1. Overview
Luiz Adriano de Souza da Silva (born 12 April 1987), commonly known as Luiz Adriano (luˈiz ˌadɾiˈɐnuPortuguese), is a Brazilian professional footballer who plays as a striker for Vitória. Born in Porto Alegre, he began his career at his hometown club Internacional before moving to Shakhtar Donetsk in 2007. During his significant tenure at Shakhtar, he became the club's all-time leading goalscorer and achieved notable successes, including winning the UEFA Cup and multiple Ukrainian titles. He later played for prominent clubs such as Milan, Spartak Moscow, Palmeiras, and Antalyaspor, securing further domestic and international honors, including two Copa Libertadores titles with Palmeiras. Luiz Adriano also earned his first call-up to the Brazil national team in 2014.
2. Early Life and Career
Luiz Adriano's early life in Porto Alegre laid the foundation for his professional football career, which began with his development in youth academies and led to a notable professional debut with Internacional.
2.1. Youth Career
Luiz Adriano spent his formative years developing his skills within the youth academy of his hometown club, Internacional. His dedication and talent during this period prepared him for a successful transition into professional football.
2.2. Internacional
Luiz Adriano made his professional debut with Internacional and quickly gained attention for his performances, particularly during the 2006 FIFA Club World Cup. In December 2006, he scored the decisive goal for Internacional in their 2-1 victory over Al Ahly during the semi-final round of the tournament. In the final against Barcelona, the reigning European champions, Luiz Adriano came on as a late substitute. He played a vital role in setting up Adriano Gabiru's 82nd-minute winner, which secured the FIFA Club World Cup title for Internacional.
3. Club Career
Luiz Adriano's professional club career spans several prominent teams across Europe and Brazil, marked by numerous achievements, record-breaking performances, and significant transfers.
3.1. Shakhtar Donetsk
Luiz Adriano transferred to Ukrainian club Shakhtar Donetsk on 2 March 2007 for a reported transfer fee of 3.00 M EUR. He made his debut in the Ukrainian Premier League on 19 March 2007 against city rivals Metalurh Donetsk, at the age of 19 years, 11 months, and 7 days. His first goal for the club came nearly a year later, in the 94th minute of a 4-1 win over Metalist Kharkiv on 15 March 2008.
On 28 August 2008, Adriano scored his first goal in Europe, netting his side's opening goal in their 3-1 second-leg victory over Dinamo Zagreb, which secured Shakhtar's place in the group stage of the UEFA Champions League. He also scored the opening goal of the 2009 UEFA Cup Final against Werder Bremen, a match Shakhtar won 2-1 after extra time. On 16 February 2011, Luiz Adriano scored the winning goal against Roma in a 3-2 away victory during the first leg of the Champions League round of 16. By 7 May 2011, he scored his 50th Shakhtar goal in a 2-0 league win over Metalurh Donetsk.
3.1.1. 2012-13 season
On 10 July 2012, Luiz Adriano opened the scoring in the 2012 Ukrainian Super Cup against cup holders Metalurh Donetsk, helping Shakhtar claim the trophy with a 2-0 victory. He netted his first goal of the 2012-13 Premier League season in a 3-0 victory over Karpaty Lviv. He scored the last goal in a 3-1 victory over Dynamo Kyiv on 2 September and the third goal in a 3-0 victory over Zorya Luhansk on 15 September, assisted by compatriot Willian.
On 20 November 2012, in a Champions League match against Danish team Nordsjælland, Luiz Adriano scored a highly controversial 1-1 equalizer. Following an injury to a Nordsjælland player, the referee initiated a dropped-ball to return possession to the Danish side. Shakhtar's Willian attempted to kick the ball back to the Nordsjælland goalkeeper, but Luiz Adriano unexpectedly intercepted the pass, rounded the goalkeeper, and scored into an empty net. This action provoked strong protests from the Nordsjælland players and the crowd, leading to widespread debate about sportsmanship. UEFA subsequently opened a disciplinary case against Luiz Adriano, banning him for one game for unsporting behavior. Shakhtar publicly expressed deep disappointment with the player's actions and supported UEFA's decision, with coach Mircea Lucescu issuing an apology for the incident.
