FIFA Confederations Cup: 5 best players in the history of the tournament

#3 Adriano

Adriano was one of the most feared strikers at one point

Brazil came into the 2005 Confederations Cup as World Champions and genuine contenders for the title but they didn’t have it easy during the group stages. The World Champions went on to win their first game against Greece but a loss to Mexico meant that they had to beat Japan in the last group fixture to advance to the semifinals.

The match ended in a 2-2 draw but Brazil went through thanks to a superior goal difference.

Brazil then faced Germany and Adriano scored a brace, including the winner, in a thrilling 3-2 encounter to set up a dream final against arch rivals Argentina. The striker delivered again as he bagged two more goals in the final when Brazil decimated their nemesis in a comfortable 4-1 win.

Adriano finished the tournament as the top scorer and also won the Golden Ball award, joining a prestigious list including Ronaldinho, Pires and Thierry Henry who bagged both the individual awards in the history of the competition.

Despite having all the attributes of becoming one of the greatest strikers in the world, Adriano’s career suffered a huge downfall due to his antics outside the field. A lesson to remember for any upcoming footballer!