Mario Balotelli's double life: The bitter family feud that haunts the £29m Manchester City target
SPECIAL REPORT
By LAURA WILLIAMSON FOR MAILONLINE and NICK PISA FOR MAILONLINE in Brescia
Updated:
Inside Thomas and Rose Barwuah’s third-floor council flat above a row of shops in Bagnolo Mella, on the outskirts of Brescia in northern Italy, photographs of their family adorn the walls.
There are pictures of their four children — Abigail, 22, Mario, 19, Enoch, 17, and Angel, But it is Mario who takes centre stage. There are photos of him as a baby and then a toddler growing up in the Sicilian city of Palermo, kicking a football, in a suit at a family party and play-fighting with brother Enoch as Rose looks on.
Family affairs: Balotelli
But Mario is no longer a Barwuah. He has taken the surname of his adopted family, Balotelli. The toddler has grown up into an Inter Milan striker and Champions League winner valued at around £29million.
The player they call ‘Super Mario’ claims his natural parents abandoned him when he was two years old. The grainy images in the Barwuahs’ humble flat in Bagnolo Mella, a sleepy town of terracotta buildings, haphazard cobbled streets and
Mario Balotelli is an Italian international striker who is currently signed to Nice as well as representing the Italian national team. He is widely recognized as one of the most talented soccer players from Italy of all time. Here are 15 interesting facts about this skilled sportsman.
Mario Balotelli is an Italian international striker who is currently signed to Nice as well as representing the Italian national team. He is widely recognized as one of the most talented soccer players from Italy of all time. Here are 15 interesting facts about this skilled sportsman.
- Mario Barwuah Balotelli was born in Palermo, Italy, on August 12,
- His birth parents are Ghanaian but they put him in foster care when he suffered serious health issues as a toddler.
- His foster parents are Francesco and Silvia Balotelli and they brought him up in Brescia.
- His foster siblings are brothers Giovanni and Corrado and sister Cristina.
- Balotelli fist showed talent as a young child while playing for a local parish team.
- In , AC Lumezzane recognized his talents and signed him to their club. He made his senior debut for the team against Padova in at the age of just
- After Lumezzane and
Mario Balotelli Biography: Team, Girlfriend, Goals, Age, Net Worth, Parents, Height, Siblings, Transfers, Current Team
Mario Balotelli Barwuah is an Italian professional footballer who last played as a striker for SüperLig club Adana Demirspor.
Balotelli began his professional career in with Lumezzane before joining Inter Milan in
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During his time at Inter Milan, Balotelli was a vital team member who won the treble in , achieving victories in Serie A, the Coppa Italia, and the UEFA Champions League.
His performances and contributions were integral to Inter&#;s historic domestic and European triumph that season.
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The rollercoaster life of Liverpool's Mario Balotelli
Despite having lived in Italy his whole life, Balotelli was prevented from obtaining full citizenship until he turned
He was unable to play for the Azzuri until after that time, and even once he succeeded in making his full debut for Italy, many Italian fans continued to remind him they would never fully accept him.
With all of that to contend with whilst growing up, it's easy to see why Balotelli might struggle to settle in.
It could be that he's never found anywhere that truly feels like home, which goes some way to explaining why the clubs he signs for may seem like nothing but a stop gap.
With speculation that his spell at Liverpool could already be drawing to a close just three months after joining, whether he can find a home at Anfield or beyond remains to be seen.
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