3.1.2. 2013-14 season
Luiz Adriano began the 2013-14 season in the Ukrainian Super Cup against Chornomorets Odesa, where Shakhtar won 3-1, though he did not score. He opened his league account on 14 July 2013, scoring his side's second goal in the final minute of normal time in a 2-0 victory over Hoverla Uzhhorod. On 27 November 2013, he scored once as Shakhtar defeated Real Sociedad 4-0 in their penultimate group match of the Champions League. In Shakhtar's next match, a league victory over Chornomorets, he scored the game's only goal.
Luiz Adriano scored both of Shakhtar's goals in their 2-0 win over Dynamo Kyiv in the Ukrainian derby on 16 April 2014. In the subsequent Premier League match against city-rivals Metalurh, he scored the game-winning goal as Shakhtar came from a goal down to win 2-1. On 11 May, Luiz Adriano scored twice, helping Shakhtar clinch their fifth consecutive league title with a 3-1 win over Zorya Luhansk. In the final league match of the season on 18 May, he scored both goals in a 2-0 victory over Volyn Lutsk, finishing as the league's leading goal-scorer with 20 strikes.
3.1.3. 2014-15 season
On 30 September 2014, Luiz Adriano put Shakhtar ahead 2-0 against Porto with less than five minutes remaining, but the Ukrainian champions conceded two late goals to draw 2-2. On 17 October, he scored twice and provided an assist for Alex Teixeira as Shakhtar defeated Volyn Lutsk 6-2.
On 21 October, playing against Belarusian team BATE Borisov in the Champions League, Luiz Adriano scored five goals, becoming only the second player-after Lionel Messi (a feat later equalled by Erling Haaland in 2023)-to score five goals in a Champions League match. His hat-trick took 11 minutes, making it the third-fastest in the competition's history. He scored three goals in a seven-minute span, which was the quickest ever, and his four first-half goals set a record for a player in the competition. With his fourth and fifth goals of the match, he surpassed Andriy Vorobey to become Shakhtar's all-time leading goalscorer with 117 goals. These five goals also established him as Shakhtar's all-time leading goalscorer in European competitions with 29 goals.
In Shakhtar's next Champions League match, hosting BATE on 5 November, Luiz Adriano scored another hat-trick, starting with a 58th-minute penalty, as his team won 5-0. In doing so, he became the first player ever to score back-to-back hat-tricks in the competition. In the 2014-15 Champions League group stage, Shakhtar finished second in their group, qualifying for the knockout phase. In the six group games, Luiz Adriano equaled Messi's record of five goals in a single Champions League match and matched Cristiano Ronaldo's record of scoring nine goals in the group stage, leading UEFA to name him the best player of the season's Champions League group stage phase.
3.2. Milan
On 2 July 2015, Luiz Adriano signed a five-year deal with Milan for a transfer fee of 8.00 M EUR. Milan reportedly paid an additional 6.00 M EUR to unknown parties. He made his debut on 17 August in the third round of the Coppa Italia, scoring the second goal in a 2-0 win over Perugia at the San Siro. He scored his first Serie A goal on 29 August 2015 in a 2-1 home win against Empoli. In January 2016, Milan agreed to an offer from Chinese Super League side Jiangsu Suning to sell Luiz Adriano for a reported fee of 14.00 M EUR. However, the deal could not be completed after Luiz Adriano and Jiangsu Suning failed to agree on personal terms during negotiations, with the player citing a lack of salary guarantee as the reason for the breakdown.
3.3. Spartak Moscow
On 16 January 2017, Luiz Adriano signed a long-term contract with FC Spartak Moscow. He contributed to the club's success, including winning the Russian Premier League title and the Russian Super Cup.
