Adriano, Brazilian footballer
Adriano Leite Ribeiro (born February 17, 1982), commonly known simply as Adriano, is a Brazilian former professional footballer. A striker known for his long range left footed strikes, Adriano's career was however marked by inconsistency. One of the best strikers in the world in the mid 2000s, he had five prolific seasons in Italy with Parma and Inter Milan, earning the nickname L'Imperatore (the Emperor), before a decline in his performances which coincided with the death of his father. Adriano won four Scudetti for Inter Milan, and after moving back to his native Brazil he won two Brasileirão for Flamengo and Corinthians.
Making his Brazil debut at 18, Adriano was considered the long-term successor to Ronaldo. In the absence of Ronaldo he led Brazil to the 2004 Copa América, receiving the Golden Boot as the competition's leading scorer with seven goals. He also won the 2005 FIFA Confederations Cup with Brazil, receiving the Golden Boot Award as the competition's leading scorer with five goals. Prior to the 2006 World Cup he was part of Brazil's much-vaunted "magic quartet" of offensive players alongside Ronaldo, Ronaldinho and Kaká, which ultimately was not successful at the finals.