Balotelli says that meeting Ronaldo can help him
Mario Balotelli has been a somewhat troubled kid since the beginning of his professional career. The Italian striker joined Man City from Inter and he has been the centre of the English media. The most recent incident involved Balotelli throwing darts at youths because he was bored.
Balotelli accepts that there are areas of his personality that he needs to work on, with it important that he learns how to control his demons.
He claims a meeting with his idol Ronaldo would bring about said changes, with the former World Player of the Year the man he admires above all others.
“If you introduce me to Ronaldo, I swear I’ll behave until I give up playing football,” claimed Balotelli.
“I have never met him, but when you see the idol of a lifetime it can change you. It can change your way of being.
“I don’t know how I can explain it. There are many great players, but Ronaldo was the greatest and so one word from him is worth more than a thousand of all the others.”
He added: “In any case, I already behave myself fairly well, but I’ll try to stop doing those stupid little things. These things happen.”
James Morrison can’t wait to meet Ronaldo
West Brom winger, James Morrison has admitted that he will live the dream when he shakes hands with his schoolboy idol Ronaldo today.
Scotland meet Brazil at the Emirates today and Ronaldo will be the guest of honour.
Morrison fell in love with football as an 11-year-old watching the France 98 opener between Brazil and Scotland.
But Ronaldo suffered a mysterious seizure before the final against France and was a shadow of himself as the hosts triumphed 3-0.
Four years, later, though, Ronaldo scored the goals which won a record fifth World Cup in Japan – much to the Scot’s delight.
Ronaldo piled on the pounds as he battled mental problems and injuries but Morrison joked: “Maybe I’ll even get to have a burger with him!”.
“Seriously, as a little kid I remember watching them and aspiring to be like them. My earliest real memory is the 98 World Cup in France, the team with Ronaldo – that was the one for me.
“He’s been such a great player, it would be fantastic to see him. He’s the leading scorer of all time in World Cup finals and you can’t take that away.”
Ronaldo attending Brazil vs Scotland match at the Emirates
It was announced today that Ronaldo will be the Guest of Honour at the upcoming international friendly between Brazil v Scotland, hosted at Emirates Stadium on Sunday 27th March.
The world-famous striker, who led Brazil to World Cup glory in 1994 and 2002, recently called time on his illustrious 18 year career which saw him play football in several high profile European clubs including Barcelona, Inter Milan, Real Madrid and AC Milan. Incredibly Ronaldo scored 352 goals in 515 club appearances and an impressive 62 goals in 97 games for his national team which included an unprecedented and unrepeated 15 goals in World Cup finals.
Organisers are expecting a near sell-out crowd to see the game and watch Ronaldo make his last European appearance in a Brazil shirt as he is presented to both sets of fans before the game. He will also be presented as Chief Guest to both teams, including Brazil whose line up includes rising Chelsea star David Luiz and Inter Milan stars Julio Cesar and Maicon.
Ronaldo remarked: “One of my favourite footballing memories is of the opening game of the 1998 World Cup in Paris against Scotland and the fantastic Scottish fans so I am very excited to be experiencing a Scotland Brazil match once again.”
Craig Levein, Scotland manager expressed his excitement at the prospect of Ronaldo’s imminent visit: “Undeniably Ronaldo is one of the players who defined a generation; his performances on the international stage have changed the face of football and his attendance at this game adds immeasurably to the prestige of what is already shaping up to be a historic game.”
