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International football

Robinho, Pato, Drenthe, Jesé... the ones who got away

One described as the next Pelé, Adu was touted as the brightest talent the US had ever produced. However, after moving to Portugal he became a journeyman and never lived up to that promise.
When he arrived at Milan Pato had a couple of decent seasons before gradually fading away and returning to Brazil via China.
Supposedly the new Ronaldo / Ronaldinho / Zico, Robinho's famous noctural habits hampered his Real Madrid career. He went on to move to Manchester City and Milan before winding up at İstanbul Başakşehir.
Considered the natural successor to Raúl González Blanco, Portillo never quite cut it at Madrid and after loans at Fiorentina and Brugge he slipped down the Spanish leagues with Gimnàstic, Osasuna and Hércules.
The next big thing in Englsih football when he burst onto the scene at Manchester City, his career was cut short by a series of injuries.
Nicknamed "Little Zizou" when he moved from Rennes to Milan, Gourcuff never quite managed to reach his full potential despite some wonderful one-off performances. After Italy, he passed through Bordeaux, Lyon, Rennes againa and Dijon and is currently a fr
After emerging out of the Feyenoord academy and signing for Real Madrid great things were expected of Drenthe, who went on to play for Hércules, Everton, Alania Vladikavkaz, Reading, Sheffield Wednesday, Kayseri Erciyesspor and Baniyas before finding a la
Dubbed the "atomic ant", Giovinco started out at Juve as a bright hope for Italian football but was hampered by injuries. A successful spell in MLS with Toronto followed before he moved to Al-Hilal this summer.
Under Carlo Ancelotti Jesé briefly touched the heights and would have made Spain's 2014 World Cup squad were it not for a knee injury. He was never the same player again and after a disastrous move to PSG he spent spells on loan with Las Palmas, Stoke and
The, ahem, "new Cristiano Ronaldo" never quite reached the level of his countryman and now plies his trade at Novara Calcio in Serie C.
The footballer with nine lives and undoubted skill started out at Manchester United in 2010 before passing through West Ham, Birmingham, QPR, Cardiff, Lazio, QPR again, Atlas and Östersund before rocking up at Sheffield United this summer.
A peer of Neymar at Santos, Ganso never quite delivered on his abilty and after ill-fated spells at Sevilla and Amiens he returned to Brazil with Fluminense.
After making his debut at Genoa aged 16, El Shaarawy moved to Milan before finding his place at Roma and then moving to Shanghai Shenhua.
Con una zurza prodigiosa el francés pasó en Newcastle sus mejores momentos como futbolista llegando a fichar años depués por el PSG. Actualmente se encuentra sin equipo.
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Freddy Adu

One described as the next Pelé, Adu was touted as the brightest talent the US had ever produced. However, after moving to Portugal he became a journeyman and never lived up to that promise.

Foto:Rafael SuanesMLS via Getty Images

Alexandre Pato

When he arrived at Milan Pato had a couple of decent seasons before gradually fading away and returning to Brazil via China.

Foto:Claudio VillaGetty Images

Robinho

Supposedly the new Ronaldo / Ronaldinho / Zico, Robinho's famous noctural habits hampered his Real Madrid career. He went on to move to Manchester City and Milan before winding up at İstanbul Başakşehir.

Foto:JUAN MEDINAREUTERS

Javier Portillo

Considered the natural successor to Raúl González Blanco, Portillo never quite cut it at Madrid and after loans at Fiorentina and Brugge he slipped down the Spanish leagues with Gimnàstic, Osasuna and Hércules.

Foto:Shaun BotterillGetty Images

Michael Johnson

The next big thing in Englsih football when he burst onto the scene at Manchester City, his career was cut short by a series of injuries.

Foto:Clive BrunskillGetty Images

Yoann Gourcuff

Nicknamed "Little Zizou" when he moved from Rennes to Milan, Gourcuff never quite managed to reach his full potential despite some wonderful one-off performances. After Italy, he passed through Bordeaux, Lyon, Rennes againa and Dijon and is currently a fr

Foto:Shaun BotterillGetty Images

Royston Drenthe

After emerging out of the Feyenoord academy and signing for Real Madrid great things were expected of Drenthe, who went on to play for Hércules, Everton, Alania Vladikavkaz, Reading, Sheffield Wednesday, Kayseri Erciyesspor and Baniyas before finding a la

Foto:PIERRE-PHILIPPE MARCOUAFP

Sebastian Giovinco

Dubbed the "atomic ant", Giovinco started out at Juve as a bright hope for Italian football but was hampered by injuries. A successful spell in MLS with Toronto followed before he moved to Al-Hilal this summer.

Foto:Valerio PennicinoGetty Images

Jesé Rodríguez

Under Carlo Ancelotti Jesé briefly touched the heights and would have made Spain's 2014 World Cup squad were it not for a knee injury. He was never the same player again and after a disastrous move to PSG he spent spells on loan with Las Palmas, Stoke and

Foto:Aurelien MeunierGetty Images

Federico Macheda

The, ahem, "new Cristiano Ronaldo" never quite reached the level of his countryman and now plies his trade at Novara Calcio in Serie C.

Foto:Matthew PetersMan Utd via Getty Images

Ravel Morrison

The footballer with nine lives and undoubted skill started out at Manchester United in 2010 before passing through West Ham, Birmingham, QPR, Cardiff, Lazio, QPR again, Atlas and Östersund before rocking up at Sheffield United this summer.

Foto:John PetersMan Utd via Getty Images

Ganso

A peer of Neymar at Santos, Ganso never quite delivered on his abilty and after ill-fated spells at Sevilla and Amiens he returned to Brazil with Fluminense.

Foto:CRISTINA QUICLERAFP

El Shaarawy

After making his debut at Genoa aged 16, El Shaarawy moved to Milan before finding his place at Roma and then moving to Shanghai Shenhua.

Foto:MAX ROSSIREUTERS

Ben Arfa

Con una zurza prodigiosa el francés pasó en Newcastle sus mejores momentos como futbolista llegando a fichar años depués por el PSG. Actualmente se encuentra sin equipo.

Foto:LOIC VENANCEAFP

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