There have been a number of players to have fallen foul of a label that has ultimately put a lot of pressure on their shoulders before their football career has even fully taken off.
Indeed, everyone likes to provide their own take on how good they believe a youngster can be in the future, whilst many like to make predictions by using sites like apuestas24 to find all the best odds available.
Here, though, are just some of the biggest names to have failed to live up to the hype that has surrounded them at various points throughout their careers.
Freddy Adu
Everyone that has followed football will likely know the name, Freddy Adu. The American was a sensation at a young age and was even called the ‘new Pele’ when he was just 14 years old. He signed the then-most expensive contract in MLS history at the time when he joined DC United in 2003, whilst Nike signed a contract with him worth $1 million as they believed he would be bigger than LeBron James.
After playing well in the MLS, Adu made the move to Europe, but spells with Benfica, AS Monaco, Belenenses, Aris, Caykur Rizespor but moved back to America before going on adventures in Brazil, Serbia, Finland and then back to America. Currently 31, Adu finds himself in Sweden with Osterlen.
Adriano
Everyone will remember how good Adriano was in his heyday, however problems off the pitch ultimately stopped him from becoming a sure-fire Brazilian legend. He was touted to be the successor to Ronaldo and after prolific spells at Parma and Inter Milan, where he won four Serie A titles consecutively, he looked to be heading in the right direction.
However, the death of his father in 2004 sent him spiralling as he fell into a deep depression that involved him partying late into the nights and arriving at training in less than prime condition.
His team-mates tried to help him but everything failed. He moved back to Brazil before returning to Italy with AS Roma but retired in 2016 after a period in the MLS.
Kleberson
Another Brazilian, Kleberson had plenty to live up to when he signed for Manchester United in 2003; the same day Cristiano Ronaldo also arrived. The Brazilian was in high demand after impressing at the 2002 FIFA World Cup, but he failed to live up to the hype.
Kleberson would last just two seasons at Old Trafford before heading to Besiktas in Turkey but was soon in Brazil and America to finish out his playing days in 2016.
Alexandre Pato
Perhaps we need to stop labelling Brazilian players as phenomenons and generational talents, as Alexandre Pato also failed to live up to the tag. At the age of 19, Pato looked destined for greatness as he copied what Pele had done in a match for Brazil and led to AC Milan to sign him for a huge €24 million.
It would not have been helped by the fact that the Brazil manager at the time, legendary Dunga, described the teenager as someone who isn’t a “normal talent”. Indeed, Pato started well in Serie A with I Rossoneri, as he netted consecutive double-figure goal seasons and helped them win the Scudetto in 2010/11.
However, injuries started to pile up and he would then lose what he had, thus resulting in him being sent back to Brazil when Corinthians signed him. He would head to Chelsea in a surprise loan move, but that did not work out and would then head to China and play for Tianjin Quanjian – where he fared rather well.
Still only 30-years-old, he currently plays for Sao Paulo, although whether he will reach the heights many expected of him remains highly questionable.
