Alexandre Pato: What happened to this wonderkid?
In 2006 when Alexandre Pato burst onto the scene, his talent was hailed as unprecedented. People dubbed him the next Pelé, the next Kaká, the next Ronaldo. He became Nike's poster boy, dated high-profile celebrities, and even the daughter of a billionaire politician. He seemed to be on top of the world. However, suddenly and inexplicably, he embarked on a staggering descent into irrelevance that was painful to witness.
What led to this downfall? Was it due to injuries? Did his playboy lifestyle distract him from football? Was it a mental challenge, or did he simply lose his touch? Well, today we’re gonna do our best to shed some light on it.
Even before he entered the spotlight, his life held remarkable twists. He suffered a broken arm at the age of 10, and a grave tumor was discovered during a medical examination. The situation was dire, and they considered amputation as a potential solution. Fortunately, surgery proved sufficient, and he moved forward with his life. Then, in 2006, at just 16 years old, Internacional invited him to participate in the Brazilian Under-20 Championship as a trial run. Keep in mind that he was four years younger than everyone else.
However, by the end of the tournament, he not only scored in the final, helping his team win but also emerged as the top scorer with 7 goals in 8 games, earning him the coveted Player of the Tournament award.
The news reverberated across every corner of Brazil, with rumors suggesting that the next Pelé had emerged. The national team wasted no time in expressing their interest, and within little more than a month, Pato found himself en route to Japan for a tournament with the Brazilian under-19 squad. As he stepped onto the pitch in the iconic yellow shirt for the first time, it felt like a match made in heaven. Just 35 minutes in, he had already secured a hat-trick. The final proved even more dramatic, with Pato waiting until the 95th minute to seal the match. He not only claimed the trophy but also earned both the top scorer and player of the tournament accolades.
With the entire nation at his feet, the next big opportunity beckoned. The club's president, conceiving a lucrative transfer, sought to boost Pato's market value further. He asked the coach to register Pato for the upcoming club World Cup. The coach, initially hesitant, decided to let Pato train with the first team, with the possibility of earning a spot on the squad. On the day of the trial, a match was arranged between the reserves and the main squad. Pato left no doubt by scoring not once, not twice, but three times, leaving a lasting impression.
The reporters watched in bewilderment, their heads filled with questions about the young talent who had just left them speechless. As the players made their way to the locker room, the journalists' inquiries weren't about the World Cup or the upcoming match; they were fixated on a different subject. "Who on earth is that kid?" they pondered.
One of the players took a moment to respond to the persistent reporters, saying, "Well, he's the most complete player I've seen since Ronaldo. He possesses strength, speed, dribbling skills, the ability to shoot with both feet, and intelligence. To be honest, I'm a bit apprehensive about how good he might become." After such a remarkable cameo, there was no doubt in the coach's mind. Pato not only earned a place on the roster for the Club World Cup but also secured a spot in the starting lineup for the next match against Palmeiras.
In a remarkable turn of events, in the very first minute of his professional football debut, Pato scored right from the kickoff. By the 60-minute mark, despite having to leave the pitch due to an ankle injury, he had already contributed with two assists and had even struck the crossbar on another occasion.
At the Club World Cup, Pato continued to fuel the excitement by scoring in the opening match, which helped his team advance to the final. In doing so, he became the youngest player ever to score in a FIFA-organized tournament since Pelé at the 1958 World Cup. When he stepped onto the pitch for the final against Barcelona, the magnitude of his achievements over the past four months suddenly struck him. There, beside him, stood Ronaldinho. Pato couldn't contain his amazement and told Ronaldinho, "I can't believe you're here; this looks nothing like the video games." In response, Ronaldinho promised him his jersey. In the end, Internacional defied the odds and claimed the trophy, but for 17-year-old Pato, obtaining Ronaldinho's shirt made him feel like a winner already.
Pato's rise to stardom seemed relentless, with everyone vying for a piece of the young talent. The following month, he participated in the Sudamericano tournament with the Brazilian under-20 squad and once again demonstrated his prowess by scoring twice in just 29 minutes of play. By the tournament's conclusion, Brazil was crowned champions once more, although this time a 19-year-old Uruguayan named Edinson Cavani outscored Pato and claimed the top scorer award with two more goals.
