Adriano (footballer, born February 1982) facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Adriano

Adriano in 2009
Personal information
Date of birth	(1982-02-17) 17 February 1982 (age 43)
Place of birth	Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Height	1.89 m
Playing position	Striker
Youth career
1997–1999	Flamengo
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps†	(Gls)†
2000–2001	Flamengo	24	(10)
2001–2002	Inter Milan	8	(1)
2002	→ Fiorentina (loan)	15	(6)
2002–2004	Parma	37	(23)
2004–2009	Inter Milan	115	(47)
2008	→ São Paulo (loan)	29	(17)
2009–2010	Flamengo	32	(19)
2010–2011	Roma	5	(0)
2011–2012	Corinthians	7	(2)
2012	Flamengo	0	(0)
2014	Atlético Paranaense	1	(0)
2016	Miami United	0	(0)
Total		273	(125)
National team
1999	Brazil U17	5	(0)
2001–2002	Brazil U20	9	(6)
2000–2010	Brazil	48	(27)
Honours Representing  Brazil FIFA Confederations Cup Winner 2005 Germany Copa América Winner 2004 Peru South American U-20 Championship Winner 2001 Ecuador FIFA U-17 World Cup Winner 1999 New Zealand
Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only. † Appearances (Goals).

Adriano Leite Ribeiro (born 17 February 1982) is a famous Brazilian former professional footballer. He was known for his powerful left-footed shots and strong presence as a striker.

Adriano had amazing seasons in Italy with clubs like Parma and Inter Milan. During this time, many people thought he was one of the best strikers in the world. He even earned the nickname L'Imperatore, which means "the Emperor". He was a key player when Inter Milan won the Serie A title in 2006.

He also played for the Brazilian national team from a young age. He helped Brazil win the 2004 Copa América and the 2005 FIFA Confederations Cup. He was often seen as a future star for Brazil, following in the footsteps of Ronaldo. Adriano retired from football in 2016.

Adriano's Football Journey

Starting Out in Brazil

Adriano began his football career in 1999 with the youth team of Flamengo, a big club in Brazil. He quickly moved up to the senior team the next year. His first game for Flamengo was on February 2, 2000. Just four days later, he scored his first goal in a match against São Paulo.

After playing well for Flamengo, Adriano moved to Italy to join Inter Milan for the 2001–02 season. He scored his first goal for Inter in a friendly match against Real Madrid.

Playing for Parma

Adriano was then loaned to Fiorentina for the rest of the 2001–02 season. After that, he joined Parma in a special deal. At Parma, he formed a strong attacking partnership with another player, Adrian Mutu. He scored 22 goals in 36 games for Parma, showing how good he was.

Returning to Inter Milan

In January 2004, Adriano went back to Inter Milan. He signed a new contract and scored 12 goals in the rest of the 2003–04 season. From July 2004 to June 2005, Adriano was in top form, scoring 42 goals in both Italian and international competitions. Because of his great play, Inter gave him an improved contract that lasted until 2010.

Loan to São Paulo

Adriano playing for São Paulo in March 2008

In December 2007, Inter Milan loaned Adriano to São Paulo in Brazil. This allowed him to play in the 2008 Copa Libertadores, a major South American club competition. São Paulo fans were very excited and lined up to buy his new number 10 jersey.

Adriano scored two goals in his first game for São Paulo, helping them win 2–1. He played well during his loan spell. In June 2008, São Paulo announced that Adriano would return to Inter Milan earlier than planned.

Back at Inter Milan (2008–09)

Adriano scoring a goal in a Milan derby in February 2009

Adriano continued to score goals for Inter Milan in the 2008–09 season. He reached a total of 100 goals in the top leagues of Italy and Brazil. In October 2008, he scored the winning goal in a Champions League match, which was his 18th Champions League goal and 70th for Inter.

In April 2009, Adriano decided to end his contract with Inter Milan.

Second Time at Flamengo

Adriano with Flamengo in 2009

On May 6, 2009, Adriano signed a one-year contract with Flamengo, the club where he started his career. He scored a goal on his debut game back with Flamengo. On June 21, 2009, he scored his first hat-trick (three goals in one game) for Flamengo. His excellent performances helped Flamengo win their first Brazilian Serie A title since 1992.

In January 2010, Adriano scored another hat-trick in a thrilling 5–3 win against rivals Fluminense.

Short Stints in Italy and Brazil

On June 8, 2010, Adriano moved back to Italy to play for Roma. He signed a three-year contract. However, his time there was short, and Roma ended his contract in March 2011.

After Roma, he signed a one-year deal with Corinthians in Brazil in March 2011. He scored his first goal for Corinthians in October 2011, which was a winning goal. In March 2012, Corinthians released Adriano.

He had a third short period with Flamengo in August 2012, but was released a few months later. In February 2014, he signed with Atlético Paranaense, but left in April of the same year.

Final Club and Retirement

In January 2016, Adriano signed with Miami United in the United States. He left the club in May 2016, and then retired from professional football.

International Career with Brazil

Adriano with the Brazil national football team in 2006. He scored 27 goals in 48 appearances for Brazil.

Adriano made his first appearance for the Brazilian national team on November 15, 2000, when he was just 18 years old. Many people saw him as the next great striker for Brazil, following in the footsteps of Ronaldo.

He scored his first international goal in June 2003 in a friendly match. He played in the 2003 FIFA Confederations Cup, scoring two goals.

