Complete Analysis of Mario Baloteli's Italy Role

Mario Balotelli is no longer a teenager, so petulant behavior will be less tolerated than it previously was.

The 23-year-old Italian hitman has shown signs of progression since joining Milan, but a turbulent start to this year's campaign has meant that his starting place on the Italian national team might be in jeopardy, considering the emergence of Giuseppe Rossi.

Fortunately for the viewers, Azzurri coach Cesare Prandelli has decided to keep going with the vastly talented Balotelli up front, and Prandelli's tactical setup will dictate who will partner Super Mario in attack. 

The most alarming part of Balotelli's game is how many yellow cards he has compared to his total goals scored. This season especially, he has missed plenty of games after picking up team-killing yellow cards from needless fouls. This is the most worrying part of Balotelli's demeanor, but one that will hopefully be fixed before the 2014 World Cup in Brazil rolls around.

Here's a look at how his statistics fluctuate domestically and on the national team:

	National Team	Domestic
Appearances	32	132
Goals	13	55
Yellow Cards	10	42

You'd be hard-pressed to find a player who has this many yellow cards compared to goals, especially as an attacker. The ratio is alarming, and Balotelli will need to tone down his temper before he reaches the world's stage in the greatest sporting competition.

In his defense, he's subject to a constant barrage of dirty fouls from defenders who know about Balotelli's attitude. The second Balotelli feels like he's getting the rough end of the deal from the referees, he begins bickering and can take himself mentally out of the game.

Balotelli is by no means a malicious person, just one who hasn't fully learned how to cope with superstardom and the set of behavioral rules that come with being on one of the most storied clubs in Europe. 

On the national team, Balotelli is Italy's best hope of winning their first silverware since the historic 2006 World Cup win in Germany. He gives the Azzurri an element of the unexpected, as one simple touch of brilliance can change the tide of the match. 

Fans got to see just what Balotelli is capable of against world-class opponents when he scored a brace in the 2012 Euro competition in the semifinal against Germany.

He is at his best when he's flanked by another creative striker who can set him up around the box. The worst part of Balotelli's game is in the air, so he needs the ball played at his feet to be at his best. 

Antonio Cassano had some brilliant link-ups with the Milan striker in the last competition but has been phased out of the national team by Cesare Prandelli. The tricky Lorenzo Insigne and the technical Giuseppe Rossi are expected to be the ones flanking Balotelli in Brazil next year.

Insigne especially could prove to be a dynamic partner for Mario in the 4-3-3 formation that Prandelli has started using more frequently, while Rossi would he his sole partner in the other option, a 3-5-2 formation that mirrors the tactical setup used by Juventus.

This season, Balotelli has shown a higher willingness to track back and defend, a quality that Milan coach Massimiliano Allegri requires from his frontmen. Other than that, he's been very creative in the attacking phase, setting up teammates on the wing and taking on a trequartista position just behind the strikers at times.

On the national team, Mario Balotelli will have to be on his best behavior, as one reckless foul could put the Azzurri in a dire situation if their star up front is suspended for a situation that could have clearly been avoided. 

Needless to say, the hopes of an entire country lie on the shoulders of one of the most polarizing and dividing characters in world football.

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