Ex-Man City and Liverpool forward Mario Balotelli involved in serious car crash | Football | Sport

Balotelli often made the headlines for the wrong reasons with his off-pitch antics during his eventful two-year spell with City, from setting off fireworks to adopting a pet pig.

He recently admitted he regretted leaving City at the age of 22 and felt he could have gone on to win a Ballon d’Or if he had stayed at the club, using Sergio Aguero as an example.

« I think that was my biggest mistake, to leave City, » he told The Athletic in 2022. « Even in the year when I left, I played very well in Milan for a year and a half, but after that, I had some problems. And now that I’m older, I know that I shouldn’t have left City at that time.

« All these years seeing City improving, improving and improving. I could have been here like Sergio Aguero for a long time. If I had my mindset now [laughs]. When I was at City, probably one [Ballon d’Or] I could have won, I’m sure about this. But you know, when you grow up, you mature more, so. »