March 14 is the 73rd day of the year (74th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. There are 292 days remaining until the end of the year.

Events[link]

• 44 BC – Casca, Cicero and Cassius decided, in the night before the Assassination of Julius Caesar, that Mark Antony should stay alive.
• 313 – Emperor Jin Huidi is executed by Liu Cong, ruler of the Xiongnu state (Han Zhao).
• 1381 – Chioggia concludes an alliance with Zadar and Trogir against Venice, which becomes changed in 1412 in Šibenik.
• 1489 – The Queen of Cyprus, Catherine Cornaro, sells her kingdom to Venice.
• 1590 – Battle of Ivry: Henry of Navarre and the Huguenots defeat the forces of the Catholic League under the Duc de Mayenne during the French Wars of Religion.
• 1647 – Thirty Years' War: Bavaria, Cologne, France and Sweden sign the Truce of Ulm.
• 1757 – Admiral Sir John Byng is executed by firing squad aboard HMS Monarch for breach of the Articles of War.
• 1780 – American Revolutionary War: Spanish forces capture Fort Charlotte in Mobile, Alabama, the last British frontier post capable of threatening New Orleans in Spanish Louisiana.
• 1782 – Battle of Wuchale: Emperor Tekle Giyorgis pacifies a group of Oromo near Wuchale.
• 1794 – Eli Whitney is granted a patent for the cotton gin.
• 1885 – The Mikado a light opera by W.S. Gilbert and Arthur Sullivan, had its first public performance in London.
• 1900 – The Gold Standard Act is ratified, placing United States currency on the gold standard.
• 1903 – The Hay-Herran Treaty, granting the United States the right to build the Panama Canal, is ratified by the United States Senate. The Colombian Senate would later reject the treaty.
• 1910 – Lakeview Gusher, the largest U.S. oil well gusher near Bakersfield, California, vented to atmosphere.
• 1915 – World War I: Cornered off the coast of Chile by the Royal Navy after fleeing the Battle of the Falkland Islands, the German light cruiser SMS Dresden is abandoned and scuttled by her crew.
• 1926 – El Virilla train accident, Costa Rica: A train falls off a bridge over the Río Virilla between Heredia and Tibás, 248 killed and 93 wounded.
• 1931 – Alam Ara, India's first talkie film, is released.
• 1939 – Slovakia declares independence under German pressure.
• 1942 – Orvan Hess and John Bumstead became the first in the United States successfully to treat a patient, Anne Miller, using penicillin.
• 1943 – World War II – The Kraków Ghetto is 'liquidated'.
• 1945 – World War II – The R.A.F. first operational use of the Grand Slam bomb, Bielefeld, Germany.
• 1951 – Korean War: For the second time, United Nations troops recapture Seoul.
• 1964 – A jury in Dallas, Texas, finds Jack Ruby guilty of killing Lee Harvey Oswald, assumed assassin of John F. Kennedy.
• 1967 – The body of President John F. Kennedy is moved to a permanent burial place at Arlington National Cemetery.
• 1972 – Italian publisher and former partisan Giangiacomo Feltrinelli is killed by an explosion near Segrate.
• 1972 – Sterling Airways Flight 296 crashed near Kalba in the United Arab Emirates. All 112 passengers and crew were killed.
• 1978 – The Israeli Defense Force invades and occupies southern Lebanon, in Operation Litani.
• 1979 – In China, a Hawker Siddeley Trident crashes into a factory near Beijing, killing at least 200.
• 1980 – In Poland, a plane crashes during final approach near Warsaw, killing 87 people, including a 14-man American boxing team.
• 1984 – Gerry Adams, head of Sinn Féin, is seriously wounded in an assassination attempt in central Belfast.
• 1994 – Timeline of Linux development: Linux kernel version 1.0.0 is released.
• 1995 – Space Exploration: Astronaut Norman Thagard becomes the first American astronaut to ride to space on-board a Russian launch vehicle.
• 2006 – Members of the Chadian military fail in a coup d'état attempt.
• 2007 – The Left Front government of West Bengal sends at least 3,000 police to Nandigram in an attempt to break Bhumi Uchhed Pratirodh Committee resistance there; the resulting clash leaves 14 dead.
• 2008 – A series of riots, protests, and demonstrations erupted in Lhasa and elsewhere in Tibet.
• 2012 – The International Criminal Court in The Hague issues its first verdict in the case of Prosecutor vs. Thomas Lubanga Dyilo. At issue was the military use of children. Unanimously, the Trial Chamber, led by Sir Adrian Fulford, found Lubanga guilty of the war crime of conscripting and enlisting children under the age of 15 and using them in his rebel army The Union of Congolese Patriots.

