Eight goals inspire Cisse to hail Balotelli as Italy role model

Eight goals in all competitions have made Alphadjo Cisse the top scorer for Italy’s clubs, and the AC Milan forward used a press conference at Coverciano today to declare Mario Balotelli his undisputed Italy role model.

Cisse joined his former Catanzaro teammate Mattia Liberali, who also received his first senior Azzurri call‑up in the current break.

Why pressure matters

He said he likes pressure because it motivates him to improve.

Cisse praised Liberali’s playmaking, highlighting his through balls and final pass while noting that Liberali can be a bit touchy at times.

He spent several months on the sidelines last season while on loan at Catanzaro.

He described his injury as a difficult moment but said rehabilitation brought a positive shift and his confidence was high when he arrived at Milanello.

He chose Catanzaro because he wanted playing time, and both the coach and the sporting director wanted him.

Cisse added that he can play in any attacking position.

He called his time at Milan wonderful, with great responsibility and a positive impact in the few days he has been there.

Cisse aims to prove his worth as Italy’s youthful pool swells

Life at Milan

When asked which Milan teammate impressed him most, he answered that Luka Modrić would be too obvious, so he named Mario Gila.

The Rossoneri teammate who impressed him most was therefore Mario Gila.

Mario Gila scored his third goal for AC Milan in the Serie A match against Atalanta on 18 October 2026.

Coach Ruben Amorim has shown trust in Cisse, and the promising attacker enjoys his time at the club.

Cisse said his Milan teammates welcomed him very well, noting the big difference between Serie B and Serie A, and he owes a lot to Alberto Aquilani for confidence.

He added that many young players are emerging in Italy now, and that winning is always the priority at Milan, regardless of competition.

He said Aquilani had a huge influence in the first few months last year, but he owes a lot to everyone, including Coach Baldini, and that he likes pressure.

On 28 October 2026, Cisse celebrated scoring his first goal for AC Milan in a Serie A win over Bologna at San Siro, and said he could make his senior Azzurri debut in the coming days.

He expressed ambition to play for the national team, describing it as a source of pride and saying the coach will decide.

On 24 June 2026, Mario Balotelli threw the ceremonial first pitch at Citi Field in New York.

Balotelli said “France needs no introduction. Italy must always aim to win; that should be the norm for the Italian national team.”

Cisse concluded that Balotelli is without doubt his role model for the Italy national team.