"È una statua d'ebano che si sta stagliando nel cielo di Varsavia!" [it’s an ebony statue rising into the Warsaw sky] the Italian commentator wailed as Mario Balotelli stood shirtless, flexing his muscles after doubling Italy’s lead over Germany in the EURO 2012 semi-final. The Italian press milked it, too, with some headlines getting political. “Vaffanmerkel” blazoned across the front page of Libero as a play on words telling the German chancellor to not-so-politely go away.
It was a goal that doubled the Azzurri's lead and gave Balotelli a first-half brace.Riccardo Montolivo’s pass came from one end of the pitch to the other, split the German defence before Balotelli took it on his chest, raced through, outpacing a floundering Philip Lahm, and smashed it into the top corner past Manuel Neuer who could only watch it nestle in the goal, knowing he didn’t have a chance of stopping it. The camera pans to a German fan, a tear rolling down her cheek. It wasn’t even half-time yet, and the game was slipping away from them. Emotions, high. Heartbreak? Inevitable.
But this goal did not happen in a vacuum. Throughout his life, Balotelli suffered from racism. He has often recalled times of being discriminated against for being black when growing up in Italy: His foster parents not allowing him to play football in the street. Being singled out in school. It wasn’t until he achieved Italian citizenship that more doors started to open but even then, he was considered to be ‘different’.
With Italy currently being governed by the far right, Georgia Meloni, this debate reared its head again at this year's Sanremo Italian Song Festival. Artist Ghali showcased a stirring performance of various songs, highlighting the issues that second-generation immigrants have in Italy as well as protesting against the current government and genocide in Palestine. As a Tunisian and Italian, Ghali’s performance stood as a message against people like him not being classed as ‘real’ Italians, navigating his struggles growing up with dual nationality in Italy and ensuring that others feel seen and heard. His choice of song for an evening of cover versions was a medley including L’italiano [the Italian] by Toto Cutugno. Ghali called this collection Italiano Vero [true Italian].
These words are all the more important considering the racism that Balotelli endured on his return to playing in Italy in for his hometown club of Brescia in 2019. Luca Castellini, the leader of the Hellas Verona ultras led the crowd in chanting abuse before releasing a racist statement in which he said, “Balotelli is Italian because he has Italian citizenship but he’ll never be fully Italian”.
Leading up to EURO 2012, there were major conversations around racism and the potential abuse issues that could arise throughout. Balotelli, a player who had been a part of this discourse for a long time, was asked about these risks before the tournament started by a newspaper. "I will not accept racism at all. It's unacceptable. If someone throws a banana at me in the street, I will go to jail, because I will kill them." In 2009, he was the target of racial abuse before the U21 European Championships when he was attacked with bananas in a Rome bar. Incidents at Inter, City and beyond show that football, as the world knows, has a racism issue and for the child of Ghanaian immigrants in Italy, it takes the problem to a whole new level.
The shirtless celebration on the pitch read through this lens takes on a new context. A show of strength in the face of the racism that Balotelli had faced his whole life and career. Super Mario was, to use an expression recently coined by Real Madrid forward Vinicius Junior, ‘a tormentor of racists’ in Italy but also from Spain and Croatia who had abused him earlier in the tournament.
Balotelli was born in Palermo, Sicily to Ghanaian immigrants before moving to Brescia in Lombardy with them. At a young age, he was placed into foster care due to his parents being unable to pay medical costs, which is where he adopted the surname Balotelli, after his foster father. Those two goals against Germany were dedicated to his foster mother, Silvia, too. “What image will I take [from this game? Certainly, after the game when I went to my mom and I said, ‘These goals are for you’” he said post-game.
His football career first started at 15 in Serie C1 with Lumezzane before being picked up by Internazionale on a co-ownership deal. It wasn’t until his 18th birthday, though, that he could apply for Italian citizenship due to not being ‘officially’ adopted by his foster parents. Once granted, Balotelli said, “I am Italian, I feel Italian, I will forever play with the Italian national team.” Strong foreshadowing for what was to come at his first international tournament, it seems. Balotelli made his debut for the Azzurri in 2010 when he came on against Ivory Coast in an international friendly. A big year for the Italian, as he then signed for Manchester City a few days later.
2012 sits as the pinnacle of this flawed artist’s work, embodying the talent he possessed but acting as a smokescreen for his unfulfilled potential. It was the year he set up Sergio Aguero’s famous goal to win Manchester City the Premier League title under fellow Italian, Roberto Mancini, which got him ready for a big summer, heading to Poland and Ukraine as hot property for the European Championships. Balotelli arrived as a young star who many thought could set the tournament alight.
But his tournament didn’t get off to the best of starts, with poor performances in the first two group games meaning he failed to repay manager Cesar Prandelli’s faith in starting him over legend Antonio Di Natale. But despite being dropped for the final group game versus Ireland as Prandelli opted for the aforementioned veteran, Balotelli grabbed a goal with a delightful overhead kick and thus, kickstarted his tournament. He would start the rest of Italy’s games as they progressed through the knockout stages beating England on penalties, with the Italian #9 taking on the responsibility of the first kick of the shootout (cooling converted), ruining the German party in the semi final before the last hurdle defeat to that legendary Spain side.
Italy didn’t win EURO 2012 but regardless, this year goes down as the pinnacle of Balotelli’s career. A famous Premier League title and a wonderful performance in an international tournament. Italy haven’t had such a talisman up front since and many tifosi of gli azzurri in the build up to Euro 2024 look back twelve years at his goals with nostalgic envy.
Amidst all the funky hats, ‘Why always me?’ t-shirts, camouflage cars, fireworks and disciplinary issues, one thing Balotelli will be remembered for is that picture of him standing shirtless, flexing his muscles after taking Italy to a final.
"I think I am a genius but not a rebel. I have my life, my world, I do what I want, without annoying anyone. I believe I am more intelligent than the average person. The talent God gave me is beautiful and wonderful but it is difficult because you are always facing other people keen to judge you."
Super Mario, indeed.