The story of Adriano, Italy's top scorer turned Rio gang member

In the 2000s, one player terrified defenses more than any other. Fast, powerful and with an exceptional ball-striking, his style of play was reminiscent of a certain Ronaldo “Fenomeno”. A phenomenon – that's a nice expression to use when talking about Adriano.

Just like R9, Adriano is Brazilian. Just like R9, he played at Inter. And just like R9, he had a career marred by off-field problems. In just a few years, Adriano has gone from "the greatest hope in world football" to a player in a Rio Janeiro cartel.

But how could such a talent fall so far? Why did he quit football? Here is the dramatic story of an exceptional player: Adriano.

Adriano Leite Ribeiro, better known as Adriano, was born on February 17, 1982 in Vila Cruzeiro, a favela in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. The young man grew up in a difficult environment, marked by violence and poverty. The favela he grew up in was known to be one of the most dangerous in Rio.

Despite these obstacles, young Adriano found refuge in football. It was his only escape from his day-to-day turmoil. From an early age, he impressed the other children in the narrow streets of the city with his ball skills. 

His passion and talent caught the eye of recruiters from Flamengo, one of Brazil's biggest football clubs. At the age of 14, Adriano joined their youth academy and began to make a name for himself with his physical power, shooting technique and ability to score goals out of nowhere.

His rise to prominence was rapid and he made his professional debut with Flamengo in 1999, aged just 17. In 2000, at the age of 18, he helped Flamengo win the Brazilian championship, scoring 19 goals in 31 games.

If his statistics are impressive, his style of play wass even more so. Adriano is a bulldozer on the field and, despite his mere 18 years at the time, he was assertive on the pitch. His finishing is excellent for his age and his striking is stellar, almost unmatched.

This sensational season opened the doors to the Brazilian national team. Adriano's name begins to tour Europe and one club is more interested than the others, enter Inter Milan.

To afford the services of the nugget, Inter pays the sum of 26 million euros, a considerable figure at the time. The first months of the 19-year-old player are complicated, Adriano is struggling to adapt to the new style of play and life in Italy.

He was quickly loaned to Fiorentina but failed to save the club from relegation in the 2001–02 season, despite scoring 6 goals in 15 games. The following season, he was loaned to Parma and, there, finally exploded.

With 26 goals in 37 games, Adriano is revealed, at 21, as one of the most effective scorers in Italy. Inter are convinced and reinstate their star in their workforce in the winter of 2003-2004… The beginning of a love story.

The 2004-2005 season is the most memorable for Adriano. Associated with Christian Vieri at the forefront of the Milan attack, he finished top scorer in Serie A with 28 goals in 37 games. His outstanding performances earned him the nickname "Imperatore" (Emperor) from Inter Milan supporters.

After the Calciopoli scandal, Inter was crowned Italian champions in 2006. This title was Adriano's first championship and the start of a long series of five consecutive victories, from 2006 to 2010.

In addition to his success in Serie A, Adriano also won the Italian Cup three times with Inter Milan, in 2005, 2006 and 2010, as well as the Italian Supercup in 2005 and 2006.

However, despite his impressive performances on the pitch, Adriano started to face some serious personal issues. The loss of his father in 2004 upset him deeply, and he started having issues with alcohol. 

As the seasons pass, Adriano's performance deteriorates, as does his lifestyle. In 2009, Inter Milan finally decided to terminate its contract with the club, thus ending his Italian adventure.

After leaving Inter Milan, Adriano returned to Flamengo and flourished again, scoring 34 goals in 51 games. But his return to Brazil was also accompanied by serious personal problems.

The player began to frequent the favelas again and, in 2016, when he retired, the Brazilian newspaper El Globo claimed that Adriano has become a member of the oldest criminal gang in Rio de Janeiro, called Red Command.

On social networks, the Brazilian could be seen brandishing firearms and spending a lot of time on the streets. Adriano seemingly went from an Italian football champion in 2010 to a gang member in just six years.

While Adriano remains a beloved figure for many football fans, his story is a frustrating one – a once-in-a-generation natural talent that just struggled to deal with life at the top.