6 – Mario Balotelli
Mario Balotelli causes controversy everywhere he goes, and he will do the same on this list – if not for his ranking, then because his only tournament so far saw was one of lights and shades. He was wasteful in his first two games in Euro 2012, and clearly polemical after scoring against Ireland.
Nonetheless, he did more good things in one tournament than many strikers of his generation did in their careers. He scored three goals, the one against Ireland being a true gem, and the other two against the tournament’s favourites, the Germans. In addition, he was as ‘large’ tactically as he is physically, constantly holding up the line and creating space and aerial opportunities.
Great expectations were on Balotelli for his first tournament and he (mostly) lived up to them. He is a highly uncharacteristic player, bringing together attributes that belong to several categories of strikers, but under a highly unstable psychological profile.
Still, he loves his country, as his tears at the end of Euro 2012 certify, and he has a bright future ahead of him. He clearly belongs to the future generation more than to the one under scrutiny, so it is to be hoped that he rises much higher in the next list.
