In 2010, Mario Balotelli was viewed as one of the best young footballers on the planet.
Despite a number of controversies, the fiery Italian striker had made a name for himself thanks to his on-pitch exploits at Inter Milan.
Balotelli's performances saw him earn a £22.5 million move to Manchester City, where he enjoyed a certain amount of success.
He helped the team win the Premier League in 2011/12, with his pass famously setting up Sergio Aguero for THAT late goal vs QPR which secured the title for the Citizens.
In Balotelli's first season in Manchester, the former Italy international got his hands on one of European football's most prestigious individual accolades; Tuttosport's Golden Boy award.
The now 31-year-old beat former Arsenal midfielder Jack Wilshere to be crowned by journalists as the best player under the age of 21 on the continent in 2010.
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And Balotelli's interview after winning the award was absolutely outrageous - even for him.
When asked about Wilshere finishing second, he said: "What's his name? Wil ... ? No, I don't know him, but the next time I play against Arsenal I will keep a close eye on him. Perhaps I can show him the Golden Boy trophy and remind him that I won it."
Ouch. That wasn't all, though.
Balotelli was also questioned on how sees himself compared to previous recipients of the award, which includes players like Cesc Fabregas, Wayne Rooney, Sergio Aguero and Rafael van der Vaart.
"There's only one that is a little stronger than me: Messi," he replied. "All the others are behind me."
Balotelli was never short of self-confidence, was he?
To finish things off, the ex-Liverpool man stated that his aim was to turn the Golden Boy award into the Ballon d'Or some day.
He added: "I am delighted to receive the award, but who should have won it but me? Two years ago I finished sixth and then fourth in 2009. It was finally my turn.
"My aim is that this prize will transform itself into the Ballon d'Or. To have won this award is a good omen to achieve that."
He really was a character in his younger days and it's a shame that Balotelli's footballing career has been on a steep decline for the last couple of years.
'Super Mario' completed a move to Turkish side Adana Demirspor this summer after underwhelming spells at Brescia and Monza over the past two seasons.
Hopefully, he can rediscover his best form in 2021/22.