Births[link]

• 1638 – Johann Georg Gichtel, German mystic (d. 1710)
• 1681 – Georg Philipp Telemann, German composer (d. 1767)
• 1790 – Ludwig Emil Grimm, German painter and engraver (d. 1863)
• 1801 – Kristjan Jaak Peterson, first Estonian poet (d. 1822)
• 1804 – Johann Strauss, Senior, Austrian composer (d. 1849)
• 1807 – Josephine of Leuchtenberg, queen of Sweden and Norway (d. 1876)
• 1813 – Joseph Philo Bradley, American jurist and former Associate Justice of the United States Supreme Court (d. 1892)
• 1820 – Victor Emanuel II, first king of united Italy (d. 1878)
• 1822 – Teresa of the Two Sicilies, Empress of Brazil (d. 1889)
• 1823 – Théodore de Banville, French writer (d. 1891)
• 1833 – Lucy Hobbs Taylor, first female dentist in the United States (d. 1910)
• 1835 – Giovanni Schiaparelli, Italian astronomer (d. 1910)
• 1837 – Charles Ammi Cutter, American librarian (d. 1903)
• 1844 – Arthur William Edgar O'Shaughnessy, British poet
• 1844 – King Umberto I of Italy, (d. 1900)
• 1851 – John Sebastian Little, American politician, member of the United States House of Representatives from Arkansas and 21st Governor of Arkansas (d. 1916)
• 1853 – Ferdinand Hodler, Swiss painter (d. 1918)
• 1854 – Paul Ehrlich, German scientist, Nobel laureate (d. 1915)
• 1854 – John Lane, British publisher (d. 1925)
• 1854 – Alexandru Macedonski, Romanian writer (d. 1920)
• 1854 – Thomas R. Marshall, American politician, 27th Governor of Indiana, and 28th Vice President of the United States of America (d. 1925)
• 1862 – Vilhelm Bjerknes, Norwegian physicist (d. 1951)
• 1863 – Casey Jones, American railroad engineer (d. 1900)
• 1866 – Alexey Troitsky, Russian chess problemist (d. 1942)
• 1868 – Emily Murphy, Canadian women's rights activist, first female magistrate in the British Empire (d. 1933)
• 1869 – Algernon Blackwood, British writer (d. 1951)
• 1874 – Anton Philips, Dutch co-founder of Royal Philips Electronics N.V. (d. 1951)
• 1879 – Albert Einstein, German-born physicist, Nobel Prize laureate (d. 1955)
• 1880 – Princess Thyra, daughter of Frederick VIII of Denmark (d. 1945)
• 1882 – Waclaw Sierpinski, Polish mathematician (d. 1969)
• 1885 – Raoul Lufbery, American World War I pilot (d. 1918)
• 1886 – Firmin Lambot, Belgian cyclist (d. 1964)
• 1887 – Sylvia Beach, American publisher (d. 1962)
• 1887 – Charles Reisner, American silent actor and film director (d. 1962)
• 1888 – Marc-Aurèle Fortin, Canadian painter (d. 1970)
• 1894 – Osa Johnson, American explorer (d. 1953)
• 1898 – Arnold Chikobava, Georgian linguist (d. 1985)
• 1899 – K.C. Irving, Canadian industrialist (d. 1992)
• 1899 – Ada Kramm, Norwegian actress (d. 1981)
• 1903 – Mustafa Barzani, Kurdish politician (d. 1979)
• 1903 – Adolph Gottlieb, American painter (d. 1974)
• 1904 – Doris Eaton Travis, American actress, (d. 2010)
• 1905 – Raymond Aron, French philosopher (d. 1983)
• 1908 – Ed Heinemann, American aircraft designer (d. 1991)
• 1908 – Maurice Merleau-Ponty, French phenomenological philosopher (d. 1961)
• 1908 – Philip Conrad Vincent, British motorcycle pioneer (d. 1979)
• 1911 – Akira Yoshizawa, Japanese origamist (d. 2005)
• 1912 – Cliff Bastin, English footballer (d. 1991)
• 1912 – Les Brown, American bandleader (d. 2001)
• 1912 – W. Graham Claytor, Jr. American lawyer, naval officer, and railroad, transportation, and defense administrator (d. 1994)
• 1912 – Charles Van Acker, Belgian racing driver (d. 1998)
• 1912 – W. Willard Wirtz, American administrator (d. 2010)
• 1914 – Lee Elhardt Hays, American folk singer (The Weavers) (d. 1981)
• 1914 – Bill Owen, British actor (d. 1999)
• 1914 – Lee Petty, American race car driver (d. 2000)
• 1915 – Alexander Brott, Canadian conductor and composer (d. 2005)
• 1916 – Horton Foote, American author, playwright and screenwriter (d. 2009)
• 1918 – Dennis Patrick, American actor (d. 2002)
• 1919 – Max Shulman, American comedic writer (d. 1988)
• 1920 – Hank Ketcham, American cartoonist (d. 2001)
• 1921 – S. Truett Cathy, American businessman, founder of Chick-fil-A
• 1922 – Les Baxter, American musician and composer (d. 1996)
• 1923 – Diane Arbus, American photographer (d. 1971)
• 1925 – William Clay Ford, Sr., American Football owner of the Detroit Lions
• 1925 – Francis A. Marzen, American Catholic prelate (d. 2004)
• 1926 – François Morel, Canadian pianist, conductor and music educator
• 1928 – Frank Borman, American astronaut
• 1928 – Félix Rodríguez de la Fuente, Spanish populariser environmentalist (d. 1980)
• 1931 – Phil Phillips, American singer and songwriter
• 1932 – Naina Yeltsina, Russian First Lady
• 1933 – Sir Michael Caine, British actor
• 1933 – René Felber, Swiss politician, former member of the Swiss Federal Council
• 1933 – Quincy Jones, American musician and composer
• 1934 – Eugene Cernan, American astronaut
• 1934 – Paul Rader, 15th General of The Salvation Army
• 1936 – Bob Charles, New Zealand golfer
• 1939 – Pilar Bardem, Spanish actress
• 1939 – Raymond J. Barry, American actor
• 1939 – Bertrand Blier, French film director and screenwriter
• 1939 – Yves Boisset, French film director and screenwriter
• 1939 – Stavros Xarhakos, Greek composer
• 1941 – Wolfgang Petersen, German director
• 1942 – Rita Tushingham, British actress
