 home loss to Arsenal, and he got his first Premier League debut on October 30th in a 2–1 loss to Wolverhampton Wanderers. In a 2–0 away victory to West Bromwich Albion, Balotelli scored his first and second Premier League goals on Saturday. Balotelli received a warning for violent behaviour in the aftermath of a dispute with Youssuf Mulumbu that his boss Roberto Mancini described as unfair. In a 3–0 victory over Red Bull Salzburg in Manchester City's Europa League group stage match, Balotelli scored the first two of the city's three goals.

Balotelli won the Golden Boy Award on December 21, 2010, claiming that only one of the previous winners was marginally better than he was: Lionel Messi. He also said he was unaware of Arsenal's Jack Wilshere, who was barely able to win the trophy. In a 4–0 victory over Aston Villa on December 28, Balotelli scored his first Premier League hat-trick. Despite this triumph, Balotelli still had disciplinary issues, and he was suspended in March 2011 after being sent off in Manchester City's Europa League draw with Dynamo Kyiv. Manchester City defeated Stoke City 1–0 to win their first trophy in 35 years on May 14th, with Balotelli named man of the match in the 2011 FA Cup Final.

In a 2–0 League Cup victory over Birmingham City, Balotelli scored his first goal of the 2011–12 campaign. He continued this trend by scoring the first goal against Everton three days later. In a 4–0 victory over Blackburn Rovers on October 1, 2011, he scored his third goal in as many games. City defeated Manchester United 6–1 at Old Trafford on Sunday, with Balotelli scoring the first two goals and prompting Jonny Evans' dismissal as a result. In the second leg against Villarreal, Balotelli made his UEFA Champions League debut for City against them on November 2nd. He scored on a penalty shot near the end of the first half, his first Champions League goal for City and his seventh goal of the season. Balotelli arrived against Liverpool on Friday as a 65th-minute replacement and was dismissed after being issued two yellow cards. In City's 5–1 victory over Norwich City on December 3rd, Balotelli scored using his right shoulder. On December 12th, he put City 1–0 up against Chelsea at Stamford Bridge after only two minutes, though Chelsea rallied to defeat 2–1.

Balotelli came on as a replacement in a match against Tottenham Hotspur on January 22, 2012, when he was playing as a substitute. During the match against Tottenham Hotspur, he appeared to stamp on Scott Parker, but referee Howard Webb, who had not been booked, did not get a second yellow. Balotelli then scored his first goal of 2012, a game-time penalty that resulted in a 3–2 victory for City. He was banned for violent conduct after the kick against Scott Parker and was banned for four matches, three for aggressive conduct, and one for second sending off. Balotelli scored his tenth league goal of the season on Sunday in a 3–0 home win over Blackburn. In a 2–0 victory over Bolton Wanderers, he scored again. City defeated Sunderland 3–3 at home on Monday, with Balotelli scoring twice twice. Balotelli, on the other hand, had been chastised for his participation in the game after squabbled with Aleksandar Kolarov over a free kick. Roberto Mancini said after the match that he had considered replacing Balotelli just five minutes before. Balotelli earned his fourth red card of the season on April 8, 2012, after receiving his second yellow card during the match against Bacary Sagna in April 2012. Balotelli was suspended for three games (one for the two yellow cards and two for the first two red cards in the same season). Mancini appeared to have finally lost his patience with Balotelli, implying that Balotelli would not continue to play or be sold by the team in the remainder of City's season. Despite this, Balotelli made a late return in the season's last match against Queens Park Rangers. City obtained their first league title since 1968 thanks to Balotelli's assist. Sergio Agüero, who scored in the 94th minute, was given the help.

Balotelli decided to challenge Manchester City's decision to fine him two weeks' wages for his poor academic record from last season by bringing his club to a Premier League tribunal in December 2012. Balotelli played in 11 games around the country and in Europe last season due to suspensions. Balotelli dropped his tribunal appeal and accepted the fine with less than a day remaining to the hearing.

