Comment: Mario Balotelli has to change attitude to make the big time

Italy forward, Mario Balotelli, was today given a one-match ban for his sending-off against Sweden on Friday.

The Italian player, of Ghanaian heritage, kicked-out at Pontus Wernblom earning him an early bath in Gothenburg.

Earlier he had silenced the home fans with a moment of brilliance, curling a 20-yard strike inside the post to put Italy in-front.

As is often the case with players of his undoubted quality, there is also a inherent attitude problem. Many superstars have struggled to control their frustration at times. You need to look no further than Diego Maradona, Franceso Totti and Zinedine Zidane to realise that those blessed with a natural ability can also sometimes blow a fuse.

Balotelli has, in the past, fallen out with his club manager, Jose Mourinho, and also Pierluigi Casiraghi his manager at under-21 level, for poor timekeeping among other misdemeanors.

There were signs of petulance even before his sending off on Friday. The leggy Italian was booked in the first game of this tournament for smashing a ball against an advertising hoarding simply because he failed to reach it.

Balotelli has the potential to become a top player for many years to come, both for Inter and Italy, but how long will it be until managers lose patience with him and cast him aside onto the scrap-heap of talented yet disruptive players.

The sooner Balotelli realises that his career is in jeopardy, the better for football as a whole. It would be a shame if he wastes his talent - he could become one of the top players in Europe.