• 1944 – Boris Brott, Canadian musician and conductor
• 1944 – Vaclav Nedomansky, Czech hockey player
• 1944 – Bobby Smith, English professional footballer and manager
• 1943 – Anita Morris, American actress (d. 1994)
• 1945 – Jasper Carrott, British comedian
• 1945 – Michael Martin Murphey, American country music singer
• 1945 – Walter Parazaider, American saxophonist (Chicago)
• 1945 – Herman Van Veen, Dutch singer and actor
• 1946 – Steve Kanaly, American actor
• 1946 – Wes Unseld, American basketball player
• 1947 – Pam Ayres, British poet
• 1947 – Roy Budd, British jazz musician and composer (d.1993)
• 1947 – William J. Jefferson, American politician
• 1947 – Jona Lewie, English singer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist.
• 1948 – Tom Coburn, American politician, junior Senator from Oklahoma
• 1948 – Billy Crystal, American actor and comedian
• 1948 – Theo Jansen, Dutch artist and kinetic sculptor.
• 1949 – Michael Stedman, British World War I historian and author
• 1950 – Rick Dees, American disc jockey
• 1951 – Jerry Greenfield, American businessman, co-founder of Ben & Jerry's ice cream
• 1954 – Jann Browne, American country singer (Asleep at the Wheel)
• 1955 – Helen Atkinson-Wood, English actress and comedian
• 1956 – Colin Ayre, British football player
• 1956 – Johnny Dusbaba, Dutch footballer
• 1956 – Toine Manders, Dutch politician
• 1956 – Butch Wynegar, American baseball player
• 1957 – Andrew Robinson, British author
• 1957 – Jean van de Velde, Dutch film director and screenwriter
• 1957 – Tad Williams, American author
• 1958 – Albert II, Prince of Monaco
• 1959 – Laila Robins, American actress
• 1959 – Tamara Tunie, American actress
• 1959 – Brian Whitfield, former South African cricketer
• 1960 – Kirby Puckett, American baseball player (d. 2006)
• 1961 – Rey Washam, American musician (Scratch Acid)
• 1961 – Greg Anderson, American NHRA driver
• 1961 – Gary Dell'Abate, American radio producer
• 1961 – Penny Johnson Jerald, American actress
• 1961 – Hiro Matsushita, Japanese racing driver
• 1962 – Narumi Tsunoda, Japanese voice actress
• 1963 – Bruce Reid, Australian cricketer
• 1964 – Dario Bisso, Italian conductor
• 1965 – James Kevin Brown, American baseball player
• 1965 – Aamir Khan, Indian actor
• 1965 – Kiana Tom, American fitness guru and model
• 1965 – Kevin Williamson, American screenwriter
• 1966 – Elise Neal, American actress
• 1966 – Gary Anthony Williams, American actor
• 1967 – Melissa Reeves, American actress
• 1968 – Megan Follows, Canadian actress
• 1969 – Michael Bland, American drummer (The New Power Generation, Nick Jonas and the Administration, and Soul Asylum)
• 1969 – Des Coleman, English actor and presenter
• 1969 – Larry Johnson, American basketball player
• 1970 – Kristian Bush, American folk rock and country musician (Billy Pilgrim and Sugarland)
• 1970 – Ebru Kavaklıoğlu, Russian athlete
• 1970 – Meredith Salenger, American actress
• 1974 – Grace Park, Canadian actress
• 1974 – Patrick Traverse, Canadian ice hockey player
• 1975 – Stephen Harper, British/English footballer
• 1975 – Johan Paulik, Slovak porn star
• 1975 – Wendy Rice, American actress
• 1975 – Rico Yan, Filipino actor (d. 2002)
• 1976 – Daniel Gillies, Canadian born New Zealand actor
• 1976 – Merlin Santana, American actor (d. 2002)
• 1977 – Zé António, Portuguese footballer
• 1977 – Vadims Fjodorovs, Latvian footballer
• 1977 – Aki Hoshino, Japanese model
• 1977 – Naoki Matsuda, Japanese footballer (d. 2011)
• 1978 – Carlo Giuliani, Italian anarchist (d. 2001)
• 1978 – Pieter van den Hoogenband, Dutch swimmer
• 1979 – Nicolas Anelka, French footballer
• 1979 – Anthony Carelli, Italian-American professional wrestler
• 1979 – Chris Klein, American actor
• 1979 – Love, Angolan footballer
• 1979 – Sead Ramović, German-born Bosnian footballer
• 1980 – Aaron Brown, English footballer
• 1980 – Matteo Grassotto, Italian racing driver
• 1980 – Ben Herring, New Zealand rugby union footballer
• 1980 – Mercedes McNab, Canadian actress
• 1981 – Bobby Jenks, American baseball player
• 1981 – Mei-Ting Sun, Chinese-born pianist
• 1981 – George Wilson, American football player
• 1982 – Carlos Marinelli, Argentine footballer
• 1982 – Kate Maberly, British actor and singer-songwriter
• 1982 – François Sterchele, Belgian footballer (d. 2008)
• 1983 – Bakhtiyar Artayev, Kazakh boxer
• 1983 – Taylor Hanson, American musician (Hanson and Tinted Windows)
• 1984 – Liesel Matthews, American actress
• 1985 – Eva Angelina, American pornographic actress
• 1985 – Idaira, Spanish singer
• 1985 – Brianna Love, American pornographic actress
• 1985 – Ariel Rebel, Canadian pornographic actress
• 1986 – Jamie Bell, British actor
• 1986 – Elton Chigumbura, Zimbabwean cricketer
• 1986 – Andy Taylor, English footballer
• 1987 – Robert Clark, American actor
• 1988 – Stephen Curry, American basketball player
• 1988 – Sasha Grey, American pornographic actress
• 1989 – Kevin Lacroix, Canadian racing car driver
• 1989 – Colby O'Donis, American singer and actor
• 1990 – Kolbeinn Sigþórsson, Icelandic footballer
• 1991 – László Szűcs, Hungarian footballer
• 1991 – Steven Zellner, German footballer
• 1992 – Jasmine Murray, American singer
• 1993 – Philipp Ziereis, German footballer

