Wednesday, 22nd December 2010
Manchester City striker Mario Balotelli had been handed Tuttosport’s Golden Boy of the Year award – the newspaper’s accolade for the best player in Europe under 21 years old.
Balotelli was brimming with pride at collecting the award and stated that, of the previous recipients, he only considered Lionel Messi to be slightly ahead of himself in terms of ability. The Italian striker also said he wasn’t sure who second placed Jack Wilshere, the Arsenal midfielder, was.
"To win the Golden Boy is a good omen for the main prize [the Ballon d’Or]. I am now a candidate for that. There is only one player who is a little stronger than me: Messi. All the others are behind me."
And on Wilshere, Balotelli claimed not to know who the highly rated Arsenal youngster was.
"I don’t know him, but the next time I play Arsenal, I will watch out for him. Maybe I will show him the Golden Boy and remind him I have won it!"
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