In 2007, Pato began what was supposed to be his first full season with the senior squad. Many anticipated that his rapid success might inflate his ego and turn him into an insufferable diva. However, Pato proved to be a remarkable young man – humble, eager to learn from the seasoned players, and fully invested in his development.
The entire squad supported him, ensuring that he had everything needed to thrive. The year progressed with moments of euphoria, including his pivotal goals in both legs of the Recopa Sudamericana and his standout performance in the under-20 World Cup, despite Brazil's somewhat disappointing overall performance.
At this stage, Pato was just three months shy of his 18th birthday, and the pressure for him to move to Europe had reached its zenith. Clubs like Chelsea and Real Madrid were vying for his signature, but fate would have it that AC Milan took the lead and sealed the deal even before he could complete a full season in Brazil.
The Football World talked about the transfer fee, a staggering 24 million euros, making him the second most expensive player in the history of Brazilian football before he was even eligible to vote. If the weight of this price tag wasn't enough, AC Milan further heightened the pressure by assigning Shevchenko's iconic number 7 to him. It was a daunting task to fill those big boots, and Pato's agent foreshadowed the challenges, saying, "I've told him not to think that he has already made it. He's talented… yes, but things are happening too fast."
Even before being officially registered, Pato had already scored in a friendly against Dinamo Kyiv. Before his official debut, AC Milan's technical director boldly predicted at the Ballon d'Or ceremony that 17-year-old Pato would be claiming the award the following year. It was an immense burden to place on a teenager, but he did make that statement. The week after, Pato scored on his debut, and by the end of his first season, he had amassed 9 goals in 13 starts.
After being likened to a mix of Kaka and Ronaldo De Lima, Pato had the opportunity to play alongside both of them, leading to an iconic and career-defining moment in the dressing room. Ronaldo presented Pato with a Playboy magazine, pointing to Kaka in prayer, and told him, "You can either be on my side or their side; the choice is up to you."
Pato was often surrounded by world-class players, with the likes of Beckham, Shevchenko, and Ronaldinho joining the squad. After adapting to the team for half a season, he hit a remarkable form, partnering with Kaka and Inzaghi, scoring 7 goals in 5 matches despite not playing the full 90 minutes in all of them. This secured his position as an indispensable member of the starting eleven.
He capitalized on this opportunity, scoring 6 goals in the next 7 matches, until an injury to his right thigh brought a temporary halt, a recurring theme in his career. Nevertheless, he finished the league season with 22 goals and assists, averaging about one every 100 minutes – an exceptional feat for a player of his age.
Roman Abramovich offered a staggering 45 million pounds for him, only 1.6 million pounds less than the world record transfer fee at the time. The deal didn't go through primarily because AC Milan had accepted a better offer for Kaká, and they were afraid to face the fans if another star player were to leave. In the new season, just two months in, Pato once again made global headlines as he scored twice at the Santiago Bernabeu, putting AC Milan in the lead on two occasions, first dribbling past the keeper and then with a volleyed strike.
In December, Pato was awarded the Golden Boy accolade, but yet another injury to his right thigh sidelined him for two entire months. Upon his return, he displayed brilliance, scoring five goals in the five matches he played. However, that same injury struck for a third time, causing him to miss another month. When he made his comeback again, he managed just 15 minutes of playing time before succumbing to yet another injury. It was evident that something was seriously amiss.
Before he could regain his form, the season had come to an end, and despite being chosen as the model for the national team's Nike commercials and gracing the covers of numerous newspapers when Brazil was mentioned, he wasn't even called up for the World Cup. After such a promising start, how had it all unraveled so swiftly?
AC Milan was now under the management of Massimiliano Allegri, and unlike Ancelotti, Allegri struggled to bring out Pato's best. Pato began dating Barbara Berlusconi, the daughter of the club's president and Italy's prime minister, Silvio Berlusconi, a highly influential figure in Europe. This not only put him in the spotlight but also created an awkward dynamic, making him seem untouchable among his teammates. Nevertheless, he continued to score goals and impressed during his first year with Allegri, trailing only Ibrahimovic in the scoring charts as AC Milan reclaimed the Scudetto.
The issue of injuries, however, persisted. Pato missed two weeks in October, another two in March, nearly a full month in April, and six whole weeks in May, almost jeopardizing his participation in the Copa America, which, in hindsight, might have been a blessing as Brazil had a deeply disappointing tournament.
