Top 10+ of the most wasted talents in football

The Félix move

The Félix move, The world at their feet, Freddy Adu, Dele Alli, João Félix, Mario Balotelli, Bojan Krkić, Alexandre Pato, Royston Drenthe

João Félix has made his move to Saudi Arabia after failing to make a significant impact in Europe in his early career, creating chatter on another wasted football talent.

The world at their feet

The Félix move, The world at their feet, Freddy Adu, Dele Alli, João Félix, Mario Balotelli, Bojan Krkić, Alexandre Pato, Royston Drenthe

Here are the players who had the world at their feet but failed to capitalise on their incredible abilities.

Freddy Adu

The Félix move, The world at their feet, Freddy Adu, Dele Alli, João Félix, Mario Balotelli, Bojan Krkić, Alexandre Pato, Royston Drenthe

In 2004, Freddy Adu was the youngest player to play in the MLS and drew incredible comparisons to Pelé, per GiveMeSport. He failed a trial at Manchester United and struggled to stay at any team more than a season. He played for 15 teams in his career.

Dele Alli

The Félix move, The world at their feet, Freddy Adu, Dele Alli, João Félix, Mario Balotelli, Bojan Krkić, Alexandre Pato, Royston Drenthe

Dele Alli soared through the ranks at MK Dons and was incredible for Tottenham in his early career, winning the PFA Young Player of the Year twice. Through injuries and childhood trauma, Alli fell from grace and has been on loan at numerous clubs, failing to make an impact.

João Félix

The Félix move, The world at their feet, Freddy Adu, Dele Alli, João Félix, Mario Balotelli, Bojan Krkić, Alexandre Pato, Royston Drenthe

The most recent player to fall from grace is João Félix. He showed incredible promise in his early career with Atlético Madrid, but failed spells at Barcelona, AC Milan, and Chelsea have led to a move to Al Nassr at 25 years old. Will he revive his career in Saudi Arabia?

Mario Balotelli

The Félix move, The world at their feet, Freddy Adu, Dele Alli, João Félix, Mario Balotelli, Bojan Krkić, Alexandre Pato, Royston Drenthe

From setting fireworks off from a bathroom to persistent attitude problems, Mario Balotelli had all the tools to become one of the best players in the world. Despite success in the Premier League with Manchester City, he never established himself as one of the best.

Bojan Krkić

The Félix move, The world at their feet, Freddy Adu, Dele Alli, João Félix, Mario Balotelli, Bojan Krkić, Alexandre Pato, Royston Drenthe

Labelled as the next Lionel Messi, Bojan Krkić was the top scorer in Barcelona's famous La Masia Academy, and he showed early doors that he could have potentially been the next star at Barcelona. However, a lack of mental fortitude and serious injuries meant Bojan bounced around Europe's top leagues and retired in Japan in his early 30s.

Alexandre Pato

The Félix move, The world at their feet, Freddy Adu, Dele Alli, João Félix, Mario Balotelli, Bojan Krkić, Alexandre Pato, Royston Drenthe

As a youngster at AC Milan, Alexandre Pato was a boy wonder. However, a string of injuries hampered his progress, and his career fell by the wayside. He went back to Brazil, played in China, and the MLS before retiring in 2023.

Adriano

The Félix move, The world at their feet, Freddy Adu, Dele Alli, João Félix, Mario Balotelli, Bojan Krkić, Alexandre Pato, Royston Drenthe

The heir to Ronaldo Nazário's throne, Adriano, had every aspect of the great Brazilian's arsenal, and everything was pointing towards him becoming one of the best in the world. However, his father's death at 22 sent him into a depressive state, and his career spiralled out of control.

Royston Drenthe

The Félix move, The world at their feet, Freddy Adu, Dele Alli, João Félix, Mario Balotelli, Bojan Krkić, Alexandre Pato, Royston Drenthe

Royston Drenthe went to Real Madrid at an early age after some exciting performances for the Dutch U21 team. The tricky winger had the world at his feet, but his terrible attitude meant he even spent time in the English EFL and the lower leagues in Spain.

Post Related