{"id":29066,"date":"2026-04-15T11:39:52","date_gmt":"2026-04-15T09:39:52","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sneakerspirit.courir.com\/en\/?p=29066"},"modified":"2026-04-15T11:39:56","modified_gmt":"2026-04-15T09:39:56","slug":"mario-balotelli-style-y2k-it-girls-fashion","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sneakerspirit.courir.com\/en\/mario-balotelli-style-y2k-it-girls-fashion\/","title":{"rendered":"Mario Balotelli, the former footballer, turned new muse for it girls"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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On TikTok and Instagram, Mario Balotelli is making a striking comeback. But this time, it\u2019s neither his goals nor his provocations that are drawing attention. Ten years after his peak, it\u2019s his style, deeply rooted in the 2000s that is captivating a new generation of fashion girls. A closer look at a revival pulled straight from football archives.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

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Balotelli, or Italian elegance at its finest<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Having played for major clubs such as Inter Milan<\/strong> and Manchester City, Mario Balotelli<\/strong> established himself in the early 2010s as one of the most closely watched strikers of his generation. Nicknamed \u201cSuper Mario,\u201d as much for his performances as for his unpredictable temperament, he quickly became a media personality, followed as much for his sporting achievements as for his antics.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

At the time, this intense exposure fueled the tabloids and paparazzi. Today, those same images have become a true archive<\/strong> for a new generation obsessed with Y2K<\/em> references. As early as 2015, GQ<\/em> named him \u201cBest-Dressed Man,\u201d praising a distinctive style that combined confidence with nonchalance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Having played for major clubs such as Inter Milan<\/strong> and Manchester City<\/strong>, Mario Balotelli<\/strong> established himself in the early 2010s as one of the most closely watched strikers of his generation. Nicknamed \u201cSuper Mario,\u201d as much for his performances as for his unpredictable temperament, he quickly became a media personality, followed as much for his sporting achievements as for his antics.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

At the time, this intense exposure fueled the tabloids and paparazzi. Today, those same images have become a true archive <\/strong>for a new generation obsessed with Y2K<\/em> references. As early as 2015, GQ<\/em> named him \u201cMost Stylish Man,\u201d praising a distinctive look that blended confidence with nonchalance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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A Y2K silhouette brought back into style<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Ten years later, his wardrobe is resurfacing, this time analyzed, dissected and reinterpreted, particularly on Substack and social media. Balotelli\u2019s stylistic grammar is precise<\/strong>: drop-crotch trousers, close-fitting or asymmetrical zip-up hooded vests, sometimes featuring an integrated crest. V-neck T-shirts or pieces with visible logos, a neutral color palette, and an accumulation of accessories, from beanies and caps to clutches and earrings.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

At the time, brands like Kawasaki<\/strong> and Kaporal<\/strong> filled our wardrobes, while on the luxury side, Gucci and Marith\u00e9<\/strong> + Fran\u00e7ois Girbaud<\/strong> enjoyed massive success. A mix of influences that perfectly reflects the hybrid aesthetic of the 2000s, blending sportswear<\/em>, alternative style and logomania.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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His style goes beyond clothing. His iconic mohawk worn in countless colors and variations became a signature. A way of asserting a strong individuality, even on the pitch. It projected a presence, an attitude, a way of occupying space that went beyond mere athletic performance<\/strong>. Where many footballers adhered to a form of implicit uniformity, Balotelli embraced an almost provocative singularity. An assertive, expressive masculinity, far removed from the more conventional norms that dominate football today.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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An icon still in the making<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Long perceived as a divisive figure, Mario Balotelli is now emerging as a source of inspiration. In June 2025, he walked for KidSuper<\/strong> in Paris during the SS26 presentation, marking his official debut at Fashion Week.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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The London-based label Corteiz<\/strong> also pays tribute to him through a dedicated collection, even going so far as to make him an ambassador. A collaboration that revisits one of his most iconic moments: the famous \u201cWhy Always Me?\u201d. A message revealed under his jersey after scoring a goal. A gesture that was forbidden at the time and has since become a meme in football culture.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Today, his influence extends far beyond a male audience. On Instagram, content creators are reinterpreting his silhouettes and incorporating them into their mood boards<\/em>. French influencer Rubi Pigeon <\/strong>recently dedicated a post to him, proof that his aesthetic resonates well beyond the football pitch.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Towards a reinterpretation of masculine icons<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

This renewed interest in Mario Balotelli is part of a broader movement re-evaluating male figure from the 2000s. Much like Cristiano Ronaldo<\/strong>, whose early-career style is also attracting renewed attention, sometimes reinterpreted through contemporary, even queer<\/em> lenses.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In this reassessment, the boundary between masculinity and self-expression is being redrawn. The style of these athletes, once seen as excessive or ostentatious, now appears in a more avant-garde<\/strong> light.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Long reduced to his excesses, Balotelli is thus becoming almost, in spite of himself, an icon in the making. A silhouette drawn straight from the archives of fashion, now finding a second life in the eyes of new generations and perhaps, at last, recognition.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

On TikTok and Instagram, Mario Balotelli is making a striking comeback. But this time, it\u2019s neither his goals nor his provocations that are drawing attention. Ten years after his peak, it\u2019s his style, deeply rooted in the 2000s that is captivating a new generation of fashion girls. A closer look at a revival pulled straight […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":24,"featured_media":29077,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_et_pb_use_builder":"off","_et_pb_old_content":"","_et_gb_content_width":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[451,122,123],"tags":[975,1154,502,149,1153,711],"class_list":["post-29066","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-culture","category-fashion","category-lifestyle","tag-corteiz","tag-cristiano-ronaldo","tag-fashion-week","tag-football","tag-mario-balotelli","tag-y2k","et-has-post-format-content","et_post_format-et-post-format-standard"],"yoast_head":"\nMario Balotelli, the former footballer, turned new muse for it girls - Sneaker Spirit<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"On TikTok and Instagram, Mario Balotelli\u2019s Y2K style is making a comeback and inspiring a new generation of it girls.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/sneakerspirit.courir.com\/en\/mario-balotelli-style-y2k-it-girls-fashion\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Mario Balotelli, the former footballer, turned new muse for it girls - 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