There could only ever be one Super Mario in this semi-final and the fact it was Balotelli and not Gomez is probably the shock of the tournament.

But what a thoroughly pleasant surprise it was to see the often troubled Balotelli finally realising his considerable potential on the international stage. It was a moment to savour and enjoy, a moment for the sporting romantics and one that reignited this competition after back-to-back goalless matches that had to be settled by penalty shootouts.

Centre of attention: Mario Balotelli rips his shirt off and poses following his crucial second

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