Phil Foden Was Spot on With Brutal Take on Mario Balotelli as A 10-Year Old in 2010

Phil Foden Was Spot on With Brutal Take on Mario Balotelli as A 10-Year Old in 2010

Rene Otinga
updated at April 11, 2024 at 10:44 AM
In this article:
Mario Balotelli logo
M. Balotelli
Adana Demirspor logoFItaly logo
Phil Foden logo
P.Foden
Manchester City logoMEngland logo
Manchester City logo
Manchester City
England
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  • A video has emerged online of a young Phil Foden speaking about Mario Balotelli
  • Foden gave an honest assessment of the Italian when he was still a City player
  • While addressing an Italian TV presenter, Foden said Balotelli had a ‘bad attitude’

Phil Foden was destined for greatness right from his days as a Manchester City academy player, if a video that surfaced online is anything to go by.

A video of Foden criticising former Manchester City ace Mario Balotelli has emerged on social media, showing just how elite the midfielder was at a young age.

Mario Balotelli, Manchester City, Premier League, Phil Foden
Mario Balotelli of Manchester City celebrates after scoring a goal to make it 0-1 showing off a shirt saying "Why Always Me?" at the Etihad in 2011. Photo by Sam Bagnall
Source: Getty Images

Balotelli spent three years at the Etihad during which he had some memorable moments for Manchester City.

However, despite his obvious footballing talent, the Italian striker often made headlines for his antics. No wonder Jose Mourinho, his former manager at Inter Milan, once dubbed him ‘unmanageable’.

Aside from setting off fireworks inside his apartment, Balotelli also once drove to a women’s prison ‘to look around’.

The antics also followed the Italian to the pitch as he once unveiled a shirt that read “Why Always Me?” after scoring for Manchester City against bitter rivals United, according to The Mirror.

Foden’s take on Balotelli

When Balotelli was in his prime, Foden was just a 10-year-old trying to find his way in the football world.

During a trip to Italy, the young Foden was asked what he thought of Balotelli at the time and the 10-year-old did not hesitate with his response.

“He’s a good player but he’s got a bad attitude off the pitch,” Foden told the reported as seen in a video shared by EuroFoot.

In the video taken from Italian television show Qui Studio a Voi Stadio, Foden and his teammates also delightfully sing the famous City anthem dubbed “Blue Moon”.

After three years at the Etihad between 2010 and 2013, Balotelli left for AC Milan.

Now 33, the Italian plays for Turkish side Adana Demirspor.

Balotelli’s prank on teammates

Sports Brief also reported on a prank Balotelli recently pulled on his teammates at Adana Demirspor.

In the video, a cheeky Balotelli is seen with a small firecracker, which he lights up and hurls in the middle of the dressing room, resulting in a loud bang.

The explosive gave one of Balotelli’s teammates the fright of his life, and the former Man City star is heard giggling after a successful prank.

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Rene Otinga
Rene Otinga is a sports journalist with over eight years of working experience in digital media. Rene's experience includes working as a Copywriter at X News Kenya and TUKO.co.ke.