Deaths[link]

• 313 – Jin Huidi, Chinese emperor of the Jin Dynasty (b. 284)
• 968 – Matilda of Ringelheim, German Queen (b. c. 895)
• 1457 – Jingtai Emperor of China (b. 1428)
• 1471 – Sir Thomas Malory, English author (b. 1405)
• 1647 – Frederick Henry, Prince of Orange (b. 1584)
• 1648 – Ferdinando Fairfax, 2nd Lord Fairfax of Cameron, English general (b. 1584)
• 1680 – René Le Bossu, French critic (b. 1631)
• 1682 – Jacob Isaakszoon van Ruysdael, Dutch painter (b. 1628)
• 1696 – Jean Domat, French jurist (b. 1625)
• 1698 – Claes Rålamb, Swedish statesman (b. 1622)
• 1748 – George Wade, British military leader (b. 1673)
• 1757 – John Byng, Royal Navy admiral (b. 1704)
• 1765 – Ayagawa Gorōji, Japanese sumo wrestler, the 2nd Yokozuna (b. c. 1703)
• 1791 – Johann Salomo Semler, German historian and Bible commentator (b. 1725)
• 1803 – Friedrich Gottlieb Klopstock, German writer (b. 1724)
• 1805 – Stanisław Szczęsny Potocki, Russian general (b. 1753)
• 1811 – Augustus FitzRoy, 3rd Duke of Grafton, Prime Minister of the United Kingdom (b. 1735)
• 1823 – Charles François Dumouriez, French general (b. 1739)
• 1823 – John Jervis, 1st Earl of St Vincent Royal Navy, Admiral of the Fleet
• 1883 – Karl Marx, German philosopher and political theorist (b. 1818)
• 1884 – Quintino Sella, Italian statesman (b. 1827)
• 1932 – George Eastman, American inventor, and founder of Eastman Kodak (b. 1854)
• 1933 – Balto, Siberian Husky noted for his role in the 1925 serum run to Nome (b. 1919)
• 1946 – Werner von Blomberg, German field marshal (b. 1878)
• 1949 – John Callan O'Laughlin, American political and military figure and journalist (b. 1873)
• 1957 – Evagoras Pallikarides, Greek-Cypriot freedom fighter (b. 1938)
• 1973 – Howard Aiken, American engineer (b. 1900)
• 1973 – Rafael Godoy, Colombian composer (b. 1907)
• 1973 – Chic Young, American cartoonist (b. 1901)
• 1975 – Susan Hayward, American actress (b. 1917)
• 1976 – Busby Berkeley, American choreographer and director (b. 1895)
• 1977 – Fannie Lou Hamer, American civil rights activist (b. 1917)
• 1980 – Félix Rodríguez de la Fuente, Spanish environmentalist (b. 1928)
• 1980 – Mohammad Hatta, Indonesian politician (b. 1902)
• 1983 – Maurice Ronet, French film actor (b. 1927)
• 1984 – Hovhannes Shiraz, Armenian poet (b. 1915)
• 1989 – Edward Abbey, American author and environmental activist (b. 1927)
• 1989 – Happy Humphrey, American professional wrestler known for weighing in at 800+ pounds
• 1991 – Howard Ashman, American lyricist and playwright (b. 1950)
• 1991 – Doc Pomus, American singer-songwriter (b. 1925)
• 1991 – Margery Sharp, English author (b. 1905)
• 1992 – Jean Poiret, French actor, director and screenwriter (b. 1926)
• 1995 – William Alfred Fowler, American physicist, Nobel laureate (b. 1911)
• 1997 – Fred Zinnemann, Austrian-born director (b. 1907)
• 1999 – Kirk Alyn, American actor (b. 1910)
• 2000 – C. Jérôme, French singer (b. 1946)
• 2002 – Cherry Wilder, New Zealand-born author (b. 1930)
• 2003 – Jack Goldstein, Canadian-born artist (b. 1945)
• 2003 – Jean-Luc Lagardère, French publisher (b. 1928)
• 2006 – Ann Calvello, American roller-derby queen (b. 1929)
• 2006 – Lennart Meri, Second President of Estonia (b. 1929)
• 2007 – Lucie Aubrac, French history teacher and member of the French Resistance (b. 1912)
• 2007 – Gareth Hunt, English actor (b. 1943)
• 2008 – Chiara Lubich, Italian Catholic activist and leader and foundress of the Focolare (b. 1920)
• 2009 – Alain Bashung, French singer, songwriter, comedian and actor (b. 1947)
• 2009 – Altovise Davis, American entertainer, Sammy Davis, Jr.'s third wife (b. 1943)
• 2010 – Peter Graves, American actor (b. 1926)
• 2010 – Janet Simpson, British track and field athlete (b. 1944)

