Mario Balotelli didn’t comment on Italy’s World Cup exit but shared an Instagram story where he was mentioned as the best centre forward of the Turkish league.
Italy have missed out on the World Cup for the second time in a row. It had never happened in the history of La Nazionale. Balotelli had played his last match with the Azzurri in 2018 but hoped to be included in the play-offs squad after being called up for a get-together at Coverciano at the end of January.
However, Roberto Mancini picked Ciro Immobile, Gianluca Scamacca, Andrea Belotti and Joao Pedro, although only the latter and Immobile were available against North Macedonia last night. Balotelli watched the game on TV and sent supportive messages to his compatriots through his Instagram stories.
He remained quiet after the final whistle and has just broken the silence with an Instagram story where he’s mentioned as the best centre forward in Turkey for 2021-22. The story had been originally posted by Adana Demirspor’s director of sport Gokhan Gokturk.
When the whole Balotelli debate was going on I thought that Mancini should take him and keep him on the bench. Who knows if I, and others, would have been vindicated? Considering the awful showing by Insigne, Immobile and the very little of the ‘Brazilian’ could Balotelli have done any worse? I suppose his omission means he avoids the flak and the blame which would have come his way had Italy lost anyway.
He has had more chances in his career than Italy did against N. Macedonia last night, yet he has failed harder than Italy every time.
Balotelli wasn’t excluded just because of Mancini. Mancini was likely told to not pick him by some of the older players that probably shouldn’t have been there themselves. They simple put their feelings towards him over what was best for their qualification.
Milan Fan, you are a joke. A whole nation like Italy hasn’t qualified consecutively for the second time and you dare compare one person to a nation, lest not say Italy’s last two world Cup participation was disastrous.
North Macedonia had everyone back defending for most of the game. Balotelli would have done better than than immobile & Pedro. Balo can hit the ball hard & on target from outside the box. It’s what they needed to do more of last night. He can also get at the end of a cross.
On Tuesday, Italy play against Turkey and if Mancio has learnt his lesson he’ll play Balo instead of Immobile
Don’t know why balotelli shouldn’t be in that team, immobile should make it, what has he been doing for Lazio, nothing, balotelli has a way of scaring defenders, he would have done better.
@deluso azzuro it’s meaningless match, he better off playing u23 player
Balotelli shouldn’t be near any team!
I’d rather put chiellini upfront. Keep this man away from italy on Tuesday and even better in future aswell.
We need change we don’t need to take the failing team in the direction of previous failures, pinning hope on Balotelli in the hope he has learnt how to behave is absolutely not what we need, he needs to vanish and he needs to take immobile with him. If Balotelli goes away and take Immobile with him it would be the best thing he would have ever done for Italy.
If he plays on Tuesday he’ll probably get sent off which really would ice this disastrous cake!
Baloteli is an arrogant trash. Had he been called and won the game for Italy, his hibernated stupidity would erupt again. Let him stay where he belongs (nowhere)
Its painful when pride kills you. Baloteli is not yet dead. We don’t think he will be begging for national team call up but we hope the put pride aside and use the old king.
Without balotelia italy canot qualify he is unique player in the world if its him on last match italy is gona win
Maybe Baloteli has grown wiser in his old age and for sure he knows where the goal is and how to put the ball in the back of it.
Italy not qualifying for two consecutive world cups is simply unacceptable. Give the man a chance.
“Why Always Me” we can’t compares Mario with human, that man his something alse God of football he always bring his own style of playing
Everybody is entitled to their opinion but OMG there are some small minded people. No matter what people think of Balotelli would it not have been better to have played him, because we certainly have not got a better option up front at the moment. You never know we might have still been in the competition.
Italy is the ‘I’ inside racIsm.
Better luck next time
Let Italy continue to be bias,arrogant and racist .Balotelli has been their best striker for the last 10 years.
I read some post about balotelli, and I wonder is reality live with these people. First off balotelli isn’t failing. He was just voted best forward in the Turkish league. He has a newly promoted team fighting for UCL. He is literally coaching in games on the pitch and has made his teammates 1000 times better. Racism kept Italy out of two World Cup because they are people Italy who still can’t live with the idea of a black player being the reason they win! You wasted a gift from the gods and you are too stupid to have learned!
You are the one with this issue not balotelli!
“ Casey on Mar 26, 2022 07:50 at 7:50 am
Baloteli is an arrogant trash. Had he been called and won the game for Italy, his hibernated stupidity would erupt again. Let him stay where he belongs (nowhere)”