Mario Balotelli admits leaving Manchester City to soon was his 'biggest mistake' in football

Mario Balotelli believes he would be playing football today a Ballon d'Or winner had he not left Manchester City when he did in 2013.

The Italy international spent three years at the Etihad stadium, where he won the FA Cup and the Premier League, before leaving for AC Milan.

He built a reputation as something of a cult hero with City fans, although stories of his escapades off the pitch would occasionally overshadow his genius on it.

After leaving Manchester Balotelli has struggled to reach the same heights in his career, and is currently rebuilding his reputation on the pitch with Adana Demirspor in Turkey's top-flight.

And reflecting on his path to date, the 31-year-old admits that leaving the Premier League side was the 'biggest mistake of his career'.

'I think that was my biggest mistake, to leave City,' he said in an interview with The Athletic. '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 [laughs]. When I was at City, probably one [Ballon d'Or] I could have won, I'm sure about this. But you know, when you grow up, you mature more, so.'

After four seasons spent in France with Nice and Marseille, Balotelli endured a difficult homecoming in Italy where he faced demoralising spells at his hometown club Brescia, as well as Serie B side Monza.

Having moved to Turkey however, the striker now appears back to his best, with 11 goals in 24 appearances for Adana this season.

His form has earned him a recall to Roberto Mancini's Italy squad, picked for the 35-man training camp ahead of their World Cup play-off campaign.

Going forward, he wants this to remain the norm, rather than the exception.

'The only objective I have is to go to the national team and to try to drive the Italian squad to the World Cup, and also trying to get in the first three places (in the Turkish Super Lig) here with Adana,' he said.

'I know it's not easy, but that's probably the two objectives coming out in my mind, the most important things at this moment.'