Mario Balotelli was born in Palermo, Sicily to immigrants from Ghana.[7] The family moved to Bagnolo Mella in the province of Brescia, Lombardy, when he was two.[8]
In 1993, the authorities suggested he be placed into foster care. The Barwuah family gave up the three-year-old boy to an Italian foster family, the Balotellis.[7][9] His foster parents are Silvia, the Jewish daughter of Holocaust survivors,[10] and Francesco Balotelli.[11][12][13][14][15] They lived in the town of Concesio, Brescia, in northern Italy.[16]
At first, he stayed at the Balotellis during the weekdays, and returned to his biological parents on weekends. But after a while he started to be indifferent towards his biological parents and adopted the surname of the Balotellis, and it was arranged for him to be permanently fostered by the Balotellis.[17]
In June 2012, he dedicated his goals that put Italy in the final of the Euro 2012 football championships to his foster mother Silvia, and rushed over to embrace her as she wept after the win.[7][18]
Balotelli had to wait until his 18th birthday to request Italian citizenship, as the Balotellis had not adopted him. Balotelli officially gained citizenship in Concesio on 13 August 2008.[19] After the ceremony he released the following statement:
| “ | I am Italian, I feel Italian, I will forever play with the Italy national team.
Mario Balotelli[20]
| ” |
Mario has three biological siblings: Abigail, Enoch, and Angel Barwuah.[21] Enoch Barwuah, two years his junior, had a trial at English Premier League side Stoke Cityin December 2011,[22] and Sunderland in January 2012,[23] before signing with Salford City on 16 November 2012.[24] Enoch switched to Maltese Premier Leagueside Qormi in July 2013
No comments:
Post a Comment