Umberto Gandini, Milan's managing director, reported on January 29 that the club had agreed to a four-and-a-half-year contract with Balotelli from Manchester City, a four-and-a-kind deal rumoured to be worth €20 million in bonuses and add-ons. When Balotelli was sold to Milan for the good of the player, manager Roberto Mancini said he had banned him for the benefit of the player, referring to him as "like another one of my children" and that if Balotelli were resurgent to Serie A, he might be one of the world's best players. Balotelli was given the number 45 shirt on January 31, 2013, the same number he wore for Inter Milan and Manchester City. "Balotelli in Rossoneri is a dream that has been fulfilled," Milan vice president Adriano Galliani said. It's a move that everyone wants: club, president, and fans. When Balotelli returned to Milan, he received a warm welcome. Following his arrival, some fans of the police were scuffling with police, and one policeman was admitted to the hospital with head injury. Silvio Berlusconi's signing of Balotelli would help him win additional votes in the 2013 Italian general election, according to the paper.

Balotelli made his Milan debut on February 3rd, scoring two goals, including a last minute penalty, to win by 2–1. Milan defeated Inter Milan putting the win over Inter Milan to fourth place in the table, ahead of Inter Milan on goal difference. Balotelli had two goals, including 30 yards (27 m) free-kick against Parma in the next two matches. He tied Oliver Bierhoff's record of four goals in Milan's first three matches for the first time. Balotelli appeared as a replacement against Genoa on his fifth appearance, scoring his fifth goal for his new team. Balotelli continued his impressive scoring streak with two more goals, one from a penalty and another from a M'Baye Niang cross. Balotelli has now scored four goals in three separate matches: one against Catania, one against Torino, and two against Pescara. Balotelli was exposed to racial chanting by some Roma supporters, causing the match to be postponed for several minutes by referee Gianluca Rocchi in a potential 0-0 away draw.

Balotelli scored his 12th goal in 13 matches for Milan on the final day of the season, beating Siena to qualify for the 2013-14 UEFA Champions League. Milan finished third in Serie A last season, with 12 goals in 13 appearances in his first season.

Balotelli missed a penalty in a competitive match for the first time in 22 attempts as a professional on September 22, 2013. Pepe Reina stopped the attempt as Milan lost 2–1 to Napoli. Balotelli accused Nicola Spolli of racially insulting him during a match against Catania on December 1st, but there was no evidence to warrant any intervention. Balotelli scored two goals in a 2–2 draw with Livorno this week, including a spectacular 30-yard direct free kick that was clocking at 109 km/h.

Balotelli was signed by Liverpool in August 2014 for a £16 million transfer fee to replace outgoing Luis Suárez. On August 31, Liverpool made his Liverpool debut in a league match away from Tottenham Hotspur, a game that Liverpool lost 3–0. On September 16, Balotelli scored his first Liverpool goal, opening a 2–1 win over Ludogorets Razgrad in the 2014-15 UEFA Champions League group stage. Balotelli was chastised by manager Brendan Rodgers for swapping shirts with Pepe at halftime, saying, "It's something that shouldn't happen here and shouldn't happen here."

Balotelli was banned for one match and fined £25,000 for posting an image on social media that seemed to have anti-Semitic and racist words.

Balotelli's first Premier League appearance was on his 13th appearance in a 3–2 victory over Tottenham Hotspur at Anfield, nine minutes after replacing Daniel Sturridge. He scored just 4 goals in 28 appearances and at season's end, and was considered one of the worst signings of the season by several.

