The minute one thinks of Mario Balotelli, one gets into an impossible muddle. Thrown darts. Fireworks in the bathroom. Scoring goals against Manchester United at Old Trafford. Why Always Me. Racial politics in football. Race identity in Italy. Racist chants. Racist cartoons. Unbridled idol worship. Manchester City fans singing his name on the train. Knee-jerk disdain. Egotism. Ill-discipline. Stunning goals. Giuseppe Meazza. Trips to a public school washroom. Cash handed out to the homeless. Denying it all in an interview with Noel Gallagher. And now, one of the most indelible images from these Euros, as highlighted by Devang Desai last night: a boy in love with his mother.
As one astute Tweeter noted yesterday:
He’s both completely within and without Italian football. He’s loved, he’s hated. And now following the “best night of his life” he’s returned to Italy, a country where he was once on the regular receiving end of racist chants, as a national hero. And that’s all I have to say on this matter.
Not much else going in news circles though. Del Bosque has no regrets over his strategy against Italy in the group. And Beckham was apparently snubbed by Team GB coach Stuart Pearce in favour of Ryan Giggs.
Some brief Canada stuff. Dan Rouse on Toronto FC’s back four problem. Part II of Ben Knight’s expansion team series. TFC release Burgos Jr. And Vancouver finally lets Long Tan go.
Bits and bobs: Joy of Six Euro finals. Another great super Mario GIF. And Montolivo’s assist came from the German boot.
And that, give or take, is the story so far…
How Balotelli reacts to all this attention, praise and the pressure of the final will be interesting. Will he get a red card or will he score? I doubt he will have a quiet game. Busquets, Alonso and Ramos will probably rattle his cage a few times and his response will be a reflection of his maturity.
But I do believe that Balotelli’s maturity has gotten better over this turnament alone. He will show some emotion if Ramos, Busquets and Alonso rattles his cage but I don’t see a red card in his Final future. I see another awe inspiring moment by Balotelli in the Final
I agree he seems to be getting more control over his emotions. You could see that he wanted to take his shirt off after the first goal but he restrained himself. Hopefully we’ll be shaking our heads in awe of some great exhibition of football skill by Mr. Balotelli, rather than some Zidane-head-butt kind of moment-of-madness.
“And now following the “best night of his life” he’s returned to Italy”
Wait, did he actually return to Italy before the final? That seems odd…