3.4. Palmeiras
On 30 July 2019, Luiz Adriano signed a four-year deal with Palmeiras. On 3 November 2020, he scored his first hat-trick for the club in a 3-1 win over Guarani. Luiz Adriano won back-to-back Copa Libertadores titles in 2020 and 2021 with Palmeiras, beating Santos and Flamengo respectively. He also won the Campeonato Paulista and the Copa do Brasil with the club.
3.5. Antalyaspor
Luiz Adriano was transferred to Antalyaspor on 4 February 2022, signing a one-and-a-half-year contract with the Turkish club.
3.6. Return to Internacional
On 22 February 2023, Luiz Adriano officially returned to his first professional club, Internacional, signing a contract until June 2024.
4. International Career
Luiz Adriano's international career primarily involved representing Brazil at both youth and senior levels, despite a brief consideration of playing for Ukraine.
In March 2013, Luiz Adriano indicated that he would be likely to accept a call-up for the Ukraine national team if asked. However, as he had represented Brazil at the youth level and did not possess a Ukrainian passport at that time, he was ineligible to play for countries other than Brazil or his ancestral nations.
On 23 October 2014, Luiz Adriano received his first call-up to the Brazil national team for friendly matches against Turkey and Austria in November. He made his debut on 12 November against Turkey, playing 73 minutes of a 4-0 win before being replaced by fellow debutant Roberto Firmino.
5. Style of Play
Luiz Adriano is primarily deployed as a main striker, although he is capable of playing in other offensive positions. He is recognized for his technical proficiency, consistent performance, and composure when facing the goal. A quick player, he possesses the ability to score with both feet. His physical strength allows him to effectively hold up the ball with his back to goal, bringing teammates into attacking play. Additionally, he is noted for his strong positional sense and his skill in playing off the last defender, enabling him to make well-timed attacking runs that beat the offside trap.
According to his former coach at Shakhtar, Mircea Lucescu, Luiz Adriano is a player who rarely gets injured. Lucescu described him as a "powerful footballer" who excels in aerial duels, stating, "Despite the fact that he is not tall, Adriano plays as if his height is about two meters! He fights for the ball in the penalty area, always looking for opportunities to net a goal. He is a proper striker."
6. Personal Life
Luiz Adriano's personal life is rooted in his family background. His father worked as a security guard at a chemical plant, and his mother was a housewife; his parents are divorced. He has two brothers, Murillo, who is also a footballer, and Fabiano, and two sisters, Patricia and Caroline. Growing up, his childhood idols in football included Brazilian legends Romário and Ronaldo. Luiz Adriano has four tattoos: one on his hand, one on his back, one on his arm, and one on his neck.
7. Career Statistics
This section provides a comprehensive statistical breakdown of Luiz Adriano's career achievements across all clubs and the national team.
