He moved back to Italy in January 2013, signing for Inter's rival club, AC Milan, before returning to the Premier League with Liverpool 18 months later.

[32] In his second season with Inter, Balotelli had several disciplinary problems, most notably involving head coach José Mourinho, who excluded him from the first team in the second half of January 2009.

[36][37][38] The tension between Balotelli and Mourinho reached its peak on the eve of the UEFA Champions League second leg against Chelsea after the young striker was not called-up, following an altercation with his manager.

[39] Despite Inter's 1–0 win at Stamford Bridge, Balotelli was criticized by several senior players, including captain Javier Zanetti[40] and veteran defender Marco Materazzi, as well as by his own agent.

I want to put the past behind me, look to the future and concentrate on the upcoming commitments and make myself ready.After a falling-out with Mourinho, Balotelli was recalled for Inter's April 2010 match against Bologna, and he marked his return with a goal in their 3–0 win.

[44] He again caused controversy in the Champions League semi-final against Barcelona on 20 April 2010 when he threw his shirt on the ground after the final whistle in response to Inter fans who had booed him for his poor performance.

[49][50] At Manchester City, Balotelli reunited with his former head coach at Inter, Roberto Mancini,[51] who said, "His style of play will suit the Premier League, and because he is still so young there is a big chance for him to improve.

[52] On 19 August 2010, Balotelli came on as a substitute to score in his debut against Romanian side Politehnica Timișoara in a 1–0 away win in the UEFA Europa League,[53] but during the match, injured the lateral meniscus in his right knee and on 8 September, underwent surgery that sidelined him until October.

[57] In the same game Balotelli received a red card for violent conduct as the result of a clash with Youssuf Mulumbu, which his manager Roberto Mancini described as unfair.

[78] In December 2012, Balotelli decided to fight against Manchester City's decision to fine him two weeks' wages for his poor disciplinary record the previous season by taking his club to a Premier League tribunal.

[80] On 29 January 2013, AC Milan's organising director Umberto Gandini announced the club had agreed to sign Balotelli from Manchester City on a four-and-a-half-year deal rumoured to be worth €20 million plus bonuses and add-ons.

[107] Balotelli's first Premier League goal for Liverpool came on his 13th appearance, on 10 February 2015, an 83rd-minute winner in a 3–2 victory over Tottenham Hotspur at Anfield, nine minutes after replacing Daniel Sturridge.

[125][126] On 2 October, Balotelli scored the winning goal in the 86th minute by sending a powerful kick from the edge of the box into the top right corner as Nice defeated Lorient 2–1 in a home Ligue 1 match, during which he received a yellow card for taking off his shirt in celebration of his goal and was subsequently sent off minutes later in stoppage time after receiving a second, controversial yellow card following an altercation with Lorient's Steven Moreira, where neither player appeared to do anything wrong.

[142] When it comes to Mario, I want to answer back, or just slam him up against the wall or leave him hanging by his collar on the coat rack, but I can't, as I'm no longer a player.

[144] In spite of penning a new deal with the Cote d'Azur club, Balotelli appeared late and out-of-shape for pre-season training, and did not play the first three league matches due to a court suspension.

His struggling form at the start of the season, as well as his growing conflict with the new coach Patrick Vieira, saw Balotelli left out of the first-team squad after making only 10 league appearances.

[161] On 7 December 2020, Balotelli moved to Serie B side Monza on a seven-month contract,[162] reuniting with former Milan teammate Kevin-Prince Boateng, head coach Cristian Brocchi, club owner Silvio Berlusconi, and chairman Adriano Galliani.

With Balotelli continuing his run of poor form for Italy, fans and critics began calling for Di Natale to replace the "immature and unpredictable striker".

When he attempted to celebrate this goal, he was immediately halted by teammate Leonardo Bonucci, who covered Balotelli's mouth with his hand for fear that the striker would say something to "get in trouble".

[195] On 28 June, Balotelli scored twice within the first 40 minutes in Italy's semi-final clash with Germany, as the Azzurri won 2–1 and progressed to the Euro 2012 final against European and world champions Spain.

[201] With three goals, Balotelli finished the tournament as the joint top scorer along with five other players, although the Golden Boot ultimately went to Fernando Torres because of his assist in the Euro 2012 final.

[216] After the match, Balotelli said playing in the World Cup for the first time was "a wonderful sensation to experience" and dedicated the goal to his "future wife" Fanny Neguesha, whom he ultimately did not marry.

[226] On 24 January 2022, after a four-year international absence, Balotelli was called up by Italy manager Roberto Mancini to join the Azzurri for a three-day training camp in Coverciano.

His height, elevation and physique allow him to excel in the air, and he is capable of scoring with his head or with either foot, from both inside or outside the penalty area,[231][232][233] despite being naturally right-footed.

[249] Due to his powerful shot, Balotelli is also a set-piece specialist,[249] and is regarded as one of the best penalty kick takers in world football,[250] a view backed by his former Manchester City goalkeeping teammate Joe Hart.

"[265] Off-field activities involving Balotelli have included driving into a women's prison in Italy to "have a look round",[266] and throwing darts at a youth team player during a training ground "prank"[267] – all of which have been confirmed to be true.

[275][276] In December 2011, Balotelli broke a 48-hour curfew before Manchester City's match against Chelsea to go to a curry house, although he "was not drinking alcohol, signed autographs, posed for pictures with fellow diners and was involved in a mock sword-fight using rolling pins".

1 day later he scored a brace against Germany in the Euro semi finals and celebrated by taking off his shirt and flexing his muscles which popularized his quote due to the irony.

[279] In December 2012, Balotelli was due to take Manchester City to a Premier League tribunal to protest against a fine of two weeks' wages over his poor disciplinary record, but eventually dropped his application a day before the hearing.

The image promoted anti-racism by telling others to be like the character, attributing him qualities stereotypically associated with different ethnicities, ending the idea that he "jumps like a black man and grabs coins like a jew".