Balotelli returned to Milan on a season-long loan contract on August 27, 2015. He scored his first goal after returning to Milan on his third appearance to open the scoring in the fifth minute against Udinese in a 3–2 away victory. However, he sustained a groin injury in a 1–0 loss to Genoa on September 27th, necessing surgery and excluding him for three months. He returned to action on Saturday, beating Fiorentina 2–0 before scoring the lone goal from the penalty spot nine days later against Milan in the first semi final leg of the Coppa Italia. In a 3–3 home draw against Frosinone on May 1, he had his penalty saved, but opponent Mirko Gori mocked him. Milan finished the season in seventh place, with only 1 goal in 20 league appearances, losing in Europe following their 1–0 loss to Juventus in the 2016 Coppa Italia Final.

Balotelli returned to Liverpool in the middle of 2016, but with no future under new manager Jürgen Klopp, the club's new manager, he did not want to include him on Liverpool's pre-season tour to the United States or one of the club's other friendlies.

On August 31, 2016, the end of the summer transfer window, Balotelli had joined Nice of the French Ligue 1 on a free transfer, signing a one-year contract. Balotelli told Canal Plus that joining Liverpool in the summer of 2014 was the "worst mistake of his life" and that Brendan Rodgers and Jürgen Klopp (the two Liverpool managers during Balotelli's time at the club) did not give a positive impression on him and did not get along with them, and he did not get along with them. Nice made his debut for Nice, converting a penalty in the 7th minute and scoring a header from Ribol's cross in the 78th minute as Nice defeated Nice 3–2. Nice defeated Monaco 4–0 in the Azurean derby at the Allianz Riviera on September 21, on his second appearance in Ligue 1, Balotelli, in his second Ligue 1 appearance, struck a double in the 30th and 68th minutes. In their first two Ligue 1 matches in 25 years, no other player had scored four goals in their first two Ligue 1 matches in 25 years. Balotelli scored his fifth goal in only four competitive matches for Nice on September 29th when he fired from just outside the penalty area in the 43rd minute, after assisting Malang Sarr in a 2016--17 UEFA Europa League Group I match against Krasnodar in an eventual 5–2 away loss. It was his first goal in a UEFA club competition since February 2015, when he scored for Liverpool against Beşiktaş in the round of 32 of the 2014-2015 UEFA Europa League knockout phase. Nice defeated Lorient 2–1 in a home Ligue 1 match on October 2nd, with Balotelli scoring the winning goal on the 86th minute by smashing a large wedge of the box into the top right corner and being dismissed minutes later in stoppage time after receiving a second, controversial yellow card for pulling off his shirt in honor of his goal, although neither player appeared to do anything wrong. Balotelli's red card was withdrawn four days later after referee Olivier Thual's admission that he had made a mistake in presenting Balotelli with his second yellow card, and the French Football League's Disciplinary Commission decided to cancel his second yellow card, allowing him to be available for the upcoming league match. In a 0–0 Ligue 1 away draw with Bordeaux for kicking Igor Lewczuk, he received his first official red card in a Nice shirt on December 21.

Balotelli alleged he was the victim of racial abuse after the match's 1–1 draw against Bastia on January 20, 2017, after being banned from Facebook for the first time. Alassane Pléa (Balotelli's Nice teammate) confessed to hearing the monkey noises directed at Balotelli on the following day. An investigation into Balotelli's allegations has been launched by the Ligue de Football Professionnel (LFP). Balotelli was dismissed once more on Sunday, this time in his 14th Ligue 1 appearance, a 1–0 win at Lorient. In the second half, he was given the straight red card for insulting referee Tony Chapron in English. He was suspended for two matches (the second match was a suspended suspension that could be activated if Balotelli's conduct is further violated) by the Ligue 1's disciplinary committee on February 23. Bastia's disciplinarian committee ordered Bastia to ban a portion of their stadium for three games and place a suspended one-point deduction on them for "the behaviour of SC Bastia supporters," yellings of racist taunts against Balotelli, the use of pyrotechnic arms, and harassing supporters at the edge of the field. Balotelli scored in a 2–2 draw with Caen on March 10, 2017, scoring in a ten Ligue 1 goal for the season.

