What happened to Adriano? How the 'next Ronaldo' went from success to alcohol addiction

Former Inter Milan striker Adriano was once hailed as the next big thing in football. The Brazilian was called a mix between Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Ronaldo Nazario by his club teammates. However, the player faded away sooner than anybody could have presumed. Let us look at Adriano’s controversial career.

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What happened to Adriano after his father's death? 

Inter Milan legend Javier Zanetti has revealed the incident that changed Adriano’s life once and for all. He claimed that the Brazilian received a call from his home, stating that his father was dead. Adriano could not contain his emotions and threw away his phone after hearing the tragic news.

What happened to Adriano after Brazil's Copa win?

Adriano, then 22, continued playing football. Just weeks ago, he had become a national hero when he scored an equaliser in the Copa America final against Argentina. Brazil subsequently went on to win the tournament. Javier Zanetti claimed that Adriano’s form did not show any signs of a slowdown after his father’s death and he kept scoring goals. However, mentally, the damage seemed irreparable.

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What happened to Adriano? The striker couldn't escape depression

While speaking to Brazilian magazine R7, Adriano had accepted that his father’s death left a huge void in his life. Depression and frustration led to Adriano picking up the bottle. The club tried to get him out of his drinking habits while asserting that he had muscular problems to the media.

Where is Adriano? Brazilian scored twice in FIFA World Cup 2006

Brazil were aiming to win the FIFA World Cup 2006 with the likes of Ronaldo, Kaka and Ronaldinho. These three superstars were joined by Adriano in their campaign. The Inter striker scored twice in the competition but he could not help his side progress past the quarter-final.

What happened to Adriano? He was linked to Manchester City

In 2007, Inter owner Massimo Moratti agreed to send Adriano on an unpaid leave to Brazil to help him recover from the mental trauma. Amid rumours of his departure from Inter, the player was linked with several top clubs including the likes of Manchester City. Meanwhile, a return to Brazil was also not ruled out.

Adriano was loaned out to Brazilian outfit Sao Paulo after the player expressed his desire of playing in the Copa Libertadores. He scored twice in his competitive debut against Guaratingueta. However, due to disciplinary issues, his deal with Sao Paulo FC was not extended and he returned to Italy.

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What happened to Adriano? The Brazilian left Inter Milan in 2009

In December 2008, Inter Milan allowed Adriano to return to Brazil over the winter break earlier than planned. However, the player did not return until April 2009. After which, the club announced that he had not signed any contract with the club. Later that month, the striker rescinded his contract with Inter.

Where is Adriano? He last played for Miami United

In May 2009, Adriano signed a one-year contract with Flamengo. This is before he joined Serie A side AS Roma a year later. However, he prematurely decided to terminate his contract with the club after just seven months. In 2011, he agreed to a year-long contract with Corinthians but was released by the club a year later due to lack of professionalism and commitment from the player. The player decided to hang his boots in 2016 after his stint with the USA side Miami United.

Where is Adriano? The player won several trophies in his career

During his controversial career, Adriano won four Serie A titles (2005-06, 2006-07, 2007-08, 2008-09), two Coppa Italia trophies (2004-05, 2005-06) and three Super Coppa Italiana titles (2005, 2006, 2008). He also won the Copa America with his national team in 2004. He also won the FIFA Confederations Cup in 2005.

Where is Adriano? Former Brazilian striker is known for controversial image 'Adriano gold AK47'

Frequent pictures of Adriano from Brazil have emerged on the internet. In some of the pictures, the former Inter striker was seen with drug peddlers and members of criminal gangs. In one such picture, Adriano appears holding gold AK 47. He is also now known as ‘Adriano gold AK47.’ It appears that the striker could never discover his real self after the tragic demise of his father. It turned out to be the major reason for the decline of one of the brightest football talents in the world.

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