How old is Mario Balotelli, how many Italy caps does he have, and who does he play for?
The former Manchester City striker is back in an Italy shirt as the Azzurri kick off their Uefa Nations League campaign
MARIO BALOTELLI is back in the mix for Italy and once again causing a nuisance for defenders.
He was once seen as the golden boy to lead from the front for years to come but had fallen out of favour.
How old is Mario Balotelli?
The Italian striker was born as Mario Barwuah on August 12, 1990 in Palermo, Sicily.
The 28-year-old moved to mainland Italy when he was two, but it was not long before he was put in foster care after his parents could not look after him.
He was taken in by the Balotelli family, taking their surname, but was not adopted.
As such, Balotelli had to wait until he was 18 to claim Italian citizenship, after being born to Ghanaian immigrants.
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How many Italy caps does Mario Balotelli have?
Balotelli made his Italy debut on August 10, 2010 against Ivory Coast.
He scored his first goal for the Azzurri in a 2-0 win over Poland in November the following year.
The striker is now earning his 36th cap for Italy against the same opponent, having scored 14 goals for his country so far.
He has played at the Euro 2012 and 2014 World Cup.
Who does Mario Balotelli play for?
The Italian international is currently playing for Nice in France's Ligue 1.
Balotelli started his professional career at Lumezzane before impressing at Inter Milan.
He earned his big-money to Manchester City but his wild behaviour kept him unsettled at the Etihad Stadium.
The 28-year-old has since spent time at AC Milan (twice) and Liverpool before turning a new leaf in France.