Adriano Leite Ribeiro Brazil

Adriano’s career on the Brazilian national team in 1999, when he was a member of the Brazil squad that won that year's FIFA U-17 World Championship in New Zealand. Then in November of the following year, he made his debut with the senior team after a call-up from Emerson Leao for a Korea/Japan 2002 qualifying match against Colombia. Brazil won 1-0 on the night, with Adriano coming on for Franca for the final 12 minutes. Blessed with awesome strength, enviable craft and a ruthless streak that makes the 23-year-old deadly from anywhere inside the box, Adriano really came of age as a marksman in 2001. He hit six goals to finish top scorer with the Brazil side that won that year's South American U-20 Championship in Ecuador, and then grabbed another half-dozen to finish second-highest scorer at the FIFA World Youth Championship later that year in Argentina. Unfortunately, Korea/Japan 2002 came a little too soon for the striker and he was not chosen to be part of Scolari's squad. However, he was back in the side again the following year, scoring his first senior goal in Brazil's 3-0 friendly win over Nigeria on 11 June. He also took part in that year's FIFA Confederations Cup in France. However, it is the 2004 Copa America that will be remembered as the tournament where Adriano finally arrived. As well as being voted best player in Peru, the Brazilian also picked up the top-scorer award with seven goals in eight games, none more important than his last-gasp equaliser in the final. Trailing 2-1 and playing catch-up to a rampant Argentina, Adriano stunned the 'Albiceleste' with a superb goal on the spin that forced the game into extra time. Penalties ensued, and the forward was first to volunteer, converting his spot-kick to send Brazil on the way to a sweet victory over their arch-rivals.