Holidays and observances[link]

• Christian Feast Day:
  • Matilda of Ringelheim
• Constitution Day (Andorra)
• Earliest day on which Lazarus Saturday can fall, while April 17 is the latest; observed on the day before Palm Sunday. (Eastern Orthodox Church)
• Heroes' Day (Saint Vincent and the Grenadines)
• Mother Tongue Day (Estonia)
• Nanakshahi New Year, first day of the month of Chet (Sikhism)
• Pi Day, also see July 22--"Pi Approximation Day"
• Second Equirria (Roman Empire)
• Spring Day (Albania)
• White Day, complementary day of Valentine's Day when men give gifts to women. (Japan and Korea)

External links[link]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: March 14

• BBC: On This Day
• The New York Times: On This Day
• On This Day in Canada

Mario Balotelli

Balotelli playing for Inter in 2009.
Personal information
Full name	Mario Barwuah Balotelli[1]
Date of birth	(1990-08-12) 12 August 1990 (age 21)[2]
Place of birth	Palermo, Italy
Height	1.88 m (6 ft 2 in)[3]
Playing position	Striker[2]
Club information
Current club	Manchester City
Number	45
Youth career
2001–2005	Lumezzane
2006–2007	Internazionale
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps†	(Gls)†
2005–2006	Lumezzane	2	(0)
2007–2010	Internazionale	59	(20)
2010–	Manchester City	40	(19)
National team‡
2008–2010	Italy U21	16	(6)
2010–	Italy	8	(1)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 13 May 2012. † Appearances (Goals). ‡ National team caps and goals correct as of 1 June 2012

Mario Barwuah Balotelli (Italian pronunciation: [ˈmaːrjo baloˈtɛlli]; born 12 August 1990) is an Italian footballer of Ghanaian descent who plays as a striker for Manchester City and the Italian national team.^[4][5] He started his professional football career at Lumezzane and played for the first team twice before having an unsuccessful trial at FC Barcelona,^[6] and subsequently joining Internazionale in 2007. Inter manager Roberto Mancini brought Balotelli into the first team, but when Mancini left, Balotelli's disciplinary record fell away. He had a strained relationship with new head coach José Mourinho and was suspended from Inter's first team in January 2009 after a number of disciplinary problems.

His problems deepened in March 2010 when he came under heavy criticism by Inter fans after he appeared on the Italian TV show Striscia la notizia, wearing an A.C. Milan jersey. This damaged the prospect of him having a long career at Inter, but he did make several appearances after that. With doubts over his career at Inter, former coach Roberto Mancini at Manchester City gave Balotelli a fresh chance at a new club. He joined Manchester City in August 2010, where his performances and off-field activities have continued to be controversial and enigmatic. Balotelli earned his first cap for the Italian national team on 10 August 2010, in a friendly match against the Côte d'Ivoire thus making him the first black player to play for the Italian national football team.

Early life[link]

Mario Balotelli was born in Palermo, Sicily, to Ghanaian immigrants Thomas and Rose Barwuah. The family moved to Bagnolo Mella in the province of Brescia, Lombardy, shortly after he was born.^[7] As an infant, he had life-threatening complications with his intestines which led to a series of operations, although his condition had improved by 1992. Mario's health problems and the family's cramped living conditions meant the Barwuahs decided to ask for the help of social services who recommended that he be fostered.^[7] In 1993, the Barwuah family agreed to entrust the three-year-old boy to Francesco and Silvia Balotelli,^[7] with the legal move formalized by the Court of Brescia.^[8] When Mario Balotelli became famous, his biological parents asked for his return. He later accused them of "glory hunting", stating that they only wanted him back because of the prominence he had gained.^[9] According to Law 91 of 5 February 1992,^[10] Balotelli had to wait until his 18th birthday to request Italian citizenship, as the Balotellis had not adopted him, and he officially gained citizenship on 13 August 2008.^[11]

He has three biological siblings, Abigail, Enoch and Angel. ^[12] Enoch Barwuah, two years his junior, had a trial at English Premier League side Stoke City in December 2011.^[13]

Club career[link]

Lumezzane[link]

Balotelli began his career with Lumezzane. At the age of 15 he was promoted to the first team, making his first team debut in a Serie C1 league match against Padova.^[14]

Internazionale[link]

Having had an unsuccessful trial with FC Barcelona at the age of 15,^[15] Balotelli was signed by F.C. Internazionale Milano in 2006 on loan with a pre-set price of €150,000 to co-own the player.^[16] In June 2007 Inter excised the option and purchased another half for additional €190,000.^[16] He made his first team and Serie A debut on 16 December 2007 replacing David Suazo in a 2–0 win against Cagliari.^[17] Three days later he featured in the starting lineup in a Coppa Italia match against Reggina, scoring two goals in a 4–1 win.^[18] Balotelli gained national attention after he scored two goals against Juventus in the return leg of the Coppa Italia quarter-finals, being instrumental in a 3–2 away win for Inter.^[19] His first Serie A goal then came in April 2008 in a 2–0 away win against Atalanta.^[20] Inter went on to win the 2007–08 Serie A.^[21] Balotelli was a substitute in the 2008 Supercoppa Italiana final against A.S. Roma. He came on as a replacement for Luís Figo, scoring in the 83rd minute. Inter went on to win the final 6–5 on penalties after the match ended 2–2.

