The reason behind Mario Balotelli’s bizarre shirt number is revealed as the former Man City and Liverpool hothead turns to math

MARIO BALOTELLI’s career has been a mixed bag of pros and cons.

But at least the explanation for 15 years of wearing the No45 shirt is correct.

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The former Liverpool and Manchester City striker, 32, has insisted on the same number since joining his first big club Inter Milan in 2007.

The Sion star has now been shortlisted for the Fifa Puskas Award for Best Goal of the Last Year, with the winner to be announced on 27 February.

That’s thanks to his stunning dribbling and Rabona finish for his former club, Turkey’s Adana Demirspor, last May.

It’s another highlight in one of football’s most checkered histories.

And while there are a number of reasons Balotelli’s net worth has changed, there’s only one reason his tally has stayed the same.

The 36-cap Italian once explained: “When I first played three or four games for Inter Milan when I was young, I had number 45 because numbers for young players went from number 36 to number 50.

“I took the number 45 because I joked that four plus five is nine – and I scored in all four games.

“It brings me luck and that’s why I always kept No. 45.”

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But if Balotelli’s antics hadn’t divided opinions so much, his performances would certainly have multiplied.

Man City once fined him for throwing darts out of a window, he impounded a sports car on several occasions and he accidentally set his house on fire with fireworks.

He is also said to have toured Manchester dressed as Santa, handing out gifts and money to strangers and putting £1,000 behind a pub bar to help locals celebrate.

And among his breakdowns is a furious argument at the training ground with then-City boss Roberto Mancini in 2016.

So despite his love of math, he’s a player that managers and teammates alike have failed to understand.

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