After introducing you to the 7 wasted French talents, Just Focus' reaction offers you this time the 7 foreign wasted talents of modern football. These players had everything to succeed. But making a fulfilling career in the world of football requires more than talent, it takes a mind of steel. The players on this list had everything to shine, but they exploded in mid-flight. Zoom on the biggest wasted talents of modern football.
Adriano
He was considered the successor to R9 on the football planet… It is with Inter Milan that has exploded with in particular very high-flying performances. During the 2004-2005 season, he scored 35 goals in 54 games with Inter and Brazil. "The Imperatore" smashes defenders, destroys the hands of opposing goalkeepers, ignites the nets of his power and talent. He had even become a major player in the Selecao. Adriano had all the qualities required for a striker : the strike, the head, the speed, the physicality, the dribbling,… The Brazilian striker had everything to become one of the greatest. At the end of 2004, his father died of cardiac arrest at only 44 years old. This death seems to be the trigger for the fall of his career. He would have fallen into depression and alcoholism. In addition, overweight, involved in drug affairs, whether in Italy or Brazil in different clubs, the striker will never regain his level.
Oscar
OscarOnly 13 years old, Oscar has to choose between FC Barcelona, Santos, Inter Milan or São Paulo because all these clubs are impressed by the dribbling ability and the strike of the young Brazilian. He chose São Paulo, which he left in 2010 for Inter Milan. The attacking midfielder established himself as one of the best players in the team and joined England in 2012. During his time at Chelsea, Oscar proves a little more that he has talent. He played a series of games and even became the player with the most games on the clock during the 2012-2013 season (76 games played). At only 25 years old, he chose to join China in 2017 where he managed to find his best level. His departure to Asia can be considered an economic choice since the player receives a salary of 25 million euros per year. Nevertheless, far from Europe, he will no longer have the light on him. 
Mario Balotelli
He was to become one of the greatest strikers on the football planet. Despite very good performances in each of the clubs where he went, he never really realized the hopes that were placed on him. The Italian has played for clubs such as Manchester City, AC Milan, Inter Milan and Liverpool. Currently in Serie B, on the side of Monza, the striker will surely never bounce back. 
Ricardo Quaresma
How can we not compare Quaresma's career and that of Cristiano Ronaldo? The two men were launched at the same time at Sporting, by Laszlo Bölöni, and left the nest the same year, in 2004, for a European giant, one heading to Barcelona, the other to Manchester. But the comparison ends there. CR7 has made the clubs where he has passed while Quaresma has never exploited his talent. At 37 years old now, Portuguese has passed through Spain, Portugal, England, Italy, Turkey and the United Arab Emirates. Wherever he played, he preferred to stack the series of dribbles and the outsides of the foot rather than put his qualities at the service of the collective. The winger has only scored 70 goals in his entire career. Too little for the one that was considered more promising than CR7. 
Robinho
Robinho is considered one of the best Brazilian strikers of the 2000s. He perfectly represents the typical Brazilian player. His style of play is technical and very spectacular. The winger has a lot of footballing qualities: speed, good tactical intelligence, impressive ball control. But over the course of his career, Robinho gradually sank, due to his inconsistency and fragility. But above all because of justice, with a resounding conviction for rape. If Robinho was endowed with an undeniable talent, his career in Europe is half-hearted. However, he signed for Real Madrid Galactics in 2005, and played for 3 years the role of free electron alongside Zidane, Figo and Ronaldo. He made appearances at Manchester City and AC Milan. And since 2014, he alternates between Chinese, Brazilian and Turkish clubs. 
Hachim Mastour
In 2014, Hachim Mastour was presented as a phenomenon, a crack, a future great star of football. It must be said that the footballer, aged 16 at the time, possessed qualities and technique above average. The Moroccan had all the biggest European clubs on him. He signed in Italy for AC Milan but everything did not go as planned. When he needed to play, AC Milan decided to loan him to Malaga CF and then to PEC Zwolle. Two consecutive loans with 183 minutes of play in total. He then freely committed to PAS Lamia 1964 (Greece) but failed to play a string of matches. In 2019, he bounced back to Serie C, in Reggina. Currently, at 22 years old, he plays in Serie B in Carpi where he has played 10 games this season. 
Alexandre Pato
In his early days, Alexandre Pato impressed Europe with his talent and his qualities as a striker. He had broken a record of precocity in his native country by beating King Pele. Arriving at AC Milan, the Brazilian impressed the Italian press who were fired up for this football player who had everything to become a great. He completed his first season with the Lombard club (2007-2008) with nine goals, all in 20 appearances in all competitions. Unfortunately for him, his repeated injuries and his bad understanding with Ibrahimovic will cost him the 2012 Golden Bottle prize (prize awarded to the worst player in Italy). After his experience at AC Milan, he went on to work for clubs without ever returning to the top level. He now plays for Orlando City, where at 31, he will unfortunately never bounce back. 
