At the height of his powers, Brazilian striker Adriano was an unstoppable force. Combing strength, size and technique, Adriano was a regular for the Brazilian national team while dominating in Italy’s Serie A. However, his battle with weight, addiction and personal loss ultimately curtailed his short career.
Looking back at his career, Lionel Messi must sometimes marvel at the stupendous fairy tale of his own life. Born to two factory workers in a town known (before Messi) for industry alone, he has risen into a stratosphere unimaginable to most – certainly to a quiet, diminutive boy from Roasario, Argentina.
We take a look here at his life in pictures, from his humble origins to his current status as perhaps the greatest player of all time.