In November 2008 he scored his first Champions League goal in a 3–3 draw against Cypriot side Anorthosis Famagusta, becoming the youngest Inter player (at 18 years and 85 days) to score in the Champions League. This beat the previous record set by Obafemi Martins at 18 years and 145 days.^[22] In April 2009 Balotelli scored Inter's goal in a 1–1 draw with Juventus and was racially abused by Juventus fans throughout the game, including chants such as "Black Italians do not exist". This led to Massimo Moratti saying that he would have pulled the team off the pitch if he had been present.^[23] The racist chants were also condemned by Juventus chairman Giovanni Cobolli Gigli and Juventus were given a one game home-fan ban because of the incident.^[24] Inter won Serie A for the fourth time in a row.^[25]

In his second season with Inter, Balotelli had a number of disciplinary problems, most notably involving head coach José Mourinho who excluded him from the first team in the second half of January 2009. Earlier that season Mourinho had accused Balotelli of showing a lack of effort in training^[26] stating "as far as I'm concerned, a young boy like him cannot allow himself to train less than people like Figo, Córdoba, and Zanetti."^[27] Balotelli continued to be the subject of racist chants throughout the season, becoming the focus of Juventus fans even during games not involving Inter, leading to Juventus being fined twice and the club ultimately punished with a partial stadium closure.^[28]

Balotelli's disciplinary problems, and his difficult relationship with Mourinho, continued in the 2009–10 season. In November Inter drew 1–1 against Roma and Mourinho criticized his players, even going as far as saying that Balotelli "came close to a zero rating".^[29] The young striker again incurred the wrath of Juve (Juventus) fans in the heated Derby d'Italia away encounter with Juventus on 5 December 2009 which Inter lost 2–1. When he was elbowed by Juve midfielder Felipe Melo in the shoulder he fell on the pitch clutching his face and was promptly booked, while Melo was sent off for a second yellow card. The incident sparked a fiery altercation between teammate Thiago Motta and Juve goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon.^[30][31] The tension between player and manager reached its peak on the eve of the UEFA Champions League second leg against Chelsea after the young striker was not called-up, following an altercation with Mourinho.^[32] Despite Inter's 1–0 win at Stamford Bridge, London, Balotelli was criticized by several senior players including captain Javier Zanetti^[33] and veteran defender Marco Materazzi as well as his own agent.^[34] In March he came under heavy criticism from fans after he publicly sported an A.C. Milan (Inter's cross-town rivals) jersey on the Italian show Striscia la Notizia.^[35]

Zlatan Ibrahimović with Balotelli

Balotelli released a statement of apology in Inter Milan's official website that read:

After a spell out of the team, Balotelli was recalled for the match against Bologna and he marked his return with a goal in their 3–0 win.^[37] He soon caused controversy again in the Champions League semi-final against Barcelona on 20 April as he threw his jersey on the ground after the final whistle, in response to Inter fans who had booed him for his poor performance.^[38] This led to an attempt by a small group of supporters to physically attack Balotelli after the end of the game. His behaviour brought disapproval from fans, team-mates and football pundits.^[39]

Manchester City[link]

2010–11[link]

After weeks of speculation Inter reached an agreement for Balotelli's transfer to Manchester City on 12 August 2010, for €22 million. for which Inter made a profit of €21.856 million.^[40][41] At Manchester City Balotelli reunited with his former boss, Roberto Mancini.^[42] who said, "his style of play will suit the Premier League, and because he is still so young there is a big chance for him to improve. He is a strong and exciting player, and City fans will enjoy watching him".^[43]

Balotelli (right) with Alex Song in April 2012.

On 19 August 2010 Balotelli came on as a substitute to score in his debut against Politehnica Timişoara in a 1–0 away win in the Europa League.^[44] Unfortunately he injured the lateral meniscus in his right knee in the match and on 8 September he underwent surgery that saw him sidelined until October.^[45] Balotelli eventually made his Premier League debut on 24 October as a substitute in a 3–0 home defeat to Arsenal^[46] and made his full debut on 30 October in a 2–1 away defeat to Wolverhampton Wanderers.^[47] Balotelli scored his first and second Premier League goals on 7 November in a 2–0 away win to West Brom.^[48] In the same game Balotelli received a red card for violent conduct as the result of a clash with Youssuf Mulumbu, which his manager Roberto Mancini described as unfair.^[49] Balotelli scored the first two of City's three goals in the 3–0 win over FC Red Bull Salzburg in Manchester City's Europa League group stage match.^[50]

