Mario Balotelli: Why Manchester City's Striker Is Football's Best Entertainment

Week in and week out, Mario Balotelli is one of the most followed players in the world of football.

Much of what makes him so entertaining is that he is unpredictable. You never know what will come out of his mouth and make the press, nor do you know what kind of skill he will show on the pitch.

On top of that, he will be the darling of the press one week and then the dunce for some stupidity that you may have not even thought possible the next week.

Be it because of his crazy antics or his indisputable talent, there are many reasons that make Balotelli the best entertainment in world football right now.

Cocky Celebrations

In spite of his mouth, Mario Balotelli has his days where he puts in an amazing shift on the pitch and scores for Manchester City.

And the best part of that is usually the look on his face that leads to a cocky celebration.

While Robbie Keane has his back flip and Craig Bellamy had his golf swing, Mario Balotelli is always reinventing how he will enjoy or entertain his next post-goal audience.

In many ways, he reminds me of Chad Ochocinco in the prime of his celebration days.

Boyish Immaturity

From his Italian days, when Mario Balotelli and his brother were caught trespassing at a prison, to telling a police officer, "Because I can," when asked why he had £25,000 laid out on his passenger seat while he drove around, there seems to be no limit to the striker's youthful transgressions.

However, it can be most frustrating when his immaturity crosses with a moment on the pitch.

On November 27th, 2011, when Manchester City were playing Liverpool at Anfield Road, Balotelli came on for Samir Nasri with 25 minutes left and a level match, 1-1.

Only 12 minutes later, he earned a yellow card for holding back Glen Johnson. Then, six minutes after that, he got himself a second yellow for a catching Martin Skrtel across the face.

The best part of this was that he tried to plead with manager Roberto Mancini as if he had done nothing wrong. But, it was clearly a lack of control on Balotelli's part and a failure to mind his surroundings. In the end, he caused himself the trouble.

Random Acts of Kindness

While Mario Balotelli has a propensity for the ridiculous, he often seems to have a warm heart.

One report claimed that, after winning £25,000 during a night out at a casino, Balotelli gave £1,000 to the first homeless person he saw on the way home.

Balotelli also appears to have a soft spot for kids that get picked on. One time, he confronted a bully who was messing with one of his young fans.

Highlight-Reel Talent

While this video also highlights some of the funny antics of Mario Balotelli's career in England, it also shows off many of his best moments on the pitch.

Balotelli truly has the potential to be one of the world's best footballers if he can learn to focus on his goals and leave the shenanigans aside.

Drama Queen

Whether it is a fine for throwing darts at his teammates, or turning the lighting his own house on fire into a safety campaign for the safe use of fireworks, there is always some sort of drama that Mario Balotelli is in the middle of.

Some of his most dramatic moments are his times are when he states an abrupt opinion without thinking. You can see his top 10 quotes as selected by uk.askmen here.

Conclusion

Mario Balotelli can find a way to entertain and provide delight, no matter if you are a fan or not.

The Italian is one of those players that you either love or hate; but you cannot stop following him or stop being interested.

Thanks for reading, and be sure to check out more on Bleacher Report and at the links below. You can follow me on Twitter @thedailyatz and Facebook or visit my website.