Mario Balotelli came off second best against Ronaldo during Man Utd vs Inter Milan in 2009 | OneFootball

Mario Balotelli was revered as one of the world’s most exciting young players during his Inter Milan spell.

While we now have the knowledge that ‘Super Mario’ would never become the world-beater that he was tipped to be, there was nevertheless great excitement about the Italian striker during his early years.

And Balotelli got the chance to stare into the eyes of the very player he was hoping to usurp one day, Cristiano Ronaldo, as the world’s best player and Ballon d’Or winner during a Champions League clash in 2009.

Balotelli vs Ronaldo

With Jose Mourinho newly in the dugout at the San Siro, Balotelli’s Inter Milan were locking horns with United in the round of 16 with everything to play for at Old Trafford after a goalless opening leg.

What proceeded to happen under the floodlights at the ‘Theatre of Dreams’ was a fascinating battle between the world number one at the time and the player hoping to become that in their prime – and there was a clear winner.

That’s because Ronaldo proceeded to live in Balotelli’s head rent-free as United ran away 2-0 victors courtesy of Nemanja Vidic’s early goal and a headed finish from the Portuguese superstar himself.

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Balotelli loses it with Ronaldo after goal

Now, helping to dump Inter out of the Champions League is one way to get the better of Balotelli, but the plot thickened beyond that with the Italian forward completely losing his cool just minutes afterwards.

Balotelli proceeded to wipe out Ronaldo with a silly tackle, before telling him to get up and giving him a piece of his mind while the United star, well, frankly didn’t look bothered in the slightest.

In fact, Inter’s hot-heated forward wouldn’t be on the pitch for much longer as Mourinho eventually hooked him for another Ballon d’Or winner, Luis Figo, in the 70th minute.

Balotelli tells Ronaldo he’ll become better than him

However, the Ronaldo vs Balotelli drama doesn’t end there because the Golden Boy winner revealed the following season that he had actually approached ‘CR7’ for his jersey at some point during the tie.

According to Goal, Balotelli explained to Le Iene in 2010: “I asked for Cristiano Ronaldo’s jersey and he told me he already gave it to someone else. I replied, ‘I will become stronger than you.'”

Not only is it awkward that Balotelli, who was giving it big to Ronaldo at Old Trafford, had his request rejected, but the bold declaration that he would best the United star one day hasn’t exactly aged well.

Since the game, Ronaldo has won four more Ballon d’Or titles and Champions League trophies, whereas Balotelli has most recently been playing his football in Serie B and with Adana Demirspor.

The 31-year-old has admittedly forced his way back into the Italy squad and being negatively compared to Ronaldo is hardly an insult, but it’s fair to say that Balotelli came up second best during that fateful tie in 2009.

“” (Football Terrace)