You speak bad of me, I score goals.
— Mario Balotelli
Sometimes in football you deserve to win but lose. Other times you deserve to lose or draw but you win. That is the game, and it's why I've always said you should never try to predict anything in football, especially in Europe.
Sacrifice counts for a lot in sport. From a young age, I couldn't do the normal things that the boys of my age get to do. Maybe you have a nice car or a nice house, but at times you just want to be a normal guy and you can't.
Occasionally, you feel like the only person able to win the match. So you take all the responsibility, you do too much, and you do something bad.
I don't follow politics; it doesn't interest me. So why should I vote?
The talent God gave me is beautiful and wonderful, but it is difficult because you are always facing other people keen to judge you. There are few people with such talent, so there are few able to judge what I am doing.
If I buy a Fiat Uno, I'll read that, for a man like me, a Ferrari was more suitable. If instead I buy a Ferrari, they'll write that I should have kept my feet on the ground and bought a Fiat. If I smile, I'm not serious. If I don't smile, I'm a rich sulker that doesn't enjoy having the most beautiful job in the world.
They say that abandonment is a wound that never heals. I say only that an abandoned child never forgets.
I always wanted to play for AC Milan or Real Madrid. Real Madrid, of course, because when I was young, the players that played there were the top players. I was looking at Real Madrid as the best of the best. And AC Milan, they also had good players when I was young, so I looked at AC Milan the same way as Real Madrid.
America is a great country. I've been in the south, in the center and in the north. I like it. Americans are very good people. There's just too much air-conditioning.
It surprises me how much children like me, you know? If they look at me as an example, I have a big responsibility.
When I lose my temper it's because I decide to. If I do something it's because I want to do it.
Yes, I think I am a genius, but not a rebel.
I believe I am more intelligent than the average person.
I don't like journalists and I hardly ever talk to them.
To play in atmospheres that are intense is when I play my best football.
I want to be the strongest player in the world and score a lot of goals. To do that, I have to improve in every area.
I would be ready to become a dad if I was with the right person. I'd like a boy, though. Because they're in charge.
People who know me, love me. People who don't know me love me too... or they hate me.
Even if I don't always behave as I should, this still doesn't explain why so many people have something against me. But you know how it is. A lot of people vent themselves by coming to the stadium to yell at me. I hope it's not racism. I tell myself that it's not racism; it's because I'm tough, and I repeat this to myself.
I have my life, my world. I do what I want, without annoying anyone.
Racist people are few, in the minority. But you can do nothing to change them. You can talk, you can do what you want, but you can't do anything because they are just stupid people.
If I go out in the street and one guy gets a picture, then someone calls the press to say Mario was there. The day after in the press, it's, 'Mario was there'. That's normal, I just walk in town like a normal guy.
Inside me I'm Ghanaian, and I'm proud to be African. But of course I'm Italian. I was born in Italy. I've never been to Africa in my life, but I will go one day.
What is important for me is that the people who know me for real know Mario how he really is. People who don't know me, they read newspapers and they watch TV. TV is made to give a lot of opinions... so I can't show the real Mario to everybody.
I don't like to talk much, even when people speak bad about me. Inside me, I say, 'Why do they have to think of me that way?' But I know how I am. My objective is not that people follow me, but I'm happy that they do.
I don't like golf. It's not for me, it's too quiet.
When I decide to score, I score. I know I am strong, but I believe it is not enough yet. I can kick fine, dribble very well, but I still have to improve.
I know I have a responsibility as a role model to children and I try to fulfill that.
When I wasn't famous, I had a lot of friends, almost all of them Italian. The racism only started when I started to play football.
There are two metaphors for Mario the person and not Mario the footballer. I think I am a man, but I don't believe I need to say it. But I could also be Peter Pan because I do things my own way and I am free. So, yes, maybe I should say that I am Peter Pan - although I am much more of a man.
Many stories are invented about me - too many stories; almost everyone uses me, and I'd say about 0.01 percent of the gossip is true.
I am proud to be Italian because I was born in Italy, I grew up in Italy, I went to school in Italy and I have worked in Italy. I'm Italian.
I turn to someone, I'm not sure, to God I think, but I never ask for anything. I would never pray to win a title; it makes no sense. I've never understood those who pray before a match. I simply give thanks for what I have received.
Is instinct in the head or in the heart? Off the field, I follow my good instincts which steer me in the right direction. Sometimes on the field my head leads me astray. That's what I believe.
Racism springs from ignorance.
For me, my mother is everything.
When people talk about my business, my life, I'm really private. Maybe someone thinks I'm arrogant or something, but it's just me.
Manchester City, the club and the fans, they were amazing. But I'm sorry, the city wasn't that nice. I was all the time at home, and I didn't enjoy it. It was raining all the time. I was a little bit upset.
Sometimes I dream to be alone and that nobody would talk to me. But I understand that football is really important and that everybody watches it. When you're famous, you have to do photos or autographs, especially for the kids.
You can't delete racism. It's like a cigarette. You can't stop smoking if you don't want to, and you can't stop racism if people don't want to. But I'll do everything I can to help.
My public image is absolutely not a fair reflection of who I am.
I am different - if you can find another like me, then I will buy you dinner!
I know some players like being the centre of attention and I admit that when I first became a player I liked fame, too. But that feeling lasted only for three months. Then I realised what it was really like to be the centre of attention all the time. It isn't all good.
