The Evolution of Mario Balotelli's Hair
There are only three certainties in life: death, taxes and Mario Balotelli's habit of changing his hairstyle every five minutes.
The Italian superstar's hair history has been a long and winding journey, filled with audacious highs, baffling lows and a sense of unpredictability—a lot like his career in general.
As Super Mario looks to start his first Merseyside derby with one of his more unusual styles, we've taken a walk down memory lane to try and trace his harebrained hair evolution...
January 2008
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In January 2008, a fresh-faced 18-year-old Mario Balotelli was establishing himself in Inter Milan's first team, having become the youngest Inter player to score a Champions League goal a few months earlier.
Back then, his hair was a no-frills short crop. Simples.
May 2009
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What a difference a year can make.
By the end of the 2008-09 campaign, Super Mario had started to really annoy his manager Jose Mourinho for a perceived lack of effort in training and earned a reputation for disciplinary problems.
His solution for towing the line? Dyeing the number 17 and various shapes on to his formerly undecorated head in May 2009.
May 2010
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In 2010, Balotelli was part of Internazionale's famous treble-winning side. His dyed locks were replaced with a pomp on top and some geometric shapes on the back and sides.
Here he is admiring his wonderful hair in the reflection of a trophy.
November 2011
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At Manchester City, Super Mario began an on/off love affair with the mohawk that still continues today.
At the early stages of the Citizens' league-winning 2011-12 season, he boasted an ostentatious tribal design that screamed "Djibril Cisse."
December 2011
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The dyed mohawk didn't last too long and was quickly replaced by darker design with yet more interesting patterns shaved in the sides.
It's amazing that a hairdresser was able to make him sit still long enough to do this.
June 2012
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Balotelli took centre stage at Euro 2012, showing us all what a magnificent player he can be when he feels like it.
During the tournament in Poland and Ukraine, he sported a thin streamline mohawk, with the kind of frosted tip highlights found on most 1990s boyband members.
January 2013
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Mario's all-time hair low point (or high point, depending on how you look at it) was achieved in January 2013, when he turned up to training looking like this.
The Italian striker didn't actually have the mettle to play a game sporting this bleached look, but City's official website and social media streams helpfully preserved this picture for prosperity.
May 2013
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Balotelli returned to Milan in January 2013 and took a few months to give us a new take on his beloved mohawk.
Note how the bleached trail splays out at the back of his head, perhaps in a tribute to Joe Cole's asymmetric madness.
June 2013
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As Mario entered his second season with the Rossoneri, it became apparent that he wanted to keep his head down and escape from the off-field circus that surrounds him to focus on his game.
The back-to-basics cropped haircut he wore at the 2013 Confederations Cup was the physical embodiment of this new attitude, perhaps helping him to stay on Cesare Prandelli's radar.
September 2013
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Balotelli's short, sensible "normal person" haircut lasted about as long as it took to grow out another mohawk.
Playing alongside the ludicrously coiffured Stephan El Shaarawy at the start of 2013-14, Mario made sure his 'hawk was extra spiky.
Around this time, he missed his first-ever penalty as a professional. Coincidence? Er, yes!
October 2013
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Clearly keen to keep the hairdressing industry alive in Milan, Balotelli changed his style once again in October 2013, choosing to completely shave his head.
Clearly, his inability to compete with El Shaarawy in the spiky stakes meant he had to take a different approach.
January 2014
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In January 2014, Mario went for yet another look. Having exhausted all his modern-day options, he went back to the early 1990s and channelled De La Soul with his off-centre shaved line.
July 2014
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At the World Cup in Brazil, Mario wore a long-tufty mohawk, with shaved sides to help keep him cool under humid conditions.
The spiky style appears to have been inspired by the failed hair plugs of Dr Tobias Funke from Arrested Development.
August 2014
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Balotelli joined Milan in August 2014 for a pre-season tour of the United States that would prove to be among his final appearances for the Italian side.
His swan-song was played out with a bleached version of his Tobias Funke hairplugs tribute.
September 2014
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A bright bleached mohawk is "a bit flash" for Merseyside, so Balotelli's first month as a Liverpool player was spent with a slightly more understated mohawk.
There are some slightly ginger highlights in there, presumably as a tribute to Adam Lallana's beard.
September 2014
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And so we reach present day, where Balotelli has opted to draw attention to himself with one of his more unusual cuts.
Along with his light brown "stiff broom-style" mohawk, the 24-year-old has added some designs that appear to be influenced by Liverpool's Warrior sports kit designs.
Where does he go from here? In about a week you'll probably find out.
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