On 21 December 2010 Balotelli won the Golden Boy Award, saying that only one of the past winners was slightly better than he was – Lionel Messi. He also claimed not to know of Arsenal's Jack Wilshere, the player he narrowly beat to the award.^[51] On 28 December 2010 Balotelli scored his first Premier League hat-trick in a 4–0 win over Aston Villa.^[52] Despite this Balotelli still had problems and in March 2011 he was sent off in the second-leg of Manchester City's Europa League tie with Dynamo Kiev.^[53] On 14 May 2011 Balotelli was man of the match in the 2011 FA Cup Final as Manchester City defeated Stoke City 1–0 to win their first trophy in thirty-five years.^[54]

2011–12[link]

Balotelli scored his first goal of the 2011–12 campaign in a 2–0 Carling Cup win against Birmingham City. He followed this up with the opening goal against Everton three days later. On 1 October 2011 he scored his third goal in as many games in a 4–0 win away to Blackburn Rovers. Balotelli scored the opening two goals and forced the dismissal of Jonny Evans as City beat Manchester United 6–1 at Old Trafford on 23 October 2011.^[55] Balotelli made his Champions League debut for Man City on 2 November 2011, in the return match against Villarreal. He scored from the penalty spot on the stroke of half time during the match, scoring his first CL goal for them in the process and his seventh goal overall in the season.^[56] On November 27, Balotelli came on as a 65th minute substitute against Liverpool, and was sent off after receiving two yellow cards.^[57] Balotelli scored using his right shoulder in City's 5–1 win over Norwich on 3 December.^[58] He put City 1–0 up against Chelsea at Stamford Bridge after just two minutes on 12 December, although Chelsea rallied to win 2–1.^[59]

On 22 January 2012, Balotelli came on as a substitute during a match against Tottenham Hotspur. He appeared to stamp on Scott Parker during the match against Tottenham. He was already booked but did not get a second yellow from referee Howard Webb who did not see the incident.^[60] Balotelli subsequently scored his first goal of 2012 , a injury-time penalty which secured a 3–2 win for City.^[61] He was charged for violent conduct for the kick against Scott Parker and was suspended for four matches, three for violent conduct and one for his second sending off.^[60] On 25 February, he scored his 10th league goal of the season in a 3–0 home win against Blackburn Rovers.^[62] He scored again the following game this time in a 2–0 win against Bolton.^[63] On 31 March, Balotelli scored twice as City drew 3–3 at home to Sunderland. However, Balotelli was criticised for his actions in the match, after squabbling with Aleksandar Kolarov over a free kick. Roberto Mancini claimed after the game he had considered substituting Balotelli just five minutes into the match.^[64] On 8 April 2012, Balotelli received his fourth red card, after earning his second yellow card during the match both against Bacary Sagna, during City's 1–0 loss to Arsenal in April 2012, after "a dangerous, chaotic, birdbrain performance".^[65] After the Arsenal match, Mancini appeared to have finally lost his patience with Balotelli, suggesting that Balotelli would not play any part in the remainder of City's season and be sold by the club.^[66] Despite this, Balotelli did make an appearance as a late substitute in the last game of the season, a title-deciding match against Queens Park Rangers. Balotelli provided the assist that allowed Sergio Aguero to score the 94th-minute winner that won City their first league title since 1968.

International career[link]

Balotelli was unable to answer call-ups to the Italian national under-15 and under-17 teams as he was still considered to be a Ghanaian immigrant.^[67]

On 7 August 2007, five days before his 17th birthday, Balotelli received his first senior International call-up for Ghana from their coach Claude Le Roy for a friendly against Senegal at the New Den stadium in London, England, on 21 August 2007.^[68] He declined the offer citing once again his willingness to play for Italy when he became eligible.^[69] He also stated his willingness to represent Italy at international level once he acquired an Italian passport.^[70]

Balotelli and Italy manager Cesare Prandelli (centre) meeting Italian President Giorgio Napolitano (right) in November 2011.

Italy U-21 coach Pierluigi Casiraghi stated his intention to call up Balotelli once he obtained Italian citizenship. On 13 August 2008 Balotelli was finally given Italian citizenship^[71] and Casiraghi called him to join the Italy national under-21 football team "Azzurrini" on 29 August for the matches against Greece and Croatia.^[72] In his debut on 5 September 2008 he scored his first international goal in a 1–1 draw with the Greek U-21's.

Balotelli was named in the final 23-man squad for the 2009 UEFA European Under-21 Football Championships and scored the opening goal against the hosts Sweden in the 23rd minute. Barely 15 minutes later he was shown a red card for retaliating against a Swedish midfielder Pontus Wernbloom.^[73]

Balotelli received his first call-up for the Italian senior team, as part of the squad announced by new head coach Cesare Prandelli, for a friendly match against Côte d'Ivoire - the first match after the 2010 World Cup. With the match, he became the first Black player to play with the Italian national team.^[74] On 10 August 2010, two days before his 20th birthday, he made his debut in that match partnering Cassano and Amauri in a 0–1 loss.^[75] On 11 November 2011, Balotelli scored his first senior international goal in a 2–0 win against Poland at Stadion Miejski in Wroclaw, Poland.^[76]

Style of play[link]