7.1. Club Statistics
| Club | Season | League | State league | National cup | Continental | Other | Total | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Internacional | 2006 | Série A | 12 | 0 | 2 | 1 | - | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 16 | 2 | |
| 2007 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | - | 1 | 0 | - | 2 | 0 | ||||
| Total | 12 | 0 | 3 | 1 | - | 1 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 18 | 2 | |||
| Shakhtar Donetsk | 2006-07 | Ukrainian Premier League | 5 | 0 | - | 1 | 0 | - | - | 6 | 0 | |||
| 2007-08 | 13 | 4 | - | 5 | 1 | 1 | 0 | - | 19 | 5 | ||||
| 2008-09 | 12 | 4 | - | 3 | 1 | 14 | 4 | - | 29 | 9 | ||||
| 2009-10 | 23 | 11 | - | 1 | 0 | 11 | 6 | 1 | 0 | 36 | 17 | |||
| 2010-11 | 21 | 10 | - | 5 | 4 | 10 | 4 | 1 | 2 | 37 | 20 | |||
| 2011-12 | 23 | 12 | - | 5 | 1 | 6 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 35 | 16 | |||
| 2012-13 | 19 | 7 | - | 5 | 4 | 7 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 32 | 15 | |||
| 2013-14 | 25 | 20 | - | 5 | 2 | 8 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 39 | 25 | |||
| 2014-15 | 21 | 9 | - | 4 | 3 | 7 | 9 | 1 | 0 | 33 | 21 | |||
| Total | 162 | 77 | - | 34 | 16 | 64 | 32 | 6 | 3 | 266 | 128 | |||
| Milan | 2015-16 | Serie A | 26 | 4 | - | 3 | 2 | - | - | 29 | 6 | |||
| 2016-17 | 7 | 0 | - | 0 | 0 | - | 0 | 0 | 7 | 0 | ||||
| Total | 33 | 4 | - | 3 | 2 | - | 0 | 0 | 36 | 6 | ||||
| Spartak Moscow | 2016-17 | Russian Premier League | 8 | 2 | - | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 2 | |
| 2017-18 | 25 | 10 | - | 4 | 1 | 8 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 38 | 15 | |||
| 2018-19 | 22 | 6 | - | 2 | 0 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 29 | 7 | |||
| 2019-20 | 3 | 1 | - | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 1 | |||
| Total | 58 | 19 | - | 6 | 1 | 13 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 78 | 25 | |||
| Palmeiras | 2019 | Série A | 13 | 6 | - | - | 2 | 1 | - | 15 | 7 | |||
| 2020 | 24 | 10 | 14 | 3 | 7 | 2 | 7 | 5 | 2 | 0 | 54 | 20 | ||
| 2021 | 19 | 3 | 6 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 7 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 35 | 5 | ||
| Total | 56 | 19 | 20 | 4 | 9 | 2 | 16 | 7 | 3 | 0 | 104 | 32 | ||
| Antalyaspor | 2021-22 | Turkish Süper Lig | 15 | 4 | - | 1 | 0 | - | - | 16 | 4 | |||
| 2022-23 | 19 | 2 | - | 3 | 2 | - | - | 22 | 4 | |||||
| Total | 34 | 6 | - | 4 | 2 | - | - | 38 | 8 | |||||
| Internacional | 2023 | Série A | 0 | 0 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 1 |
| Career total | 355 | 125 | 27 | 6 | 57 | 23 | 96 | 43 | 12 | 5 | 547 | 202 | ||
7.2. International Statistics
| National team | Year | Apps | Goals |
|---|---|---|---|
| Brazil | 2014 | 2 | 0 |
| 2015 | 2 | 0 | |
| Total | 4 | 0 | |
8. Honours
Luiz Adriano has accumulated numerous team and individual honors throughout his distinguished career, reflecting his impact across various clubs and competitions.
8.1. Club Honours
Internacional
- FIFA Club World Cup: 2006
Shakhtar Donetsk
- Ukrainian Premier League (6): 2007-08, 2009-10, 2010-11, 2011-12, 2012-13, 2013-14
- Ukrainian Cup: 2007-08, 2010-11, 2011-12, 2012-13
- Ukrainian Super Cup (5): 2008, 2010, 2012, 2013, 2014
- UEFA Cup: 2008-09
- United Tournament: 2014
Milan
- Supercoppa Italiana: 2016
Spartak Moscow
- Russian Premier League: 2016-17
- Russian Super Cup: 2017
Palmeiras
- Campeonato Paulista: 2020
- Copa do Brasil: 2020
- Copa Libertadores: 2020, 2021
Brazil U20
- South American Youth Championship: 2007
8.2. Individual Honours
- Ukrainian Cup top scorer: 2012-13
- Ukrainian Premier League top scorer: 2013-14
- UEFA Champions League Group Stage MVP: 2014-15
- Copa Libertadores Team of the year: 2020