Balotelli claims his quality at the same level as Messi & Ronaldo

Mario Balotelli

admitted that the success of

Lionel Messi

and

Cristiano Ronaldo

does not make him jealous as his ‘quality is at the same level’, whereas also saying that he had the chance to win the Ballon d’Or when playing for

.

The Italian is among the most enigmatic players of his time as he had impressive spells at Inter, Manchester City and Milan as well as in France and Turkey.

He now features for

and revealed that he ‘missed some chances’ to get to the very highest level of the game; however, he doesn’t think anyone is above him when it comes to individual ability.

Messi and Ronaldo have a combined 12 Ballons d’Or and that is what keeps Balotelli to be in their class, according to the striker.

He denies any feeling of ‘jealousy’ towards them, as he told

The Athletic

:

“I missed some chances to be at that level.

“But I am 100 per cent sure that my quality is the same level as these people, but I… I missed some chances, you know? It happens.

“And nowadays, I cannot say I’m as good as Ronaldo, because Ronaldo won how many golden balls (Ballons d’Or)? Five? You cannot compare yourself to Messi and Ronaldo, nobody can.

"But if we’re talking about only quality, football quality, I have nothing to be jealous of them, to be honest.”

The ex-City star, who was called back to the Italy squad, believes that departing Etihad Stadium back in 2013 was where his career took a turn.

If he had stayed in Manchester longer, he is sure that he could win a Ballon d’Or.

“

I think that was my biggest mistake, to leave City,”

said Balotelli.

“Even in the year when I left, I played very well in Milan for a year and a half, but after that, I had some problems. And now that I’m older, I know that I shouldn’t have left City at that time.

“All these years seeing City improving, improving and improving. I could have been here like Sergio Aguero for a long time.

“If I had my mindset now, when I was at City, probably one golden ball (Ballon d’Or) I could have won, I’m sure about this. But you know, when you grow up, you mature more."

Quizzed whether contributing to City’s

crown in 2011-12 tops all the other trophies he got, Balotelli added:

“I think, yes, yeah. That was more emotional than the Champions League [with Inter].

"The Champions League is amazing and obviously - it’s the Champions League and if you win the Champions League it’s the best title you can win with your club - but the way we won it with City and everything, that was emotional; too much emotion even for me, I was so emotional that day. It was unbelievable.”

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