Former Italian football star Mario Balotelli has expressed his dissatisfaction with the current state of the Italy national team. Speaking at the Festival dello Sport in Trento, Balotelli highlighted a significant issue he perceives within the squad: a lack of passion and commitment to representing their country.
“The national team is a crucial topic for me,” Balotelli stated. “I`m not targeting anyone specifically, but I often observe players in the national team who seem to lack the enthusiasm for defending their country`s colors. This troubles me deeply.”
The 35-year-old striker, who last played for Genoa in the 2024-25 season, reminisced about his own time with the Azzurri. “When I was part of the national team, I felt immense pride in representing Italy. That`s what I find missing now,” he explained.
Balotelli also addressed the question of whether he considers himself the last true center-forward to play for Italy, simply responding, “That`s what people tell me.” However, he expressed hope for the future of Italian football, praising young talents like Francesco Pio Esposito and Francesco Camarda.
Regarding Esposito, Balotelli commented, “He`s very talented. It`s fantastic that he scored against Estonia.” On Camarda, he added, “These are promising players with evident skill and quality, but we must give them time to develop.”
Despite his criticisms, Balotelli remains optimistic about Italy`s chances of qualifying for the 2026 World Cup. “Of course, I`m confident we`ll make it to this one,” he asserted.
As Italy continues to rebuild its national team, Balotelli`s comments serve as a reminder of the importance of passion and national pride in international football. The challenge for the current generation of Italian players will be to recapture the spirit and desire that Balotelli and his contemporaries brought to the Azzurri shirt.