Balotelli signed a one-year deal extension with Nice on June 25, 2017. He played his first game of the season in Nice's UEFA Champions League qualifying round first leg on July 26, where he scored in their 1–1 draw against Ajax.

Balotelli had a career-high 18 league goals as a result of his season and a further eight goals in all other leagues. For the first time since the 2014 FIFA World Cup four years ago, his solid form earned him a recall to the Italy national team for the first time since the 2014 FIFA World Cup was four years ago.

Balotelli re-signed with Nice on August 20th for his third straight one-year deal after a transfer to rivals Marseille fell through earlier this summer.

Despite completing a new contract with the Cote d'Azur club, Balotelli was late and out-of-shape for pre-season preparations, and he did not participate in the first three league matches due to a court suspension. Balotelli was left out of the first-team squad after having only 10 league appearances, owing to his poor start at the start of the season, as well as his growing frustration with the new coach Patrick Vieira. Balotelli will not be renewing his deal with Nice, and Vieira later revealed that he will likely leave during the January transfer window.

Balotelli resigned from Nice on January 23, 2019 and has signed a deal with Marseille until the end of the season. He made his club debut in the 74th minute at home to Lille on January 25th, scoring his first goal in the last minute of a maximum 2–1 loss. In a 2–0 home win over Saint-Étienne, he scored his fourth league goal, an acrobatic volley. He celebrated the occasion by posting an Instagram post about the pitch from his cellphone. He became the first player since Josip Skoblar in the late 1960s to score in all of his first five home games for Marseille in Ligue 1.

Balotelli signed a "multi-year deal" with his hometown team Brescia on a free transfer on August 18, 2019. He agreed to a base salary of €1.5 million before one year, as well as an automatic renewal if the club avoids relegation.

Balotelli made his debut for the club against Juventus on September 24th in a 2–1 home league loss. He was unable to play prior to this because of a four-match suspension he suffered while at Marseille for a rash challenge against Montpellier. In a 2–1 away loss to Napoli on September 29, he scored his first goal for the club. Balotelli was subjected to racial chanting by some of the Hellas Verona faithfuls on November 3, 2019, causing him to pick up the ball in the 54th minute and throw it into the crowd. He started to walk off after the game was postponed for several minutes, but players of both teams persuaded him to remain on the field. In the 85th minute of the 2–1 away loss, he went on to score.

In a 1–2 loss to Lazio on January 5, Balotelli scored Brescia's lone goal. He was once more the object of racial taunts from the opponent's fan base during the game, and Balotelli later took to social media to condemn the attacks. Lazio supporters were found guilty of racial assault, but they were only fined €20,000 because they did not have a stadium ban imposed on them.

Brescia was relegated to Serie A at the end of the 2019-2021 season, so the automatic renewal option of his deal was not enabled, and the deal was eventually terminated after Balotelli continued to miss training in June and July 2020.

Balotelli worked with Serie D side Franciacorta in November 2020, becoming a free agent.

Balotelli joined Monza on a seven-month deal, reuniting with former Milan teammate Kevin-Prince Boateng, head coach Cristian Brocchi, club founder Silvio Berlusconi, and chairman Adriano Galliani. Balotelli made his debut on December 30th, leading to a 3–0 win over league leaders Salernitana and scoring on his first touch in the 4th minute. Balotelli scored a brace against Salernitana on May 1, 2021, despite being on the sidelines for almost a month. He came on in the 80th minute and scored on his first touch of the game after less than a minute, and doubled his count in the first minute of added time.

Balotelli joined Turkish Süper Lig club Adana Demirspor on July 7th, 2021. In a 7–0 win over Göztepe, he scored 18 goals in the 2021–22 Süper Lig season, five of whom were on the final matchday.

Balotelli signed a two-year deal with Swiss Super League team Sion on August 31st 2022.

International career

Since he was still considered a Ghanaian immigrant, Balotelli was unable to answer calls for the Italian national under-15 and under-17 teams.

