Читать книгу A League of Their Own - The Book of Sporting Trivia: 100% Official - Литагент HarperCollins USD, F. M. L. Thompson - Страница 15

BORN: 12 August 1990, Palermo, Italy

PLAYER: Lumezzane, Inter Milan, Manchester City, AC Milan, Liverpool and Italy

1) Arguably the most enigmatic player of his generation, Balotelli made his first-team début for Lumezzane at the tender age of 15 in a Serie C1 match in 2006. Inter soon came sniffing around and he made his senior bow in December 2007, scoring two goals in his next game.

2) Balotelli scored 20 goals in 59 games ahead of his first cap for Italy in a friendly against the Ivory Coast and before his multi-million pound move to Manchester City. He helped them win the FA Cup in his first season, their first trophy in 35 years, and the Premier League title the next.

3) At Euro 2012, Balotelli said he refused to celebrate goals ‘because I’m only doing my job. When a postman delivers letters, does he celebrate?’ Given most companies say they’ll deliver between 7am and Christmas, it’s us who do somersaults if parcels arrive when we’re in.

4) Balotelli’s secret lover Chloe Evans once revealed, ‘Being with him was like being in a circus. Imagine a cross between Willy Wonka, Michael Jackson and Peter Pan – and you’ve got Mario Balotelli.’ If ever a comparison was a cue to cut short a relationship that was it.

DID YOU KNOW: Mario was asked by his mum to buy an ironing board for his cleaner. He came back five hours later with a lorry containing a quad bike, Scalextric and trampoline. Yacht salesmen were rubbing their hands in glee after he was sent out to buy curry soon after.

Here he is …

… at Royal Ascot on Ladies’ Day

© Getty Images/Andrew Yates