Raffaella Fico and Mario Balotelli

I thought so too. After Italy beat England in a penalty shootout, the Italian News paper la Gazetta Dello Sport published what was supposed to be a "humorous" cartoon of Balotelli climbing on top of Big Ben in London and swating balls as King Kong. He was huge against England.




Here's the story.


http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2012/jun/26/euro-2012-mario-balotelli-king-kong?newsfeed=true


http://www.leral.net/Euro-2012-Balotelli-caricature-en-King-Kong_a45179.html

Back in 1989, another famous Italian newspaper put the fake image of a black man kissing a chimpanze to explain how AIDS came from Africa. So...it should give you an idea on what kind of mentality there is in Italy in regards to black people.

Balotelli has been the victim of virulent racist taunts and insults from Italiens fans all over the country. I remember watching a game between Inter Milan and Juventus a few years ago, and the fans from Juventus were chanting to him that there were no such thing as a "Black Italian", they he should returned to his jungle in Africa and some were throwing bananas at him. He was an 18 year kid at the time.

Juventus was fined by the Italian league and was forced to play 2 games at home which denied access to the fans access. I think only the fans from opposing teams were allowing in the stadium.

Yeah, Balotelli is sometimes out of controll, but I think the reason he acts a rebellious teenager is just to show that he will not take crap from nobody. A lot of the European press love "Le bon noir", "The good negro", which is one that laughs at jokes even if they are insulting, who doesn't complain when he is verbally abused racially by fans, shrugs when football journalists make insensitive remarks about his skin color etc.

If Balotelli was just playing football and taking that abuse without responding and taunting the racist fans and journalist in return, they would never have tried to make him appear as a crazy buy that might disrupt any team spirit etc.

 

LOL, guys the saga of Mario Balotelli and Italy is one of various twists and turns.

* He was born in Brescia, Italy to Ghanian parents

* Adopted by a white Italian family when he was 4 years old



* He was raised essentially Italian all his life, his accent, his approach to life, his way of thinking is Italian, he knows no other way. He is Italian

* He is the first black player to represent the Italian National Team.

Yet many bigots can't deal with that fact, which is why the 2 goals he scored for Italy to lead them to a 2-1 victory over Germany is all the more sweeter.

He gave a big eff you to all his haters and don't think he doesn't know that for a second.

He is temperamental and a bit immature, but he is still 21 years of age and all the talent in the world.

To give you an idea, he stated about those who have an issue with his shirtless celebration, including the referee booking him.

“If anyone is angry for my celebration, it’s because they saw my physique and they’re jealous,” Balotelli said.

:smt043:smt043:smt043

With every goal for the "Azzuri" nickname for the Italian national team, he sticks a dagger in the hearts of racists who judge him for merely being black, when there is more to the guy than that. He is simply a talented footballer.

Euro 2012 is the stuff of nightmares for a racist.

A black player, the first in Italian history, helping lead Italy to the Championship in Eastern Europe where all the talk before the tournament was about racism and intolerance in those places

Gotta love how fate works.

 

Some people get so bitter when the black guy succeeds.

Fuck every last one of them.

 

If they are bitter in the head and a bigot this definitely hurts them to see Balotelli getting accolades and attention for succeeding despite their ignorance and hatred of him for being black.

Balotelli isn't merely a bit part player of the team, he is a key and integral part as his 2 goals against Germany attests to, including a brilliant breakaway shot and goal that left the goalkeeper flat footed and unable to react in time to stop.

Some folks never learn I guess, Jesse Owens in the Berlin games in front of Adolf Hitler served Hitler some humble pie about presumptive Aryan supremacy.

Mario Balotelli despite his critics and haters showed what he is made of by helping guide Italy to the Euro Finals at a time when the country is in an economic slump and needs every boost it can get.

 

That photo of him was headlines in Austria. I hope Italy beats Spain's butt tomorrow and for homeboy to tear off that shirt one more time.

 

I fucking AGREE!!!!!:smt023 He was raised ITALIAN, and is black...they should treat him as ITALIAN, and let him be proud to be BLACK!!!

People in this world are so fucking ignorant. I just want to scream.

 

Absolutely concur.

Spain is going to be tough to beat, they are the defending European and World Cup Champions.

No European team has ever won back to back Euro tournaments however

So they will be trying to do that, even though the odds say that is going to be tough, especially since they will be trying to win 3 major international tournaments in a row.

Italy already played them in the group stages to a 1-1 draw.

I will be watching this match and pulling for Italy to take them down.

