Former Brazil striker Adriano was celebrated for his exploits on the pitch, but he became equally renowned for his extravagant lifestyle away from football.
Adriano, who marked his 44th birthday on Tuesday (February 17), featured for Inter Milan, Parma, and Roma in Serie A, in addition to enjoying a distinguished career in his native Brazil. The 48-cap international was considered one of the finest forwards of his generation, yet his peak years proved disappointingly brief—much like his marriage to ex-wife Micaela Mesquita, which reportedly lasted only 24 days.
The player affectionately nicknamed L'Imperatore (The Emperor) by Inter supporters certainly knew how to unwind off the field, but on one occasion he went to remarkable lengths to raise his spirits after a proposed move to Ligue 1 collapsed.
In 2015, aged 33 and without a club following a short-lived, unsuccessful stint at Atletico Paranaense, the former Inter star found himself searching for a new team.
Le Havre had extended an offer, and he was prepared to sign with the French outfit, but the deal fell apart at the last moment. A planned takeover of the club had failed, and the ambitious contract proposal was withdrawn, leaving Adriano devastated.
According to Extra, he sought comfort in the most extravagant way he could imagine—by spending £13,000 on 18 adult entertainers.
The marathon session continued into the early hours, by which point Adriano had gone through thousands of Brazilian Reais—R$60,000, to be precise. Just a year earlier, in 2014, the former Inter Milan and Parma forward had been officially cleared of drug trafficking charges after being accused in 2010, due to insufficient evidence.
Adriano eventually found a new club in 2016 with Miami United, though he failed to make a single appearance for the side.
That effectively marked the conclusion of his playing career, yet those who witnessed him at his peak recall what a formidable presence he posed for opposition defenders.
After bursting onto the scene at just 18, many predicted he would become the long-term successor to Ronaldo Nazário—a role he temporarily fulfilled for the Brazil legend during the 2004 Copa America.
He finished that tournament as the Golden Boot winner with seven goals, while also securing four Serie A titles during his time with Inter Milan.
Adriano formed part of a fearsome attacking quartet for the Selecao alongside Ronaldo, Ronaldinho, and Kaka at the 2006 World Cup—though their campaign ended in disappointment following a quarter-final defeat to France.
