3. Alexandre Pato
Alexandre Pato could been seen as a surprise entry in this list especially at #3, but when looking into it - it is truly justified. After becoming the top scorer of the Brazil's Sub-20 Campeonato, Pato was called up to Internacional's first team. In his first season in professional football, Pato achieved a prolific total - scoring 12 goals in 27 league games at the tender age of seventeen, a season in which his side achieved the 2006 FIFA Club World Cup. This promising start inevitably led to interest from across the globe and after spending a season in Brazil, Pato signed with Italian giants AC Milan. Due to FIFA regulations regarding non-EU minors, Pato was unable to play until January 2008 - when registration in Serie A was reopened. He characteristically scored on his debut for the side in a 5-2 win over Napoli, and went on to score a brace two weeks later. In his 18 appearances throughout his six-month campaign, Pato managed to score on 8 occasions - a relatively prolific debut season for at just 18 years of age. In the succeeding summer, the Brazilian represented his national side in the Beijing Olympics and won a bronze medal. Furthermore, he made his full international during this season after being called up by coach Dunga in March 2008. In the 2008-09 season, Pato achieved further success. In late 2008, Alexandre picked up a world class run of form - scoring two braces in a row against Udinese and Roma respectively. He continued this form by scoring six in four, a spell which including a game winner against Fiorentina. The season ended with the young Brazilian becoming the top goalscorer for his club, as well as making five international appearances. Following this, Pato amassed a similarly impressive season with 14 goals in 30 appearances in all competitions. He became the 2009 Serie A Young Football of the Year, consequently becoming the first Brazilian to do so. However, the season was disrupted on occasion by injury and he was unable to string together a long run of form as a result. This is denoted by the fact he made just 20 league appearances in the campaign, but he did show glimmers of genius despite this and won the Confederations Cup with Brazil. The subsequent season was also disrupted by injury, but Pato was able to similarly able to score crucial goals. After numerous spells on the treatment table, Pato ended the campaign with 14 goals in 25 league games and a Serie A winners medal to boot. The 2011-12 season was the beginning of the end for Pato's AC Milan career. With just 4 goals in 18 appearances, the Brazilian was far less vital than preceding campaigns which was one of the reasons for Milan's lack of success. It was reported in January 2012 that Pato was close to sealing a move with moneybags Paris St. Germain, but he refused to make the move and opted to stay with Milan. PSG were said to have offered a huge fee for the Brazilians services. He went on to suffer a thigh injury which left him on the sidelines for the rest of the season. His decision not to join PSG proved to be a poor one. After receiving the number 9 jersey at AC, Pato's 2012-13 campaign was ultimately his last after a January transfer to Brazilian side Corinthians. He scored twice in three appearances in Milan's Champions League tenure, but made just four appearances in the league without scoring. Though injury was a big reason for Milan selling Pato, the signing of El Shaarawy and the consequent bid for Mario Balotelli also became major causes for Pato returning to Brazil. His last year in AC Milan colours resulted in him picking up the infamous Bidone d'Oro. Once again, Pato scored on his debut for new club Corinthians and he has played consistently for the Brazilian side without picking up an injury thusfar. With 22 appearances and 7 goals, Pato seems to be picking up a run of form. However, the potential he once showed is very unlikely to be achieved with injury taking its toll as well as his inconsistency and lack of appearances. The impact that injuries have had could have led to him being omitted, but in his decision not to join Paris St. Germain due to commitment to AC Milan and then going on to leave the club anyway just a year later has led to his irrelevancy in the game.
Current Status: First team player for Brazilian first division side Corinthians.
What He Could Have Been: Key player for PSG and Brazil - one of the greatest in the world.