 

Who gives a fuck about FIFA rules when you smash a shot like that into the net? He posed and flexed his muscles and the white italians rushed to embrace their master.That was his way of telling everybody "fuck y'all i'm the best". And by the way this has nothing to do with his age or maturity older players take off their shirts too even though they are aware of the rules.

 

True I've seen it happen lot of other times in the emotions of the moment.

Knowing Balotelli, if he scores again I would not be shocked if he does it again.

If they are talking about him flexing then you know they have ran out of criticisms.

 

I'm not Fifa but my assumption is that because your number and name are on your shirt that is why you must keep your original equipment on at all times while on the field. Read the FIFA rules. They didn't just make it up for Balotelli.

In the melee of competition things could become confused people could switch shirts.

If you all have ever actually BEEN to a soccer match, and I have probably been to hundreds and hundreds ,you will note before the match the center ref "books" in the players and their shirt numbers on the match card he keeps in his pocket. It's all quite official.

Official Fifa rules say if a person is subbed off he may not re-enter the same match so there are a lot of rules to keeping track of who is who and if they have their own equipment and where they are and have been through the match.

While this may have some overt racism with that King Kong business, FIFA rules apply equally to all players. There have been other awesome goals scored and if those players over celebrate they are given cards too. Rules. Sports has rules. 8) The game official himself was applying them. Not being racist.

I could find you any number of examples but I will choose Cristiano Ronaldo because he is just a well known, talented and famous so everyone knows him. Here is him doing the same and uhhh......getting a card for having his shirt off. They don't care.

[YOUTUBE]krOfO8tBKy0[/YOUTUBE]

 

LOL at you explaining it JC.

Nah most folks who follow the game will know that you will be booked for taking your shirt off in the rules today. Wasn't always that way until recent changes.

Guys were wearing ads under their shirts, personal messages for the wife and kids, etc and whenever they scored they would take off their shirts to reveal them to the cameras. Fifa got fed up of it and implemented the changes today.

Balotelli's booking wasn't about race, it was just the fact that people were making a minor deal of him taking his shirt off in the first place, when the punishment is the same, a yellow card and that is where it ends.

If he wants to flex and accept the card then so be, as long as he doesn't get himself sent off.

 

Respectfully disagree here, he plays a team game, he could not have scored without teamwork and some great passing to put him in position. Calling attention to yourself with some kind of "look at me" display after a great play is just plain bad sportsmanship IMO. Part of being a professional is respecting the game and your opponents and acting like you expect to make great plays, sure go ahead and celebrate, hi five, hug your teammates who made it possible for you to score in the first place, then go back to business. Countless kids worldwide are watching this tournament, flaunting the rules with shirtless posturing and a scowl is not the kind of behavior that I would want to see emulated in said kids, whether its Balotelli, Ronaldo, Chastain, ect..

 

Spain just totally annihilated Italy...including a goal with 88 minutes left.

 

Exactly. If someone assisted the goal you usually go celebrate with them to show your gratitude for their unselfishness to set you up. Total team sport.

 

Yep, that Spanish team is arguably the greatest national side in history. They are racking up the international accolades.

2008 European Champions
2010 World Cup Champions
2012 European Champions
2014 World Cup in Brazil ??????????????

Very hard to do for a national team historically

Don't think they will be able to do it in Brazil. European teams tend to struggle in World Cups held in South America, but if any team can its this Spanish side. Tons of talent.

Not to mention that little factor that Brazil will be the hosts and so will be hard to beat even more than they usually are internationally.

 

We have to keep in mind Balotelli is 21 years of age. Youthful exuberance anyone.

Not exactly a grizzled, battle tested veteran who has made the rounds and been through it all.

I expect him to mature as time goes on literally and figuratively.

 

Very true that he is young and has maturing to do. That being said, he has already shown numerous examples of selfish, and hardheaded behavior (see below). Hopefully somebody he respects will talk some sense into him.

[YOUTUBE]u9VwVeCgcRs[/YOUTUBE]

 

His head coach at Man City and in the Italian squad has spoken to him.

They even suggested he get married to his girlfriend.

The key is getting him to listen.

I think only his adoptive Italian mother has that reins over him.

Imagine being 21 and a multi-millionaire with mansions, fancy cars and beautiful women at your fingertips.

 

Agreed, very challenging to get someone so young, talented and rich to listen. Let's hope that its not the case that the only way he will be able to learn is from some huge mistake caused by immaturity/selfishness down the line.

 

Very true on that. :smt023

He already burnt down one of his homes by setting off fireworks in Manchester.