Balotelli's first senior international call-up for Ghana from their coach Claude Le Roy for a friendly against Senegal at the New Den stadium in London, England, on August 7, 2007, five days before his 17th birthday. He turned down the bid, citing his willingness to play for Italy when he became eligible. When he obtained an Italian passport, he expressed his desire to represent Italy on the international stage.

Pierluigi Casiraghi, Italy's under-21 head coach, said he intends to call up Balotelli after he obtained Italian citizenship. Balotelli's citizenship was granted to him on August 13, 2008.

Casiraghi requested that he join the Italy national under-21 football team Azzurrini on August 29 for the matches against Greece and Croatia. In his debut on September 5, 2008, he scored his first international goal in a 1–1 draw with Greece.

Balotelli was selected in the final 23-man squad for the 2009 UEFA European Under-21 Championships, scoring the first goal against Sweden in the 23rd minute. He was given a warning about retaliating against Swedish midfielder Pontus Wernbloom just 15 minutes later. Following a 1–0 loss, Italy was eliminated by eventual champions Germany in the semi-finals.

Balotelli made his first appearance for the Italy senior team as part of head coach Cesare Prandelli's squad in a friendly match against the Ivory Coast, Italy's first match since the 2010 World Cup. He started in the match with debutant Amauri and striker Antonio Cassano in a 1–0 loss. Balotelli scored his first senior international goal in a 2–0 victory over Poland at Stadion Miejski in Wrocaw, Poland, on Tuesday, setting up Italy's second goal of the match.

Balotelli was interviewed by a newspaper about racial profiling amongst supporters in the host countries ahead of the tournament in Poland and Ukraine. Balotelli reiterated his threat to walk off the field if any of the opposition supporters racially insulted him in any manner, and said he would "kill" anyone who throws a banana at him during the interview, adding that he would "kill" anyone who throws a banana at him. He spoke about his growing anxiety that black players would be targeted by racials and that he refused to endorse bigotry in any way, as well as his time in Inter Milan's Serie A. Manchester City boss Roberto Mancini had repeatedly defended Balotelli, but Balotelli's future Italian success would need to develop and mature, according to both manager Roberto Mancini and footballer Daniele De Rossi.

In a 1–1 draw against Spain in Italy's first match of UEFA Euro 2012, Balotelli became Italy's first black player to play for Italy (UEFA European Championship or FIFA World Cup). For the second time in the tournament in Kyiv, Italy and Spain met each other for the second time. Balotelli failed to make an impact on the 1–1 draw and was suspended early in the 56th minute after missing several chances, including a one-on-one with Spanish goalkeeper Iker Casillas just minutes before being called off. Antonio Di Natale's replacement scored his 11th international goal and put Italy ahead of him on the field. Fans and commentators are starting to ask Di Natale to replace the "immature and unpredictable striker" with Balotelli's poor form for Italy.

Mario Balotelli scored his first goal in a big international tournament on June 18th, beating the Republic of Ireland 2–0. He was immediately interrupted by colleague Leonardo Bonucci, who covered Balotelli's mouth with his hand, fearing that something would "get in danger." Cesare Prandelli had been pushed to the bench before the match due to his lack of ability in his previous group games, so fans may not have expected him to have much of an effect, and the naysayers may have felt he was dropped to the team's bench. In the quarter-finals, Balotelli continued to progress against England. His result was described as "wasteful," but his efforts were lauded in a game where he had multiple chances. Joe Hart, a Manchester City teammate, scored his first penalty in the shootout. Balotelli scored twice in Italy's semi-final match against Germany on June 28th as the Azzurri defeated Spain 2–1 and advanced to the Euro 2012 final against European and world champions Spain. He ripped off his shirt and stood motionless as he flexed his muscles, triggering a common celebration after scoring his second goal in that semi-final. Balotelli said that Manchester City's title win meant that loss in the Euro would not be a personal loss this season. After his stellar success against Germany, he was unfazed by the pressure he supposedly felt on his shoulders going into the final, with renewed hope of him from his home supporters.