Copa América Champion

In 2004, Adriano was part of the Brazil team that won the 2004 Copa América. He was the top scorer of the tournament with seven goals, earning the Golden Boot award. In the final match against Argentina, Adriano scored a dramatic goal in the last minute to tie the game. Brazil then won the match in a penalty shootout, with Adriano scoring his penalty. The coach praised Adriano as a very important player for winning the title.

Confederations Cup Success

Adriano had another fantastic tournament with Brazil in the 2005 FIFA Confederations Cup. He was named the best player of the tournament and also received the Golden Boot award for being the top scorer with five goals. In the final, he scored two goals, leading Brazil to a 4–1 victory over Argentina.

World Cup and Later Years

Adriano was selected for the 2006 FIFA World Cup. He was part of a famous group of attacking players for Brazil, alongside Ronaldo, Ronaldinho, and Kaká. He scored two goals in the tournament. However, Brazil was eliminated in the quarter-finals.

After the World Cup, Adriano's international career slowed down. In 2008, he regained his form and was called back to the national team. He scored his first international goal in two years in a World Cup qualifier. He was a regular player during the World Cup qualification games. However, he was not chosen for the final 23-man squad for the 2010 FIFA World Cup.

Adriano's Playing Style

Adriano was a very talented and strong striker. He was known for his speed and physical strength, combined with great footwork and technical skills. Because of his powerful play, he was nicknamed L'Imperatore ("The Emperor") in Italy.

He was left-footed and had excellent ball control and dribbling ability. He could also shoot the ball with incredible power, especially from free-kicks. Adriano was also good at heading the ball and working with his teammates to create goals.

Many people thought Adriano was a very promising player when he was young. His style of play was often compared to his fellow Brazilian, Ronaldo. At his best, Adriano was considered one of the top players in the world.

Career Statistics

Club

International

Scores and results list Brazil's goal tally first, score column indicates score after each Adriano goal.

List of international goals scored by Adriano

No.	Date	Venue	Opponent	Score	Result	Competition
1	11 June 2003	Abuja, Nigeria	Nigeria	3–0	3–0	Friendly
2	21 June 2003	Lyon, France	United States	1–0	1–0	2003 FIFA Confederations Cup
3	23 June 2003	Saint-Étienne, France	Turkey	1–0	2–2	2003 FIFA Confederations Cup
4	11 July 2004	Arequipa, Peru	Costa Rica	1–0	4–1	2004 Copa América
5				3–0
6				4–0
7	18 July 2004	Piura, Peru	Mexico	2–0	4–0	2004 Copa América
8				3–0
9	21 July 2004	Lima, Peru	Uruguay	1–1	1–1	2004 Copa América
10	25 July 2004	Lima, Peru	Argentina	2–2	2–2	2004 Copa América
11	5 September 2004	São Paulo, Brazil	Bolivia	3–0	3–1	2006 FIFA World Cup qualification
12	9 October 2004	Maracaibo, Venezuela	Venezuela	5–0	5–2	2006 FIFA World Cup qualification
13	16 June 2005	Leipzig, Germany	Greece	1–0	3–0	2005 FIFA Confederations Cup
14	25 June 2005	Nuremberg, Germany	Germany	1–0	3–2	2005 FIFA Confederations Cup
15				3–2
16	29 June 2005	Frankfurt, Germany	Argentina	1–0	4–1	2005 FIFA Confederations Cup
17				4–0
18	4 September 2005	Brasília, Brazil	Chile	3–0	5–0	2006 FIFA World Cup qualification
19				4–0
20				5–0
21	12 October 2005	Belém, Brazil	Venezuela	1–0	3–0	2006 FIFA World Cup qualification
22	21 November 2005	Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates	United Arab Emirates		8–0	Friendly
23	4 June 2006	Geneva, Switzerland	New Zealand		4–0	Friendly
24	18 June 2006	Munich, Germany	Australia	1–0	2–0	2006 FIFA World Cup
25	27 June 2006	Dortmund, Germany	Ghana	2–0	3–0	2006 FIFA World Cup
26	10 October 2008	San Cristóbal, Venezuela	Venezuela	3–0	4–0	2010 FIFA World Cup qualification
27	19 November 2008	Brasília, Brazil	Portugal		6–2	Friendly

Honours

Flamengo

• Série A: 2009
• Campeonato Carioca: 2000, 2001

Inter Milan

• Serie A: 2005–06, 2006–07
• Coppa Italia: 2004–05, 2005–06
• Supercoppa Italiana: 2005, 2006

Corinthians

• Série A: 2011

Brazil U17

• FIFA U-17 World Cup: 1999

Brazil U20

• South American Youth Championship: 2001

Brazil

• Copa América: 2004
• FIFA Confederations Cup: 2005

Individual

• South American U-20 Championship Golden Shoe: 2001
• FIFA World Youth Championship Silver Shoe: 2001
• Ballon d'Or: 2004 (6th place), 2005 (7th place)
• FIFA World Player of the Year: 2004 (6th place), 2005 (5th place)
• Pirata d'Oro (Internazionale Player of the Year): 2004
• Copa América Golden Ball: 2004
• Copa América Golden Shoe: 2004
• Copa América Team of the Tournament: 2004
• FIFA Confederations Cup Golden Ball: 2005
• FIFA Confederations Cup Golden Shoe: 2005
• IFFHS World's Top Goal Scorer: 2005
• Campeonato Brasileiro Série A Team of the Year: 2009
• Campeonato Brasileiro Série A top goalscorer: 2009
• Bola de Ouro: 2009
• Bola de Prata: 2009

See also

In Spanish: Adriano Leite Ribeiro para niños