The worrying image of Adriano: he appeared with a bottle of beer on a motorcycle in a favela in Rio

The former scorer of the Brazilian national team and several clubs was filmed in Rio and the video went viral

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En la imagen, el exdelantero
En la imagen, el exdelantero brasileño Adriano Leite Ribeiro, apodado el Emperador. EFE/Antonio Lacerda/Archivo

Many considered him the successor of Ronaldo Nazario. Thanks to their achievements at Flamengo, Inter Milan set their eyes. This is how, thanks to his imposing physique and scoring ability, he became one of the most fearsome strikers in world football. But everything changed with the sudden death of his father and the nocturnal excesses, which led him to end his career away from the flashes.

Former striker Adriano, who came to be called the Emperor because of his bearing, was seen in a favela in Rio de Janeiro in a complicated state. Through a video that was published on the social network Tik Tok, the former Verdeamarela attacker can be seen on a motorcycle as a companion and bare-chested. At the same time, the user who captured the images showed the Brazilian with a beer in his hand while talking to other people.

The video quickly went viral on the platform and reached almost nine million views. For his part, soon other images of Hadrian were published in which he can be seen with the person on the mobile phone shouting at the former player “Emperor, Emperor...”, while trying to greet him.

It should be remembered that a little less than a year ago, the footballer who knew how to wear the jersey of several clubs in Brazil and who won the Copa America 2004 and the Confederation Cup with the national team in 2005, wrote an extensive letter in the US media The Players Tribune, a space that athletes use to remember their experiences, in which he gave details of his hard childhood and what his life was like outside the countryside during his most successful period.

The first memory in Adriano's mind was his childhood in the alleys of Rio de Janeiro: “'The favelas'. Even that word is wrong. Those who don't live there don't understand what it is about. It always has a negative and dark charge. It's always suffering and misery. Sometimes it's like that, it's complicated. But when I remember my childhood it comes to mind how much fun I had. I was flying kites, spinning tops in the street, kicking the ball in the halls.”

After constantly struggling against adversity, one play during a practice was enough to light his way in football: “In training I kept a ball after struggling with the defenders and saw that beautiful white bow in front of my eyes. I shot and the ball hit the crossbar. But the shot was so strong that the ball literally flew to the middle of the court. There they realized that I was different from the others: one year they summoned me to the Brazilian national team and the next year they bought me Inter”, Adriano said.

adriano-favela
The former footballer on a postcard in the favela of Rio de Janeiro (@adrianoimperador)

When analyzing his career, which included a visit to Rome in Italy, and once he returned to his homeland he also played for Corinthians and Atlético Paranaense until retiring from professional football at Miami United in the United States Adriano, the footballer who scored 170 goals in his club career made a final reflection on his time in the clubs. football.

“I didn't win a World Cup. I didn't win a Copa Libertadores (I hate you Washington!). But do you know what? I won in everything else. I had an amazing life. I was very proud to be the Emperor. But without Hadrian, the Emperor is useless. Adriano doesn't wear a crown, he's a boy from the narrow alleys who was touched by God. Do you understand me now? Adriano didn't disappear, he just went home...” he said.

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