Balotelli demands Italy recall ahead of Euro 2024: I’m still the strongest!
Robin Bairner
- 22 Nov 2023 10:38 GMT
- 3 min read
Mario Balotelli has demanded that he is given a chance for Italy ahead of Euro 2024, telling Italy head coach Luciano Spalletti that he remains his country’s best No.9.
The Azzurri scraped to Germany 2024 following a scoreless draw against Ukraine away from home on Monday, although they were fortunate to survive a late penalty appeal as Chelsea star Mykhailo Mudryk appeared to be fouled in the box.
Italy qualified on goal difference from Group C behind England but mustered a disappointing total of 16 goals in the pool, nine of which came at home against Malta and North Macedonia.
After a toothless display in Leverkusen against Ukraine, in which Spalletti’s side managed only two efforts on goal, Balotelli, who plays for Adana Demirspor, says he deserves a chance.
“If I’m well, I still consider myself the strongest. Did Giacomo Raspadori and Gianluca Scamacca play yesterday? How many shots did they take combined? Two? I want to recover and play for the national team,” he told TVPlay.
“I always hope for the call. I met Spalletti and I’ve met him several times. We made some jokes when we met in a friendly with Napoli, but I have no relationship.”
Balotelli's international career
Balotelli, who is now 33 years old, has long been forgotten by Italy since his heroics at Euro 2012, where he exploded onto the scene thanks to three goals in the competition, including a double against Germany in the semi-final.
Of his 33 caps for Italy, 30 were won in 2014 or earlier, with the former Manchester City and Liverpool striker getting a recall when he was in red-hot form with Nice in Ligue 1 back in 2018.
Balotelli is now playing in the Turkish Super Lig, where he has scored three goals in just 181 minutes as he tries to build his fitness levels up.
