Inter Milan's teenage star Mario Balotelli pinned his colours firmly to Italy on Thursday by insisting that he does not want to play for the land of his forefathers.
Balotelli was born in Palermo to Ghanaian immigrants, whose surname is Barwuah, but when he was three years old he was entrusted to an Italian family, called Balotelli.
Due to Italian law he could not request Italian citizenship until he turned 18, last month, as he was never formally adopted and now he is part of the Italy under-21 squad.
"I'm Italian, I feel Italian, I will always play for Italy," he said.
"I've never considered playing for Ghana, even two years ago when they called me up."
He signed for Inter in 2006 and made his first team breakthrough last season, at just 17 years of age.
Ghana had tried to call him up for their national team but Balotelli turned them down several times to pursue his dream of playing for Italy.
Source: AFP
DISCLAIMER: The Views, Comments, Opinions, Contributions and Statements made by Readers and Contributors on this platform do not necessarily represent the views or policy of Multimedia Group Limited.
Tags:
Latest Stories
-
Center for Learning and Childhood Development Director Dr Kwame Sakyi honoured at Ghana Philanthropy Awards
1 hour -
Asantehene receives 28 looted artefacts
2 hours -
CAF WCL 2024: Ghana’s Thelma Baffour wins title with TP Mazembe
3 hours -
Benjamin Boakye slams politicisation of energy sector issues and ECG’s inefficiencies
3 hours -
Erastus Asare Donkor and Dr Neta Parsram win big at 10th Mining Industry Awards
3 hours -
Government is “suppressing information” about power sector challenges – IES Director
3 hours -
Majority of our debts caused by forex shortfall – ECG Boss
4 hours -
Pan-African Savings and Loans supports Ghana Blind Union with boreholes
4 hours -
Bole-Bamboi MP Yussif Sulemana donates to artisans and Bole SHS
4 hours -
Top up your credit to avoid potential disruption – ECG to Nuri meter customers
4 hours -
Dutch & Co wins 2024 Entrepreneur of the Year Award
5 hours -
We’ll cut down imports and boost consumption of local rice and other products – Mahama
7 hours -
Prof Opoku-Agyemang donates to Tamale orphanage to mark her birthday
8 hours -
Don’t call re-painted old schools brand new infrastructure – Prof Opoku-Agyemang tells gov’t
9 hours -
Sunon Asogli plant will be back on stream in a few weeks – ECG
9 hours