Once one of the most feared strikers in Europe, and arguably the greatest video-game athlete of all time from the Pro Evolution Soccer series, Adriano is now living in a favela controlled by a dangerous gang in his home city of Rio de Janeiro.
We've been keeping you up to date with the Brazilian striker's latest movements over the years as the enigmatic former Inter Milan hitman has a cult following due to both his ability in the ultra popular PES games and also for the incredible goals he scored in a purple patch of form from 2004-2006.
Sadly it first started with the alarming images of the weight he had put on since being released by Brazilian side Flamengo in 2012, as he was almost unrecognisable from his former self.
But then he got his act together, lost weight, as was on the verge of a move to Le Harve, a second-tier French side who were willing to offer him a route back to European football.
But sadly, that move broke down and Adriano was still without a club. Clearly, an escape to somewhere like France was what he needed as the next we heard about Adriano he was being pulled up for drug trafficking charges in Brazil.
Prosecutors have said that Adriano bought a motorcycle in 2008 and registered it in the name of the mother of known drug trafficker Paulo Rogerio de Souza Paz, and this vehicle was then used for the trafficking of drugs in one of Rio's favelas which was controlled by a Brazilian gang who go by the name of Comando Vermelho or "Red Command".
Buying drug traffickers motorbikes for protection did not sound like a good situation to be in, more on that later.
Then we thought we finally had some positive news to report in January of this year, as lower league US club Miami United announced his signing on Twitter:
Ready twitter? HAVE AT IT!! pic.twitter.com/FIDDDzJhYB
— MIAMI UNITED F.C. (@miamiunitedfc) January 29, 2016
He made just one appearance for the club before returning to Brazil.
But now the situation appears to have worsened yet again, as a report by the Daily Star has revealed that Adriano is now living in a favela controlled by the 'Red Command' that we mentioned earlier, and has pledged his loyalty to the gang in order for protection.
He has been seen on social media throwing up gang signs and holding AK47s in the air.
According to Brazilian lawyers, he depends on a deadly gang known as the Red Command for protection in order to live in the slum.
The fraternity have been part of Rio's long-running gang war – killing thousands in order to dominate the city's lucrative drug trade.
The area of Rio that he lives in is one of the most dangerous in the city, which is pretty damn alarming for a city as dangerous as Rio de Janeiro.
It's sad to see for a player who finished two tournaments as top scorer for Brazil and was once one of the hottest prospects in European football.
