Biggest “What Ifs” in Football – Players That Never Fulfilled Their Potential

The game of football has produced some incredibly talented footballers who eventually became superstars like Ronaldo or Messi. But what separated them from others who possessed great talent but didn’t become famous? Hard work, grit, dedication, and consistency.  In this article, chosen in random order, I’ve prepared a list of the players who never reached their full potential and became some of the biggest what ifs in football. Sit back, enjoy, and see who are those players who could’ve become great!

#5 – Ricardo Quaresma

Quaresma was one of the best young Portuguese players and even had the potential to rise to stardom like Ronaldo. He had superb skills with the ball, and his trademark move was the rabona pass.

He went to Barcelona in 2003 from Sporting Lisbon, and this transfer had the potential to skyrocket Quaresma’s popularity. Unfortunately, he had to leave the club after a dispute with Barca’s coach at the time, Frank Rijkaard. 

After that, he transferred, and his career steadily declined over the years after many coaches weren’t satisfied with this behavior. 

He played for other clubs, such as Chelsea and Besiktas. Today, he is a 40-year-old football veteran playing for a Portuguese club, Vitoria S.C. 

#4 – Anderson

When he transferred to Manchester United from Porto in 2007, Anderson was considered a young football player with great potential. After all, Sir Alex Ferguson, one of the best football managers of all time, rated him as one of the most promising youngsters in the world.

In 2005, he played in the FIFA U- 17 World Cup for Brazil and even won the Golden Ball as the tournament’s greatest player. A year after the United transfer, he earned himself the Golden Boy award with hard work and talent. 

Not long after that, his potential was wasted due to his inconsistency on the pitch and weight gain. His chances of being a superstar faded as time passed at United. 

Anderson left the Red Devils in 2015 and joined the Brazilian club Internacional. He announced his retirement back in 2020, with Adana Demirspor being the last club he played for. 

#3 –  Mario Balotelli

Since his first days as a professional footballer, Mario Balotelli has shown signs that he will one day be one of the world’s leading strikers. 

Many football managers were in awe of his extraordinary skills with the ball. For a time, he was a consistently solid player. Especially when played for Inter Milan as well as Man City.

The evident lack of discipline and inappropriate behavior strayed him from the path of greatness. Also, his off-pitch antics weren’t something to be proud of. 

Many managers like Jose Mourinho and Roberto Mancini have tried their best to control Balotelli and wanted to unlock his potential, but Balotelli was just difficult to manage. 

Balotelli shined from time to time by scoring incredible goals, like the one against the German side in the EURO semi-finals. 

He also played for AC Milan, Liverpool, Nice, Marseille, etc. He currently plays for Adana Demirspor, a Turkish club. Mario has had an unfortunate career, and many think he is one of the most talented players, never to fulfill his true potential.

#2 – Adriano

Adriano Leite is a Brazilian player who was just unstoppable in his prime. He was a highly prolific striker who handled the ball perfectly. Many defenders feared the power he hid in his left foot when he shot the ball. 

His first stint in Inter Milan was unsuccessful. During his loans in Fiorentina and Parma, he regained his form. His comeback to Inter Milan started perfectly. In the 2004/2005 season, he scored 42 goals in all competitions. 

But in late 2005, when his father passed away, his career spiraled downwards in quick fashion. He gained weight and had mental health issues. Adriano was never the same. 

Adriano tried to regain his old form, but he struggled. He played for clubs like Sao Paulo, Inter Miami, and Roma.

Many fans think that Adriano “The Emperor” is the biggest “what could have been” in the era of modern football. 

#1 – Adrian Mutu

Since he was a teenager when he played football in Romania, Adrian Mutu showed a massive potential to become a successful striker. Besides scoring goals, he possessed some excellent dribbling skills and a keen eye for precise passes.

At the age of 24, he was transferred to Chelsea, where he scored four goals in the first three matches of the 2003-04 season. But, suddenly, things took a dark turn. Mutu was suspended by Chelsea after it was discovered that he used cocaine. 

At Juventus and Fiorentina, he shined for a while but quickly returned to old antics. He got a one-year suspension after being tested positive for doping. After that, he had unsuccessful spells at clubs like Cesena and Ajaccio, mainly because of bad behavior. 

He retired as an ASA Targu Mures player. Once considered one of the best Romanian young players with the potential to become even better than Gheorghe Hagi has sadly wasted his talent.

Featured image taken from YouTube.