Ahead of the unveiling of the 2018 NxGn on Wednesday, Goal takes a look back at prodigiously gifted players who never lived up to the hype

AdrianoAdriano was just 17 when he broke into the Flamengo first team in February 2000 and so impressive were his initial performances in the professional ranks that Inter paid €7 million for the striking sensation just over a year later. After impressive loan spells at Fiorentina and Parma, it appeared that Adriano would live up to his billing as Ronaldo's heir, for both club and country. However, despite playing a key role in Brazil's triumphs at the 2004 Copa America and 2005 Confederations Cup, The Emperor's career went off the rails due to his battles with depression and alcoholism, following the death of his father in 2004.AdvertisementGetty ImagesFreddy AduFrom being touted as 'The New Pele' at 14 to searching for a club at 28, perhaps no prodigy has suffered a more spectacular fall from grace than Freddy Adu. Capped by his country by the age of 16, superstardom beckoned when the forward moved to Benfica the following year. However, Adu failed dismally to prove his worth at the Estadio da Luz and he ultimately became the quintessential journeyman footballer, plying his trade in the likes of Serbia and Finland before being released by the Tampa Bay Rowdies in January 2017.GettyAndersonAnderson believes that it is medals that make the man, recently pointing out that he has four Premier League titles to Steven Gerrard's none. However, whereas even the Brazilian concedes that the former Liverpool captain has a place in "football history", the former Porto man will never be remembered as anything other than a total waste of talent. Indeed, a player once described by legendary Manchester United boss Alex Ferguson as "something special" was eventually let go in 2015, when still only 26, due to his total lack of professionalism. He is now back in Brazil, on loan to Coritiba from Internacional.Getty ImagesValeri BojinovThe youngest non-Italian ever to play in Serie A, Valeri Bojinov just 15 when he made his debut for Lecce, in January 2002. So highly was the Bulgarian rated that he made his international bow at Euro 2004, leading to the striker being touted as Serie A's answer to England starlet Wayne Rooney. However, if Rooney eventually burned out after over a decade at the top, Bojinov never really got going. He was still only 19 when he joined Fiorentina in 2005 but his career, which also took in spells at Juventus and Manchester City, was blighted by injuries and altercations with team-mates and coaches. He is now plying his trade in Croatia with Rijeka.