Adriano: The greatest waste of football talent ever

A blazing comet from Brazil

A blazing comet from Brazil, Built like a warrior, talent like an artist, Broken by a father's death, Lost in Milan, A brief renaissance in Brazil, No World Cup redemption, Weight gain, late nights, lost contracts, Ghost appearances and fading echoes

Adriano Leite Ribeiro exploded onto the football scene with Flamengo before moving to Inter Milan at just 19. He announced himself with a thunderous free-kick goal in his Inter debut.

Built like a warrior, talent like an artist

A blazing comet from Brazil, Built like a warrior, talent like an artist, Broken by a father's death, Lost in Milan, A brief renaissance in Brazil, No World Cup redemption, Weight gain, late nights, lost contracts, Ghost appearances and fading echoes

Standing 6'2" with a cannon of a left foot, Adriano was a rare mix of strength and finesse. In the 2004–05 season, he scored 28 goals for Inter Milan.

Broken by a father's death

A blazing comet from Brazil, Built like a warrior, talent like an artist, Broken by a father's death, Lost in Milan, A brief renaissance in Brazil, No World Cup redemption, Weight gain, late nights, lost contracts, Ghost appearances and fading echoes

The sudden loss of his father in 2004, however, left Adriano emotionally shattered. He turned to alcohol and began a long struggle with depression.

Lost in Milan

A blazing comet from Brazil, Built like a warrior, talent like an artist, Broken by a father's death, Lost in Milan, A brief renaissance in Brazil, No World Cup redemption, Weight gain, late nights, lost contracts, Ghost appearances and fading echoes

Despite Inter's attempts to support him, Adriano's form and discipline deteriorated rapidly. He featured in just four Serie A matches during the 2007–08 season.

A brief renaissance in Brazil

A blazing comet from Brazil, Built like a warrior, talent like an artist, Broken by a father's death, Lost in Milan, A brief renaissance in Brazil, No World Cup redemption, Weight gain, late nights, lost contracts, Ghost appearances and fading echoes

Adriano returned to Flamengo in 2009 and led them to a national title with 19 goals. The comeback earned him a place back in the Brazilian national team.

No World Cup redemption

A blazing comet from Brazil, Built like a warrior, talent like an artist, Broken by a father's death, Lost in Milan, A brief renaissance in Brazil, No World Cup redemption, Weight gain, late nights, lost contracts, Ghost appearances and fading echoes

Hopes of a full recovery faded when he was omitted from Brazil's 2010 World Cup squad. Inconsistency and off-field concerns led coach Dunga to cut him.

Weight gain, late nights, lost contracts

A blazing comet from Brazil, Built like a warrior, talent like an artist, Broken by a father's death, Lost in Milan, A brief renaissance in Brazil, No World Cup redemption, Weight gain, late nights, lost contracts, Ghost appearances and fading echoes

By 2011, Adriano arrived at Corinthians out of shape and out of rhythm. He played just four matches before his contract was terminated for poor professionalism.

Ghost appearances and fading echoes

A blazing comet from Brazil, Built like a warrior, talent like an artist, Broken by a father's death, Lost in Milan, A brief renaissance in Brazil, No World Cup redemption, Weight gain, late nights, lost contracts, Ghost appearances and fading echoes

A brief spell at Roma yielded five appearances, before he disappeared from top-level football. Between 2011 and 2016, he made just nine appearances and scored four times.

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