Balotelli is credited with pace, a forceful shot and technical ability, but criticised for a petulant attitude.^[77] He is often nicknamed mario the magician because of his skill with the ball and "Super Mario"^[78][79] and can play anywhere along the front line. Balotelli is also a set-piece specialist^{[citation needed]} and is regarded as a promising but difficult young striker.^{[citation needed]}

Personality and reputation[link]

Balotelli has been given a reputation by the media for being a difficult character and taking part in questionable activities. Manchester City supporters have a chant with lyrics referring to his behaviour^[82], while musician Tinchy Stryder recorded a song in Balotelli's honour.^[83]

Within days of joining Manchester City, Balotelli was involved in a car crash.^[84] It was reported that Balotelli was carrying £5000 cash at the time - and that when a police officer asked why he had such a large sum of cash Balotelli replied: "Because I am rich".^[85] Off-field activities involving Balotelli have included driving into a women's prison in Italy^[86] and throwing darts at a youth team player during a training ground 'prank'.^[87] Balotelli has also been subjected to tabloid rumours about him confronting a bully in a school after querying why a young City fan was not at school^[88] and giving £1000 to a homeless man on the streets of Manchester,^[89] allegations which subsequently turned out to be false.^[90][91] Video footage before City's Europa League clash with Dinamo Kiev in March 2011 showed Balotelli requiring assistance to put on a training bib,^[92] an incident which teammate Edin Džeko was seen mimicking the following week in the warm up before City's game at Chelsea.^[93] In September 2011, Balotelli was reportedly seen using his iPad whilst on the substitutes' bench for Italy during their game with the Faroe Islands,^[94] although he denied this on a visit to a prison later that week.^[95] Balotelli has turned the garden of his Manchester home into a racetrack for quadbikes.^[96] Balotelli celebrated his goal against Manchester United in October 2011 by unveiling a shirt with the words: "Why always me?" on it - a celebration which seemingly disputes the accuracy of newspaper reports.^[97] The day before the match a firework was set off in Balotelli's home, and later that week he was unveiled as an ambassador for firework safety.^[98][99] On 5 November 2011, at the annual fireworks display at Edenbridge, Kent, a 12 m tall effigy of Balotelli was burned.^[100]

In December 2011, Balotelli broke a 48-hour curfew before City's game against Chelsea to go to a curry house, although he "was not drinking alcohol, signed autographs, posed for pictures with fellow diners and was involved in a mock sword-fight using rolling pins". The club launched an internal investigation and he could face disciplinary action.^[101] In the same month, it was reported that Balotelli visited his local church where he donated £200 and then visited a pub in Chorlton-cum-Hardy where he bought a £1000 round.^[102] Balotelli's jaunt and donation to church was later confirmed by the church's priest.^[103]

Balotelli made an unexpected appearance at Andrea Stramaccioni's first press conference as Inter Milan coach on March 2012. Balotelli entered the press room, shook Stramaccioni's hand and those of other people at the podium before leaving the press conference amidst some laughter from the crowd.^[104]

After Manchester City won the league on 13th May 2012, Balotelli promised on BBC Radio One to record a song in commemoration of the feat, entitled "Mr Mario and the Sky Blues".

Balotelli considers himself a "genius" and this is why he thinks he is misunderstood.^[105]

International goals[link]

#	Date	Venue	Opponent	Score	Result	Competition
1.	11 November 2011	Stadion Miejski, Wrocław, Poland	Poland	0–1	0–2	Friendly
Correct as of 11 November 2011

Career statistics[link]

As of 13 May 2012.^[106]

¹ Includes Football League Cup

² Includes Supercoppa Italiana, UEFA Super Cup and FA Community Shield

Honours[link]

Club[link]

Internazionale

• Serie A (3): 2007–08, 2008–09, 2009–10
• Coppa Italia (1): 2009–10
• Supercoppa Italiana (1): 2008
• UEFA Champions League (1): 2009–10

Manchester City

• FA Cup (1): 2010–11
• Premier League (1): 2011–12

Individual[link]

• Golden Boy Award (1): 2010
• FA Cup Final Man of the Match: 2011

References[link]

External links[link]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Mario Balotelli

• Mario Balotelli career stats at Soccerbase
• Official website
• Career profile La Gazzetta dello Sport (Italian)
• Profile ESPNsoccernet
• Premier League profile
• Mario Balotelli at National-Football-Teams.com

Italy squads v t e Italy squad – 2009 UEFA European Under-21 Football Championship 1 Consigli 2 Motta 3 Andreolli 4 Criscito 5 Morosini 6 Marzoratti 7 Abate 8 Marchisio 9 Acquafresca 10 Giovinco 11 De Ceglie 12 Sirigu 13 Ranocchia 14 Pisano 15 Bocchetti 16 Candreva 17 Poli 18 Cerci 19 Paloschi 20 Balotelli 21 Cigarini 22 Seculin 23 Dessena Coach: Casiraghi v t e Italy squad – UEFA Euro 2012 1 Buffon (c) 2 Maggio 3 Chiellini 4 Ogbonna 5 Motta 6 Balzaretti 7 Abate 8 Marchisio 9 Balotelli 10 Cassano 11 Di Natale 12 Sirigu 13 Giaccherini 14 De Sanctis 15 Barzagli 16 De Rossi 17 Borini 18 Montolivo 19 Bonucci 20 Giovinco 21 Pirlo 22 Diamanti 23 Nocerino Coach: Prandelli