Recent images of Adriano partying in the favelas have shed light on the daily life of the man who was one of the greatest players in the world for several years. Adriano, “the Emperor”, sent an open letter to the world to explain his situation.
After images of him holding a beer with his friends in the favelas of Rio de Janeiro went viral on social media, Adrianoformer star of Inter Milan, Parma and Flamengo where he returned to win titles after his European career, wrote an open letter via the Players Tribune.
We know that the Brazilian champion, 48 caps for 27 goals, was considered one of the greatest strikers in the world during his international era; nicknamed “the Imperatore”, he impressed with his almost supernatural combination of physique, speed and technique. But quickly, Adriano sank into depression and alcohol, especially after the death of his father.
“Do you know what it’s like to be a promise? I do. Including a broken promise. The biggest waste in football: me. I like that word, ‘waste’. Not for the the way it sounds but because I’m obsessed with the idea of ’wasting my life’; I like it, this frenzied mess, I like this label,” Adriano begins.
Adriano: “I drink because it’s not easy to be a broken promise”
“I don’t do drugs, contrary to what they want to prove. I haven’t fallen into crime although, of course, I could have. I don’t like going out to clubs. I always go to the same place in my neighborhood, Nana’s kiosk, if you want to see me, come by. I drink every other day, yes, and the other days too,” he confesses.
“How can a person like me end up drinking almost every day? I don’t like to give explanations to others but here’s one: I drink because it’s not easy to be a promise left un- outfit (…) They called me “the Emperor”, can you imagine that, a guy who left the favelas to be called Emperor in Europe (…) I had to do a few things correctly.
“A lot of people don’t understand why I gave up the glory of the stadiums to sit in my old neighborhood, drinking until I forgot everything. Because at one point, that’s what I wanted …and it’s the kind of decision that is difficult to come back from,” regrets Adriano.
What follows is a long story of his life in the favelas, marked by an event: the death of his father Mirinho. “A problem that I have still not been able to solve,” he emphasizes. It was Mirinho in particular who was firmly opposed to his alcohol consumption.
The full text (in English) here: https://www.theplayerstribune.com/adriano-letter-to-my-favela-english
