Mario Balotelli Reports Racial Abuse in UAE Match

Racial sluts target Mario Balotelli in UAE game

Former Italy striker Mario Balotelli reports racial abuse during Al-Ittifaq's match against Dubai City in the UAE second-tier league, calls for action against racism.

 “I've always condemned all acts of racism, but I didn't expect it here...”

Mario Balotelli, the former Italy forward, has spoken out about the racial abuse he faced during a match in the United Arab Emirates. He was playing for Al-Ittifaq, a second-tier Emirati side, against Dubai City on Wednesday. Balotelli shared his experience on Instagram, saying he was repeatedly told to “go eat banana” and condemned the racist behavior.

The 35-year-old, who has played for top clubs like Manchester City, Liverpool, AC Milan, and Inter Milan, joined Al-Ittifaq last month after a stint at Genoa. This isn't the first time Balotelli has spoken out against racism in football, and he's calling for serious measures to prevent such incidents in the future. “Enough is enough,” he said, speaking not just for himself but for all players who've faced similar abuse.

“Today, during a match, I was ‌racially abused multiple times. I ⁠was repeatedly ‌told: 'Uh uh uh, you go eat banana. There is absolutely no place for racism in football, or in the society,” Balotelli wrote on Instagram after the 2-0 loss ⁠at Hatta.

“This kind of behaviour cannot be normalised, excused, or ignored. I'm speaking out to bring awareness - not just for ‌myself, but for every player who has been subjected to this. Enough is enough.”

🚨🗣️| MARIO BALOTELLI:

"Today, during a match, I was racially abuse multiple times.

I was repeatedly told: “Uh uh uh, you go eat banana.”

There is absolutely no place for racism in football, or in the society. This kind of behaviour cannot be normalised, excused, or ignored.… pic.twitter.com/RxpYW3oIpo

— Goals Side (@goalsside) February 11, 2026

This isn't the first time Balotelli has spoken out against racism in football. He's been vocal about similar incidents throughout his career, but didn't expect to face it in the UAE. “I've always condemned all acts of racism, but I didn't expect it here. I hope serious measures are taken to prevent this from happening again,” he added.