Having taken his first footballing steps in the ranks of Flamengo, the team with whom he made his professional football debut, he arrived in Italy to wear the Inter shirt in 2001.

After a brief spell with Fiorentina, he arrived at Parma in the 2002/03 season. In his two seasons with the Gialloblu, Adriano cemented his status as a rising star of world football, forming a formidable attacking duo with Adrian Mutu. His back heel goal in the home game against AC Milan was unforgettable.

In 2003 he became a starter for the Brazilian national team, with whom he won one Copa América (2004) and one Confederations Cup (2005), racking up a total of 48 caps and 27 goals.