Adriano

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Lore & Background

Adriano started his career in 1999 on Flamengo's youth squad and earned promotion to the senior squad one year later. He made his team debut on 2 February 2000, a Torneio Rio-São Paulo match against Botafogo. He scored a goal against São Paulo in the same competition 4 days later. Despite signing a two-year contract with Flamengo in June 2000, he secured a move to Inter Milan for the 2001–02 season. Inter sold another half of Vampeta to PSG (ultimately to Flamengo from PSG for an undisclosed fee) for €9.757 million in exchange for Adriano who was valued €13.189 million. Adriano scored his first goal with the club against Real Madrid in a friendly match as a substitute. He was loaned to Fiorentina for the 2001–02 season, after which a two-year co-ownership deal with Parma was agreed, for €8.8 million, in order to acquire Fabio Cannavaro which also included another half of Matteo Ferrari for €5.7 million. He formed an impressive striking duo with Adrian Mutu, scoring 22 goals in 36 appearances. He missed the month of November 2003 due to injury. Adriano returned to the San Siro in January 2004 on a 4+1⁄2-year contract, for about €23.4 million and scored a total of 12 goals in the rest of 2003–04 season. Adriano's was in peak form in the 2004-05 season, where he scored 28 goals and was instrumental in Inter's Coppa Italia victory that year, scoring twice in the first leg of the finals to help Inter win their first Coppa Italia title in 23 years. In the Champions League, he scored 4 goals and had 3 assists to help Inter into the round of 16. In the round of 16, he scored a hat trick in the second leg against defending champions Porto. He was voted sixth for the 2004 FIFA World Player of the Year. In September 2005, Inter rewarded him for his efforts with an improved contract running until 30 June 2010. He finished the 2005-06 campaign with 19 goals as Inter won the double, with his most important moments coming in matches against Treviso, where he scored a hat trick in a 3-0 victory, and AC Milan, where he scored twice, including a game winner, in a 3-2 victory. Following the signing of the new deal, Adriano's future at Inter suffered due to poor performances, fueled by questions and speculation regarding his work ethic, which was called into question when he was twice caught partying at nightclubs during the 2006–07 campaign. On 18 February 2007, Adriano skippe

In Their Own Story

In December 2007, Adriano's struggle for form led Inter owner Massimo Moratti to send him on unpaid leave to Brazil. Although he initially trained at São Paulo, his time there was marred by a red card for headbutting Santos' Domingos and disciplinary issues like arriving late to training. He returned to Inter in June 2008 but left permanently by April 2011 after failing to return from international duty. His path then led him back to Flamengo, where he scored two hat-tricks in the 2009–2010 period, including a famous five-goal comeback against Fluminense. In March 2011, he signed with Corinthians, but his recovery was interrupted by an Achilles tendon rupture on April 19. He eventually made his debut for the club on October 9, 2011, scoring the winning goal against Atlético Mineiro just ten days later.

Reader's Guide

Adriano made his Brazil debut at 18 and was considered the long-term successor to Ronaldo. In the absence of Ronaldo, he led Brazil to the 2004 Copa América, receiving the Golden Boot as the competition's leading scorer with seven goals. He also won the 2005 FIFA Confederations Cup with Brazil, receiving the Golden Boot Award as the competition's leading scorer with five goals. Before the 2006 World Cup he was part of Brazil's much-vaunted "magic quartet" of offensive players alongside Ronaldo, Ronaldinho and Kaká, which ultimately was not successful at the tournament.

Did You Know?

• Adriano scored a hat trick in the second leg of the Champions League round of 16 against defending champions Porto in the 2004-05 season.
• He was a three-time winner of the Bidone d'Oro award, according to the source.
• Adriano's father died in 2004, which coincided with his career decline.