Pelé was known as the King of football, but Adriano was known on the Internazionale as L’Imperatore, The Emperor. He was monstrous, strong, fast, a powerful kick.

People used to say that he would be the new Ronaldo, in a time that Ronaldo, even though on Real Madrid, wasn’t as good as he once was.

In 2006, Adriano’s father died and they had a strong connection and from there on he was never the same, to put some perspective: in 2004 Copa América and 2005 Confederation’s Cup he was elected as the best player in both competitions. Between 2004–06 was an essential player for the Internazionale. What happened after his father death was: harshly criticised for his poor performance in 2006 World Cup - Brazil was even known to have three different ways to scheme the offensive positions with Adriano, Robinho, Kaká, Ronaldo and Ronaldinho Gaúcho, but this “Dream Team” didn’t achieve much, poor performance on the Italian team, a problem with alcoholism. He also said he lost the “joy of playing”.

Then he vanished from Italy with no news, people only knew that he was in Brazil. He then came to train on São Paulo, which helped him improve his performance and he went back to Italy after a few months, he didn’t last there longer and so he came back to Brazil.

2009 was the year that he would find the joy he had lost on Flamengo, he helped the team win the national championship and was even a name for the national team aiming to win the 2010 World Cup. In 2010 the player Vágner Love came to Flamengo and the “Empire of Love” was formed, he was flying, but then after an exhibition game his then wife stormed a party he was in and went nuts, he would start to be depressed again, was back with alcoholism, partying and ever since didn’t have the same commitment with football.

He was back to Italy, to Roma, but didn’t last long, then he went to Corinthians, also didn’t last long, Flamengo would give him a try again, but he wasn’t committed, the Atlético Paranaense also wanted to give him a try to rehabilitate, but he wasn’t willing to co-operate. There were talks with Le Havre, but months later he was released and the latest team was Miami United, but he only played 2 games.

Adriano wasted his talents because he didn’t know how to deal with his father’s death. It is a shame that a player could have been so much more as a player and as a person, but now he just don’t care, he is rich he lives with the money that he has made in the past, and teams when contract him also have the very same Adriano of the past in mind.