The celebratory moment featuring the “Why always me?” shirt following Mario Balotelli’s goal against Manchester United not only reflects the personality of the controversial figure but also stands as an iconic moment in the history of the Premier League.
Mario Balotelli, a prominent talent of his generation, encountered obstacles in reaching the pinnacle of his career due to recurrent involvement in controversies, clashes with teammates, and managers. His stubbornness often led to contentious situations. Nevertheless, the Italian star also showcased remarkable moments on the field, epitomized succinctly by the phrase “Why always me?”.
In 2011, Balotelli and Manchester City visited Old Trafford with a determination to assert their candidacy for the title, a feat not accomplished since the 1950s. They made a resounding statement by thrashing the reigning champions 6-1.
Balotelli’s splendid opening goal set City on a perfect start. He then revealed a message by lifting his jersey over his head, unveiling the query before a fervent Old Trafford crowd and millions of viewers worldwide: “Why always me?”.
Manchester United’s woes compounded as goals from Sergio Aguero, Edin Dzeko, David Silva, and Balotelli’s second strike inflicted the heaviest home defeat in the Premier League era under Sir Alex Ferguson’s reign.
This defiant affirmation by Roberto Mancini’s squad signaled their emergence from the shadow of Manchester United, transforming into a formidable threat. The shocking outcome was embellished by Super Mario’s intriguing celebration.
Footballers often wear thermal undershirts beneath their jerseys in cold weather. Les Chapman, the kit man for Manchester City at the time, revealed that players often requested personalized messages. Typically, these messages conveyed birthday wishes or expressions of affection. However, Balotelli’s request was peculiar.
Approaching the Manchester derby, Balotelli proposed having a message printed on his shirt. Concerned about potential antics, Chapman preemptively stated he would not print anything controversial or offensive toward Manchester United. Despite several suggestions from Balotelli, Chapman disagreed.
“After some thought, Balotelli unexpectedly said, ‘How about ‘Why always me?’ Can I have that?’ When I heard this, I thought it was brilliant,” recounted Chapman, describing the genesis of the message.
Chapman also instructed Balotelli not to remove his jersey to display the message but only to pull it over his head to chin level. However, the forward disregarded this advice, immediately pulling the shirt over his head upon scoring, earning a yellow card from the referee despite not fully removing his jersey.
“Why always me?” not only encapsulates Balotelli’s personal narrative but also coincides with Manchester City’s efforts to escape Manchester United’s shadow. This phrase has become synonymous with his career, often invoked by fans whenever Balotelli engages in eccentric behavior.
At the time, Balotelli had joined Manchester City a year prior in a £24 million deal from Inter Milan, touted as one of the world’s finest young strikers upon his arrival at the Etihad. Manager Roberto Mancini even suggested he could reach the heights of Lionel Messi or Cristiano Ronaldo, drawing significant media attention.
Numerous stories revolving around Super Mario emerged during his time at Manchester City, with rumors of disputes with teammates interspersed with a series of accusations. These narratives contributed to crafting an image of a defiant figure for Balotelli.
He denied most of the stories associated with him. However, inundated with myriad rumors in the press, whether true or false, weighed heavily on Balotelli’s mind. He sought to alleviate his frustration with the question “Why always me?”.
In 2012, Balotelli explained in an interview with The Guardian that “Why always me?” served as a direct response to the media’s frequent negative coverage of him. He stated, “It’s a message to everyone … who talks bad about me and says bad things about me. They don’t know me, but why always me? Why always me getting talked about?”
Nevertheless, one of the reasons Balotelli consistently made headlines as “always Balotelli” was his propensity for unconventional actions. For instance, he inadvertently set his own house on fire the night before the Manchester derby. Alongside some friends, he attempted to set off fireworks from his bathroom window, resulting in towels catching fire and flames spreading rapidly throughout the house. Firefighters arrived at the scene at 1 a.m. to extinguish the fire, and Balotelli had to report the incident during training the next morning. Balotelli admitted the incident was true. Despite his mischievous antics, it was the impact of “Why always me?” during the derby that led Balotelli to become an ambassador for fireworks safety for Manchester that year.
His most significant contribution to Manchester City came in the final match of the 2011/12 season against Queens Park Rangers. He provided the assist for Sergio Aguero’s title-winning goal in the 93rd minute, securing the club’s first league title since 1968. It was Balotelli’s solitary assist for Manchester City. Immediately after the triumph, he returned to Italy and joined AC Milan, marking the beginning of a tumultuous journey where he represented eight clubs in just ten years. Despite Balotelli’s talents, his discord with managers and lack of discipline made it challenging for clubs to retain him.
At 33, Super Mario currently plays for Adana Demirspor in Turkey. Despite the potential he showcased in his youth, there are reasons to lament Balotelli’s career. However, it is precisely his defiance that renders his celebratory moment so impressive.
“Why always me?” will forever be intertwined with Balotelli’s name—a rare talent in Italian football who squandered his youth with frivolous tales.