Former Inter star Adriano has written a moving piece chronicling his status as ‘football’s biggest waste’ after a stellar career collapsed into ‘drinking to oblivion’ in the favelas.
The striker made his debut for the Nerazzurri at the age of 19 and was immediately tipped for greatness, having the physicality and the skill to be an heir to Ronaldo both at club and international level for Brazil.
He earned the nickname L’Imperatore – The Emperor – and had loan spells at Fiorentina and Parma, but it all fell to pieces.
Now the 42-year-old has written his story for The Players’ Tribune, framing it as a love letter to his home, the poverty-stricken slums of Rio de Janeiro known as the Favela.
“A lot of people didn’t understand why I abandoned the glory of the stadiums to sit in my old neighbourhood, drinking to oblivion.
Because at some point I wanted to, and it’s the kind of decision that’s difficult to go back on.”
Adriano wrote about having Christmas dinner at teammate Clarence Seedorf’s house, but feeling to homesick that he went back to his apartment and drank an entire bottle of vodka while weeping.
The situation got out of hand when Adriano fell into a deep depression following the sudden death of his father in 2004, then went missing for several days.
“When I “fled” Inter and left Italy, I came to hide here. I went all over the complex for three days. Nobody found me. There is no way to. Rule number one of the favela. Keep your mouth shut. Do you think someone would snitch me? No f***ing rats here, bro.
“The Italian press went crazy. The Rio police even carried out an operation to “rescue me.” They said I had been kidnapped. You’re kidding me, right? Imagine that someone is going to do me any harm here … me, a favela child.
“They didn’t understand why I went to the favela. It wasn’t because of drinking, or women, much less because of drugs. It was for freedom. It was because I wanted peace. I wanted to live. I wanted to be human again. Just a little bit.
“I tried to do what they wanted. I bargained with Roberto Mancini. I tried hard with José Mourinho. I cried on Moratti’s shoulder. But I couldn’t do what they asked.
“I stayed well for a few weeks, avoided the booze, trained like a horse, but there was always a relapse. Over and over again. Everyone blasted me. I couldn’t take it anymore.”
Ultimately, the piece insists that Adriano had to make those choices and feels ‘respected’ in the Favela, even after being “football’s biggest waste.
“I like that word, waste. Not only because of how it sounds, but because I’m obsessed with wasting my life. I’m fine like this, in frantic waste. I enjoy this stigma.
“I don’t like giving explanations to others. But here’s one. I drink because it’s not easy to be a promise that remains in debt. And it gets even worse at my age.”
