On October 3, Swedish striker Ibrasimovic celebrated his 40th birthday, and as his former teammate, Pato also sent him a blessing: "Hey! Happy birthday, Ibrahimovic! You're old... Ah no, you're old! It's great to have fought with you, you've always been a great teammate and a role model for everyone. ”
Before that, Ibra was interviewed by AC Milan, when the reporter asked him, "Of all the players you've worked with, who do you think is the most comprehensive?" At the time, Ibrahimovic's answer was surprising — his answer was not Messi, Harvey, Iniesta, Pirlo, Seedorf and others, but the former golden boy Pato.
Pato is a fantastic player, he is very well-rounded. When he was healthy, almost no one could stop him. Sadly, However, Pato was plagued by injuries that affected his career, but I must admit that he was a great footballing genius and had inspired Milan fans. — Ibrasimovich
Image from Milan News Network with the headline: "Pato is the most well-rounded player I've ever seen – Ibrahimovic. ”
Undoubtedly, Pato's birthday wishes to Ibrahimovic were also a positive response to his praise for himself. But as Ibrahimovic said, when Pato is healthy, he can travel to the Apennines, he can win the "European Golden Boy Award", he can write a 24-second legend, but just when people are looking forward to the rise of another football superstar, the increasingly frequent injuries have made Pato gradually lose himself.
Since leaving AC Milan in January 2013 to return to Brazil and joining the Baliga team Corinthians, Pato's career has been declining, although he has since landed in Europe again, passing through Chelsea, Villarreal and other teams, but due to physical reasons, he has not been able to create glory again. In the winter of 2017, Pato landed in the Chinese Super League and came to Tianjin, the charismatic Golden Boy conquered everyone up and down the field, but the good times were short-lived, and in the spring of 2019, Pato returned to the Bajia to join São Paulo, and was subsequently dismissed by the club for poor performance.
Image from Pato's personal social media ins
In mid-February this year, Pato, who had been idle at home for nearly half a year, made his career debut in Major League Soccer and joined Orlando City. At the beginning of the franchise, the Brazilian who put on the no. 7 shirt again was full of ambitions and wanted to prove himself again in a new environment. However, many people did not expect that on April 17, in the first round of the MLB Orlando City team sat at home to meet Atlanta United, the starting Pato not only failed to make a difference, but induced his knee injury, and had to be replaced.
Image from the "The Mane Land" website report screenshot, headline: After undergoing surgery, Pato will be absent for 3 to 6 weeks.
Subsequently, Pato underwent surgery. At first, people were optimistic about his recovery. In mid-August, the Spanish newspaper Ass also reported that Pato was expected to make a comeback in late August, but to this day, he has not been able to return to the green field, and his current physical condition has become a mystery. Now that the MLB regular season has come to an end, Orlando City, tied for third place in the Eastern Division, is expected to make it into the playoffs. However, in the eyes of the outside world, Pato, who has not been able to play for nearly 5 months, even if he returns, he will not be able to bring much help to the team's offensive line. It is worth mentioning that Pato's contract with Orlando City will expire at the end of this year, and given his "glass physique", not only Orlando City will not renew his contract, but the entire Major League Of America may not accept him again.
A few days ago, there was news from the Brazilian media that Pato may return to his old club, Sao Paulo Club, but after learning of this scandal, São Paulo Club President Julio Casares came outright in denial, "We have no interest in hiring this athlete and the club is not even considering the possibility of this deal." While Casares may be hurtful, even if Pato is well-known, recruiting a player who has played only 1 official game in 14 months and is constantly injured is a big risk for many clubs.
After a big circle in South America, Europe, Asia, and North America, Pato, now 32, suddenly found that he had no "next stop". With Pato's proud personality and status as a "rich man", he should not choose to stay away from Brazil or play for small clubs, which almost means that his career is likely to end here. As the former European Golden Boy and Ronaldo's "successor", if Pato retires at the age of 32 because he has no ball to play, it is a big loss in world football.
In fact, throughout Pato's career, injuries are only the superficial reasons that hinder the development of his career, and the lack of self-discipline, morale and initiative is the core problem of his decline. There is a Chinese saying that "fame should be early", but for Pato, the achievement of youth has become his biggest drag. From the 17-year-old Milan to the 32-year-old, in the past 15 years, Pato has only grown in age, but he has never found himself and looked at his heart, he has always lived in his own giant star ring, and he has never figured out what position football should occupy in his life. If football was the only way he could get out of poverty as a teenager, now football is only a tool for him to maintain his reputation and popularity.
Pato with ex-girlfriend Barbara
We all know that Pato was once a genius. But now, when the 40-year-old Ibrahimovic and the 36-year-old Ronaldo are still killing in the top european league, he has come to the crossroads of hanging up his boots and retiring early, how will he start his "second half" next?