Mad Mario: Football star Balotelli 'pays bar owner €2,000' to ride moped INTO THE SEA (VIDEO)

Madcap Italian football star Mario Balotelli has taken his social media antics to another level, reportedly paying the owner of a Naples bar €2,000 (US$2,250) to ride his moped into the sea and publishing the footage on Instagram.

Former Inter Milan, Manchester City and Liverpool star Balotelli, 28, is almost as famous for his various stunts as he is for his accomplishments on the pitch.   

In the latest incident, published on the forward’s Instagram page, he is filmed making a bet with the owner of a bar he is reportedly a regular at in Mergellina on the coast of Naples.

Egged on by a group of people gathered around, the man is seen getting onto his Vespa while dressed in his pants, before riding it off the street and into the sea, accompanied by howls of delight. 

He emerges to haul himself out while the moped remains stricken, before collecting a wad of cash from a smiling Balotelli, who then lights up a cigarette.

The man later told reporters that “my moped was only worth €600 anyway,” according to the Football Italia website.

The striker later posted footage on his Instagram Stories to his 8.8 million followers, showing that the Vespa had been retrieved and was remarkably still in working order.

Some followers hit out at Balotelli over the stunt, with one writing: “Honestly didn’t make me laugh… poor sea… disgusting.”

Balotelli, who has been capped 36 times by Italy, is currently looking for a new club after leaving French side Marseilles, whom he joined from Nice in January.