When we began talking to City Boys about collaborating, we knew there could only be one player featured on our apparel (though Hatem Ben Arfa was a close second). Few characters in modern football embody the values carried by Super Mario - technical brilliance, a level of confidence veering on brash, and a penchant for a stunning quote.
"When I score, I don’t celebrate because I’m only doing my job. When a postman delivers letters, does he celebrate?"
Guerrilla FC was created as a space for people who felt unloved or unappreciated by American soccer culture - as players, personalities, and creatives.
Throughout his career, Balotelli's been depicted as a difficult personality or a troublemaker. But when given the right amount of care and affection by a club, the fans, and a manager, he's shown he's capable of audacious skill and plenty of goals.
For us, Balotelli isn’t a pariah but an example. He's faced structural and societal injustices and still managed to navigate his career defiantly and largely on his own terms.
The capsule collab is available now, exclusively through RAYSBEACHCLUB.
Photos Ruben Gzirian @thenorthofsouth
Models Ben Pedrini @pedreamy & Adrian Kidaman @kidaman10
Shot in Washington DC
Words Justin Olivier Salhani