- The Brazilian turned to drinking to cope with the feeling of loneliness during his time at Inter
- Adriano was considered Ronaldo’s long-term successor in Brazil
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Brazilian football legend Adriano sparked fear among his fans when a video of him appearing to be drunk emerged on social media.
Adriano is known for playing for the likes of Inter Milan and Flamengo during his illustrious career, which also saw him play for Brazil and make 48 appearances for his national team.
He retired in 2016 at the age of 34, having won 14 major honors in his career, including four Serie A titles with Inter. Yet despite his success, the former striker failed to reach the heights many predicted when he burst onto the scene.
After making his Brazil debut at the age of 18, he was considered Ronaldo’s long-term successor, but his life was thrown into disarray following the death of his father.
The former star struggled with alcoholism and depression during his time in Italy. In a 2018 interview, he revealed that Inter hid the truth from the media by claiming he was injured, when in reality he turned up for training drunk.
Former Inter Milan and Brazil striker Adriano has appeared in a social media clip which has sparked health concerns
The striker was considered Ronaldo’s long-term successor for the Brazilian national team
‘Only I know how much I have suffered. My father’s death left me with a huge void, I felt very lonely. After he died, everything got worse because I isolated myself.” he told Brazilian outlet R7.
‘I was alone in Italy, sad and depressed, and then I started drinking. I only felt happy when I drank, I did it every night. I drank everything I could get my hands on: wine, whiskey, vodka, beer. Lots of beer.
‘I didn’t stop drinking and eventually I had to leave Inter.’
Adriano’s scoring record for Inter fell dramatically during the 2006–07 season and the following season he played only a small part in the battle against his demons.
He was then loaned to Sao Paulo and spent most of his remaining playing days in his native Brazil.
The 42-year-old’s video on social media, set to somber music and accompanied by the message: “Why do many Brazilian footballers struggle so much after retirement?” was disputed by other users on the platform.
Adriano has struggled with alcoholism and depression following the death of his father during his time at Inter Milan
One user on the
The former retired in 2016 after a career that included Inter Milan, Flamengo and Brazil
One wrote: ‘Adriano lives in one of the richest areas of Rio de Janeiro, he also goes back to the community he grew up in to hang out with friends and enjoy life. He went through depression and alcoholism after his father died. This app is full of imbeciles.’
In addition, the community letter accompanying the message read: ‘The footballer Adriano the Emperor has no problem with alcohol. This message is a lie. Adriano is with his friends and having fun as always.”