A video of Brazilian football legend Adriano apparently drunk was published on social media, creating fear among his fans.

Adriano is known for playing for teams such as Inter Milan and Flamengo during his illustrious career, he also played for Brazil and made 48 appearances for his national team.

He retired in 2016 at the age of 34 and won 14 major honors in his career, including four Serie A titles with Inter. However, despite his success, the former striker could not reach the levels that many predicted when he took the field.

He was considered Ronaldo’s long-term heir apparent after making his Brazilian debut at the age of 18, but his life was thrown into turmoil after the death of his father.

The former star battled alcoholism and depression during his time in Italy. In an interview in 2018, he revealed that Inter hid the fact from the media, claiming that he was injured, and that he actually went to training drunk.

Former Inter Milan and Brazil striker Adriano featured in a social media clip sparking health concerns

The striker was considered a long-term successor to Ronaldo for the Brazilian national team.

‘Only I know how much I suffer. My father’s death left me with this huge void, I felt very alone. ‘Everything got worse after his death because I isolated myself.’ he told Brazilian outlet R7.

‘I was alone in Italy, sad and depressed, then I started drinking. I was only happy when I was drinking, I did it every night. I drank everything I could get my hands on: wine, whiskey, vodka, beer. Lots of beer.

‘I didn’t stop drinking and eventually had to leave Inter.’

Adriano’s scoring record at Inter dropped significantly in the 2006–07 season and he played only a minor role the following season as he battled his demons.

He was later loaned to Sao Paulo and spent most of his remaining playing days in his native Brazil.

The 42-year-old footballer’s video on social media, interrupted by somber music, includes the following message: ‘Why do many Brazilian footballers struggle like this after retirement?’ It was discussed by other users on the platform.

Adriano struggles with alcoholism and depression after his father’s death while at Inter

A user on X disputed the claim that the footage implied Adriano was going through hard times

The former player retired in 2016 after a career playing for teams such as Inter Milan, Flamengo and Brazil.

One wrote: ‘Adriano lives in one of the wealthiest areas of Rio de Janeiro, but also returns to the community where he grew up to hang out with friends and enjoy life. After his father died, he suffered from depression and alcoholism. ‘This app is full of imbeciles.’

Additionally, the community note added to the post read: ‘Emperor Footballer Adriano has no problems with alcohol. This post is a lie, Adriano is with his friends and having fun as usual.’