Balotelli was victimized during a game against Croatia, which resulted in UEFA's fineing the Croatian Football Federation €80,000. By Spain, Italy was defeated 4–0 in the final. Despite the humiliating loss, Balotelli was selected as part of the Euro 2012 Team of the Tournament due to his results. Balotelli finished the tournament as the joint top scorer and five others with three goals, though the Golden Boot lost to Fernando Torres for his help in the Euro 2012 final.

Balotelli, the first choice striker for Italy's 2014 FIFA World Cup qualifier, after establishing himself in the team at Euro 2012.

In a friendly match against Brazil at the Stade de Genève, Balotelli scored a long-range equalizer on March 21, 2013. Italy defeated Malta in a World Cup qualifier five days later, extending his scoring streak for both club and nation since signing for Milan.

Balotelli was sent-off in a 0–0 draw with the Czech Republic in Prague on June 7, 2013. Balotelli scored the winning goal in a World Cup qualifying match against the Czech Republic in Turin on September 10, 2013, allowing Italy to clinch the first place in their qualifying group and eventually qualify for the 2014 World Cup. Balotelli was Italy's top scorer with five goals in 2014 World Cup qualifying, which concluded in Italy. He was also the top scorer of his qualifying group, assisting Italy in defeating their group undefeated.

Balotelli was selected in Italy's squad for the 2013 FIFA Confederations Cup on June 3, 2013. Balotelli scored a late winner in Italy's first match on June 16, helping Italy beat Mexico 2–1. Balotelli scored a penalty to make it 3–2 in Italy's upcoming group match against Japan after being 2–0 down in the first half. This was also his tenth goal for Italy, making him the second-youngest player after Giuseppe Meazza to reach this figure. Italy defeated the match 4–3, which allowed them to advance to the Confederations Cup semi-finals for the first time in history. Balotelli set up Emanuele Giaccherini's equalizer with a back-heel in Italy's final group match against hosts and eventual champions Brazil, but Italy lost 4–2. Balotelli suffered a thigh injury that prevented him from participating in the remainder of the tournament before the semi-finals. After defeating Uruguay in a play-off, Italy finished in third place in the tournament.

Balotelli was selected in Italy's squad for the 2014 World Cup on June 1, 2014. In Italy's first match of the tournament, he scored the team's winning goal in a 2–1 victory over England on June 14. Balotelli said it was "a wonderful thrill to participate" in the World Cup for the first time and dedicated the effort to his "future wife" Fanny Neguesha, whom he did not marry and who eventually did not marry. Italy lost their next two matches and was disqualified in the first round after finishing third in their group. Cesare Prandelli resigned as Italy's boss later this year.

Balotelli's first call-up in November 2014 was not enough to make a single appearance for Italy due to injury. He was dropped from Conte's 23-man squad for UEFA Euro 2016 after a lackluster season with Milan.

Balotelli was supposed to be called up by caretaker Luigi Di Biagio for Italy's March 2018 mates after Italy failed to qualify for the 2018 World Cup, and after the replacement of Gian Piero Ventura. Balotelli was officially dropped from the squad on March 17, 2018.

Balotelli was called up for the first time since November 2014 by newly appointed Balotelli for Italy's May and June 2018 comrades on May 19th. Balotelli made his first appearance for the national team since the 2014 World Cup on May 28th, starting in the game against Saudi Arabia and scoring the opener in the 20th minute. Andrea Belotti, who scored the second goal of the match in a 3-2 victory, was later substituted in the 58th minute. Balotelli vowed to dedicate his mission to his late Italy teammate Davide Astori, who died earlier this year.

Balotelli was called up by Italy's president Roberto Mancini to join the Azzurri in Coverciano on January 24th, 2022, after a four-year absence.

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