FIFA World Cup™ Germany 2006 player's profile

Born on 17 February 1982 in Rio de Janeiro, Adriano Leite Ribeiro began his career with Flamengo's junior sides in 1999. His impressive physique and wonderful movement off the ball soon caught the eye of the club's management and, a year later, he was promoted straight from the youth team into the first team.
In 2001, the striker secured a dream move to Italian giants Inter Milan. He pulled on their famous blue-and-black shirt for the first time on 14 August of that same year in the prestigious pre-season Santiago Bernabeu tournament against hosts Real Madrid. Joining the fray in the second half, he took only nine minutes to make his mark, scoring with unerring accuracy from a free-kick to secure a 2-1 victory for his new side over their illustrious Spanish opponents.

At the start of 2002, he was sent out on loan to Fiorentina, who had fallen upon hard times both on and off the field. He made 15 appearances in Serie A for the Viola, bagging six goals in the process, but was unable to save the Tuscan club from relegation. The following season, Parma bought up half his contract and Adriano went on to score 15 goals in 28 games for the Gialloblu, finishing among the leading goalscorers in Serie A. His goalscoring exploits prompted Inter to buy back the other half of his contract in 2004, since when Adriano has become an idol of the Nerazzuri fans, who have christened him Imperatore (the Emperor).

Adriano's precocious start to his club career was mirrored at international level. In 1999, the same year he began his career with Flamengo, he was called up to represent his country at the FIFA U-17 World Championship in New Zealand, which the Brazilians went on to win.

Controversial call-up
The following year, Emerson Leao, the coach of the Seleção at the time, called the striker up for the FIFA World Cup™ qualifying match against Colombia. Despite the criticism Adriano's inclusion provoked, the coach stood his ground: “He's tall, strong, has explosive power and a goalscorer's instincts. He provides me with greater tactical options. He's one for the future."

In 2001, while playing for Brazil's U-20 side, he won the South American Cup and was the second top scorer at the FIFA World Youth Championship in Argentina with six strikes to his name.

On the back of these successes, Adriano won a recall to the full national squad in 2003 when coach Carlos Alberto Parreira called him up for a series of friendlies. In one of these games, a 2-1 defeat to Portugal, he was sent on in the second half in place of none other than Ronaldo. The young striker was not daunted by the occasion, however, and so assured was his performance that Parreira remarked: "When the chips are down, Adriano will come up with the goods."

The coach's words would turn out to be prophetic. In 2004, in the final of the Copa America against Argentina, the striker scored in stoppage time to level the match at 2-2 and force extra time. Brazil went on to lift the title in a penalty shoot-out and Adriano further enhanced his reputation by finishing as the competition's leading goalscorer.

His match-winning qualities were again in evidence at last year's FIFA Confederations Cup in Germany when he scored twice in the semi-final against Germany to carry his side through to the final. This tournament was to confirm his standing as a genuine world-class player and saw him win the Golden Boot as the top scorer, and the Golden Ball as the best player.

This summer, Adriano is aiming to continue his fine performances and winning sequence with the Seleção. Success at Germany 2006 would undoubtedly represent the biggest achievement of his already glittering career.

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UEFA Champions League 2005-06 player's profile

Tall and powerfully built, but with typically Brazilian agility and technique, Adriano is already considered one of the most lethal attackers in Serie A.

National team
Having helped Brazil to victory in the 1999 FIFA U-17 World Championship, he won a senior debut the following year against Colombia. In the 2001 FIFA World Youth Championship, he scored six goals as Brazil reached the last eight. Adriano returned to the senior fray in 2003, really establishing himself in the following year's Copa América with seven goals in the finals including a hat-trick against Costa Rica and an equaliser three minutes into added time against Argentina, Brazil then winning on penalties. By June 2005 was a starter in the FIFA World Cup qualifying campaign, and helped Brazil win the FIFA Confederations Cup.

Club
It was love at first sight between Adriano and the FC Internazionale Milano fans when the Brazilian striker joined the Nerazzurri from CR Flamengo for €5m in 2001. Then a teenager, he capped his Inter debut with a stunning free-kick to secure a 2-1 pre-season friendly victory at Real Madrid CF.

2001: After one goal in eight substitute appearances, Adriano was loaned to AC Fiorentina where he scored six times in 15 outings as the Viola were relegated to Serie B. Parma FC president Stefano Tanzi paid €17.3m for a two-year half-share in the player, Adriano justifying that fee with 15 Serie A goals. After scoring eight goals in nine games before Christmas 2003, Inter paid €20m to buy him outright. Scored regularly on his return, including two as Empoli FC were beaten 3-2 on the final day of the season to clinch a UEFA Champions League berth.

2004/05: He then scored three times over two legs as Inter defeated FC Basel 1893 to reach the Champions League group stage. Went on to claim 16 Serie A goals as Inter finished third, but his performances in the Champions League proper were even better. He scored seven times in as many games, including the hat-trick which eliminated holders FC Porto in the first knockout round. Adriano was also instrumental in Inter's first success since 1998, as he scored both goals in the first leg of the Coppa Italia final against AS Roma before missing the winning return on international duty.

Did you know?
His free-kicks have reached a speed of 129.7km per hour, and he can jump 45cm from a standing position.

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