Mario Balotelli Names Stephen Appiah and Sulley Muntari as His Ghanaian Football Heroes
Former Italy striker Mario Balotelli has revealed that two Ghanaian legends, Stephen Appiah and Sulley Muntari, were the players he admired most during his rise to the top of world football.
Balotelli, who enjoyed a successful career with clubs including Inter Milan, Manchester City, AC Milan and Liverpool, said both former Black Stars captains left a lasting impression on him, with Muntari becoming an even greater influence after they shared dressing rooms in Italy.
Reflecting on the Ghanaian stars who inspired him, the former Italy international highlighted the impact Appiah had from afar before explaining how his relationship with Muntari grew through their time together at club level.
“I used to love Stephen Appiah then I played with Sulley Muntari. These two are the players I looked up to the most, especially Sulley because we played together in Inter [Milan] and we played together in [AC] Milan,” Balotelli said.
Balotelli featured alongside Muntari during two spells in Italian football, first at Inter Milan and later at AC Milan, where the pair developed a close friendship while competing at the highest level.
Appiah, meanwhile, established himself as one of Africa’s finest midfielders during a distinguished career that included spells with Juventus and Fenerbahçe before captaining Ghana to three FIFA World Cups.