Amid this turmoil, he still managed remarkable moments, starting the season with one of the most spectacular in his career. Facing Barcelona in the Champions League group stage at Camp Nou, he made one of the strongest squads in history look like amateurs. Right from kick-off, he effortlessly glided toward the goal and slotted the ball between the legs of Victor Valdes, scoring only 24 seconds into the match. Pep Guardiola would later comment, "It could have been Busquets, it could have been Usain Bolt; no one was catching him, not even with a machine gun.”
Unfortunately, it appears that this was the moment when Pato's prime came to an end rather than fading away. Another injury followed shortly after, marking the decline of his career. Over the next year and a half, Pato would accumulate nearly 1,000 minutes of playing time for AC Milan, along with six more injuries. The medical team tried everything, but it seemed that regardless of how prepared he appeared, an injury would occur within minutes of his playing time. Some suggested it was a psychological issue, while others even mentioned the length of the grass at the San Siro stadium as a potential cause.
However, Pato took the matter into his own hands and sought help in Brazil. The same doctor who had treated Kaká assisted him, and while he tried to avoid casting blame, it was evident that the doctor believed the AC Milan medical team was inadequately qualified. The solution was relatively straightforward – Pato had injured his thigh, and this pain was embedded in his subconscious. He would subconsciously attempt to protect the muscle, causing it to weaken, atrophy, and become more prone to injury. This led to a vicious cycle, making him increasingly susceptible to injuries. To regain his fitness, he needed to work carefully until he regained stability, but perhaps, by that time, it was already too late.
In his final six months at AC Milan, Pato experienced a dramatic decline in his career. He was even labeled as the worst player in the league according to the Bidone D'Oro Award. There were problems with the fans, who reportedly confronted him about his performances. His girlfriend broke up with him due to his constant partying, which strained his relationship with the club's president.
Newspapers were relentless in their coverage of his struggles, and in the end, Pato told the press that he was seeking a club where he could receive more playing time. It was apparent that, at this point, he was trying to escape from the mounting issues he faced. Although he had been a nice, hardworking boy initially, the pivotal moment when Ronaldo made him choose between hard work and a playboy lifestyle seemed to have corrupted him over time, driven by his fame and fortune.
Corinthians, in need of a new star after the departures of Ronaldo and Adriano, paid 15 million for 50% of Pato's rights, and he returned to Brazil with the promise of eventually making a comeback. Upon leaving AC Milan, Pato made public statements about the medical team, blaming them for ruining his career and implying that there were systemic issues at the club regarding frequent injuries and a lack of solutions. He stated, "I've paid the price, but I'm definitely not the one at fault."
However, his return to Brazil was far from smooth. At just 23 years old, the expectations were immense as he had left Brazil as the next Ronaldo, and fans expected him to return as such. A goal drought of nine games exacerbated matters, and a missed penalty in the Copa do Brasil led to fans trying to attack him. Pato felt so unsafe that he had to employ six security guards.
The situation was awkward, and he was ultimately loaned to rivals São Paulo. His first season there wasn't exceptional, but his second season saw a return to form, with 36 goals and assists in 59 matches. Everything seemed to be falling into place. His partnership with Kaká, fewer injuries, and playing in a wider role contributed to his success.
However, there were reports that over the years, Pato had lost much of his motivation to play, earning him the nickname "The Crab" from Milan fans for his lack of forward running. The Brazilian legend Tostão even expressed doubts about Pato's quality, describing him as a "fragmented footballer" who made too many mistakes.
Pato expressed his desire to join a Premier League team and ended up at Chelsea.
Unfortunately, he received very little playing time, leading to theories that his signing was a distraction tactic during a challenging period for the club. He played only twice for Chelsea before returning to Brazil, and he was then loaned to Villarreal for just 3 million euros.
In Spain, his performances were lukewarm, and injuries were a concern. Villarreal profited by selling him to Tianjin Tianhai in China for a substantial 18 million euros. Pato excelled in China, helping the club to a surprising 3rd place finish and a quarter-final appearance in the Asian Champions League.
He later returned to São Paulo as a 29-year-old but faced difficulties securing playing time. After ongoing issues with the club's board, his contract was terminated. Pato endured six months without playing before joining Orlando City. However, he has had limited time on the field due to surgery and is now 32 years old.
Despite early promise, Pato's career never saw a Ballon d'Or or a Champions League victory. His potential, once so promising, was ultimately unfulfilled, leaving us to wonder what could have been.
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