Concacaf and Honduran International David Suazo has left Jose Mourinho’s Inter Milan and headed west for the 2008 - 09 season, signing with Portuguese side Benfica.
The 28 year old Suazo (who by the way is one of the strongest players I’ve ever played against) had dropped 95 goals in 255 appearances for Cagliari between 1999 - 2007, but suffered in form after Inter paid 10 Million Euro with only 8 goals in 27 matches in the 2007 - 08 Serie A campaign under Roberto Mancini, while Mario Balotelli flourished.
After Pablo Aimar, Jose Antonio Reyes and Real Madrid’s Javier Balboa, newly minted Director of Football Rui Costa’s done a pretty damn good job of bringing in talent ahead of the 2008 - 09 BWINLIGA season.
UPDATE - Balotelli received his Italian Passport on Wednesday after being granted citizenship.
“I’m Italian from birth but it’s only become fact today,” said Balotelli. “There was a moment in which I considered accepting the offer and saying yes to the Ghana side, but then the idea of playing for the country where I have been since birth prevailed.
“Now I’m waiting for a call from (Italy coach Marcello) Lippi or (under-21 coach Pierluigi) Casiraghi.”
I’m betting he’s going to be hearing something pretty soon.
Super Mario Balotelli only has to wait until August 12th (when he officially turns 18 years old) to finalize his Italian Passport, one that has kept him from representing Italy at the Youth International Level.
Balotelli was born to Ghanian parents, but was adopted (although never made official) by the Balotelli family of Brescia back in 1993 at the age of 3.
At 15 years old, Super Mario made his Serie C debut with Lumezzane against Alexi Lalas’ old side Padova. In 2006 the 6′2 1/2″ 16 year old made his way to Inter, starting with the U-17’s, moving quickly to the Primavera (Reserves) side and made his Serie A full team debut on December 17, 2007, replacing Honduran David Suazo in a 2-nil win over Cagliari.
Balotelli would start in Inter’s Coppa Italiano match four days later scoring 2 goals in a 4-1 win over Reggina Calcio.
He would follow that up with 3 Serie A goals, scoring perhaps his most important and assisting on Vieira’s goal against Siena on the final day of the season.
Despite Ghana making numerous approaches for the 17 year old to represent the Black Stars, Balotelli has refused as he feels fully Italian and sees the passport debacle as just one more step in the process of representing Italy at the highest level.
I’m gonna call it right now.. Balotelli killing it at 2010.
