Adriano

The Emperor — at his peak in 2004 and 2005, Adriano Leite Ribeiro was arguably the most complete centre-forward in the world, combining power, pace, an extraordinary left-foot shot and technical quality that made him virtually unplayable. His performances for Inter Milan and for Brazil in the Copa América and Confederations Cup suggested a player who would challenge for the game's most decorated individual honours. Personal tragedy — the death of his father — and the mental health difficulties that followed led to a decline as precipitous as his rise had been spectacular, and the career that might have been haunts every discussion of football's greatest might-have-beens

Football at the highest level rewards technical mastery, physical conditioning and the mental fortitude to perform consistently across a long and unrelenting career. Career highlights included Copa América 2004, Serie A (Inter Milan), 45 Brazil caps, 27 goals. The true measure of a great football athlete is the ability to perform consistently over an extended period, and Adriano's career record demonstrates precisely that quality of sustained excellence. Few athletes in football have combined consistency and peak performance as effectively, and across such an extended period, as Adriano managed throughout his career. Adriano's achievements in football were built on technical discipline, physical preparation and competitive commitment that allowed performance to be maintained at the very top across multiple seasons. The dedication required to perform consistently in football at international level defined every aspect of Adriano's approach to the sport.

• Copa América 2004
• Serie A (Inter Milan)
• 45 Brazil caps, 27 goals