Biography
Who is Adriano?
Early life and career
Adriano was born on February 17, 1982, in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. He started his football path in 1999 on the youth squad of Clube de Regatas do Flamengo. One year later, he earned a promotion to the senior squad and made his team debut in a Torneio Rio-São Paulo match against Botafogo. He scored his first senior goal against São Paulo shortly after in the same competition.
Despite signing a two-year contract extension with Flamengo in June 2000, he soon secured a move to Europe. He joined Inter Milan for the 2001-02 season and scored his first goal for the club against Real Madrid during a friendly match while playing as a substitute. To gain more experience, the club loaned him to ACF Fiorentina for the remainder of that season.
Rise with Parma and Inter Milan
Following his time at Fiorentina, a co-ownership deal was arranged with Parma Calcio 1913. In Parma, he formed an impressive striking partnership with Adrian Mutu, scoring 22 goals across 36 appearances. His strong performances convinced Inter Milan to bring him back to the San Siro in January 2004 on a long-term contract.
During the 2004-05 season, Adriano reached peak form by scoring 28 goals and helping Inter win the Coppa Italia title. He also performed strongly in the UEFA Champions League, scoring a memorable hat-trick against Porto in the round of 16. His powerful strikes and goalscoring ability earned him the famous nickname of L'Imperatore, or the Emperor, while playing in Italy.
International success with Brazil
Adriano made his senior debut for the Brazil national team at the age of eighteen. Observers viewed him as the long-term successor to famous striker Ronaldo. In the absence of Ronaldo, he led the national team to victory at the 2004 Copa América. He received the Golden Boot award as the tournament's leading scorer after netting seven goals.
He followed this success by winning the 2005 FIFA Confederations Cup with Brazil, once again claiming the Golden Boot award as the leading scorer with five goals. Before the 2006 World Cup, he formed part of Brazil's attacking quartet alongside Ronaldo, Ronaldinho, and Kaká, though the team ultimately fell short at the tournament.
Return to Brazil and later career
After experiencing personal struggles and a decline in form following the death of his father, Adriano moved back to his native Brazil in 2009. He signed a one-year contract with Clube de Regatas do Flamengo and helped the club win the Brasileirão title. He scored a well-known hat-trick in a match against Internacional during that campaign.
He later played for S.C. Corinthians Paulista and won another Brazilian league title with them. Throughout his career, he also represented São Paulo FC and Roma before retiring from professional football in 2016 at the age of thirty-four.
Birthday and age
Adriano was born on February 17, 1982, which makes Adriano 44 years old today. That birthday falls under the Aquarius sign. Adriano shares the date with 30 other famous people.
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