8 World Class Footballers (Who Were Useless By 30)

Adriano was billed as the "Next Ronaldo" when, aged 19, he made the move from boyhood club Flamengo to Italian giants Inter Milan, and it was pretty easy to see why. The young striker was a veritable powerhouse, boasting all of the raw tools needed for a long and prosperous career in football.

And, for a little while, it looked as though that was how things would turn out. The Brazilian - after six months at Fiorentina, followed by a year at Parma - eventually established himself as one of Inter's leading men, helping his side to a Calciopoli-aided Serie A title in 2006. But that's when things started to go badly wrong.

Personal demons curtailed Adriano's 2007-08 season, and the club lost patience altogether the following year. A return to Brazil initially helped him rediscover his scoring touch, but things turned sour when he was brought back to Europe by Roma in 2010. By age 30, he could scarcely find a club.