Super Mario Balotelli Slays Die Mannschaft

Mario shows the muscle

As Mario Balotelli walked off the field in the 69^th minute to give way to Antonio Di Natale, the frustration he wore on his face would have deceived you into thinking he had had the worst game of his career. That he had let the team down. That they were trailing and if there was anyone who could take the game by the scruff of its neck and rescue the team, he was the one. But here he was, being substituted. He was being told he’s simply not good enough. He’s not the man.

But that was barely the case. It’s just that he loves to play. But on this night, in front of over 55,000 fans at Stadion Narodowy in Warsaw and millions of others worldwide, he did not only play. He impressed. He mesmerized. He terrorized. He was truly world class. He was super. He was Mario.

The timing of his run, the leap and authority with which he headed the Italians in front after only 20 minutes was just a show of his potential. He celebrated, pulling his shirt in exasperation as if it had become so heavy and he wanted to remove it. But he must have thought and said, “My second goal is coming.”

And come it did.

But this had a BETTER timing. And the control and power with which he struck the second one16 minutes later was a statement. A statement that he’s no longer to be seen just as having potential. He’s ready to dine at the top table. With the best there is. That shirt was now heavier than ever. He could no longer resist the urge, the temptation to pull it out. Didn’t he know that giving in to the urge would earn him a booking? Of course he knew. But who cared at this point?

So he removed his No. 9 shirt, threw it to the ground. With authority. Everything he did on this night was done with authority. And for a while, you would have thought he was starring in a Mr. Muscle advert as he stood akimbo, his muscles flexed and his eyes transfixed on something. Ladies loved that. Didn’t they?

On this night, the 21-year-old was no longer auditioning. It was an initiation. A right of passage.

He had orchestrated the fall of a German team that was boasting of having won all their matches prior to the semi-final clash. They were the team on song. The one that everyone was dreading to face. And that included defending champions, Spain, who had a day earlier beaten Portugal to enter the finals.

Mesut Ozil converted a penalty in the second minute of added time to make it 2-1. But that proved to be just a consolation. No one would deny Italy and Balotelli the chance to advance to the finals. Not when they could have easily beaten Joachim Low’s side with at least 4 goals were it not for some poor finishing from Claudio Marchisio and Antonio Di Natale.

But this was Mario’s night. And even he reckoned so calling it, “the best night of my career.” With three goals, he, like Mario Gomez and Cristiano Ronaldo, has a shout on who will win the golden boot.

On Sunday at 20:45CET at the 65,400 capacity Olimpijsky stadium in Kiev, Ukraine, the Euro 2012 final takes place. Mario will be there. Spain, beware. 

And That's thesteifmastertake!!