Balotelli pushes for Italy recall, says Spalletti’s current selections not better than him

Balotelli pushes for Italy recall, says Spalletti's current selections not better than him

Mario Balotelli has reiterated his eagerness for a return to the Italian national team, questioning coach Luciano Spalletti’s selections. In an interview with TvPlay, Balotelli took a subtle jab at Italy’s current national team choices, specifically mentioning Giacomo Raspadori and Gianluca Scamacca. The Adana Demirspor striker, who last featured for Italy in September 2018, said, “If I’m well, I still consider myself the strongest. “Did Raspadori and Scamacca play yesterday (Monday)? How many shots did they take combined? Two? I want to recover and play for the national team,” he added.

Balotelli pushes for Italy recall, says Spalletti's current selections not better than him

Mario Balotelli – Getty image Balotelli, known for his unpredictable career and controversial reaction to situations, has found himself back in the spotlight with Adana Demirspor, scoring three goals in five appearances this season. Despite his reputation as a volatile player, his track record with the Azzurri includes 14 goals in 36 caps, with memorable performances like a Euro 2012 semi-final brace against Germany. While expressing his hope for a national team call-up, Balotelli clarified that he has no personal relationship with Italy’s current coach, Spalletti. Recall that Italy qualified for the 2024 Euro tournament after a controversial 0-0 draw against Ukraine on Monday.

Balotelli congratulates Osimhen on Napoli’s Serie A title win

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Victor Oshimen

Nigerian international and Napoli striker, Victor Osimhen has received congratulatory messages from former Italy striker, Mario Balotelli after Napoli clinched the Serie A title on Thursday night. The 22-year-old forward scored the decisive goal that sealed the third Scudetto in Napoli’s history. Following the victory, Osimhen took to his Instagram page to celebrate and was joined by Inter Milan’s 2010 treble winner, Balotelli.

Mario Balotelli

Balotelli praised the Nigerian striker, saying: “Trust me, you did something incredible. You still don’t know what you did, trust me. Now you’ve won, you will realize in years, not tomorrow, next year but in ten years you’ll understand what you did. It’s unbelievable, seriously.” Osimhen replied by expressing his amazement at winning the title and his desire to celebrate. He said: “It’s so amazing especially for the fans. I remember when I came here a lot of people sent me messages…I don’t know how to celebrate.” Balotelli then reassured the young striker and told him: “Don’t care how you feel, you are a champion, it’s okay.” Osimhen, who scored the goal that sealed the title for Napoli, also made history by becoming the highest-scoring African in a single Serie A season with 22 goals. The victory was Napoli’s first Serie A title since 1990, and Osimhen played a significant role in the team’s success in his debut season in Italy.