“Sergio Agüero gave me Diego Maradona’s phone number. I texted him a selfie of myself with a Cuban cigar, and he replied by sending me a photo of himself with one too" Mario Balotelli on how he befriended El Pibe de Oro

AI Briefing

• – • Mario Balotelli befriended Diego Maradona after sharing a selfie with a Cuban cigar on social media.
• – • Maradona replied with a photo of himself with a Cuban cigar, sparking a kinship between the two.
• – • Balotelli has spoken fondly of his friendship with Maradona, describing him as "El Pibe de Oro".