Pato's unreached heights: I wish I had the wisdom I have now, I wasn't aware of what was happening off the field

In the past two decades, numerous pearls have passed through Italy's football stadiums, some with more or less success, managed to turn their great potential into actions that will be remembered. Among the players at the top of that list when it comes to talent will remain Alexandre Pato, the famous Brazilian who managed to lift everyone on the Apennine Peninsula to their feet as a teenager, however today, when he writes the last pages of his football biography, it cannot be said that he has fully fulfilled expectations.

In 2007, just came of age, Pato joined AC Milan, then the current European champion, and with a compensation of 24,000,000 euros, he carried the burden of high expectations after a series of Brazilians who left a deep mark among the Rossoneri. Despite the excellent start of his European career, injuries and certain decisions prevented Pato from fully achieving all the projections and he returned to his homeland in 2013.

Episodes in England, Spain, China and the United States followed, and since his contract with Orlando expired this winter, the 33-year-old forward returned to Sao Paulo, where he trains and thinks about the next step. During the break between the challenges, in a conversation with Tuttomercato, Pato touched on current topics and rewound on some of the striking moments from the past.

"Unfortunately, injuries happen in football and recently after a game I felt pain in my knee. I still have two months to return to the field, but I'm not in a hurry. I'm a free agent and we'll see what happens in the meantime," said the forward and added:

"At the moment I just want to heal well, I'm not in a hurry to come back. Let's see what happens, I'm not closing the door to any club. I'm happy that Sao Paulo was there for me, I'm having treatments here, but we never discussed the future decision to come back to play with them. We'll see, they know I'm available".

Although in the period when he moved to Europe as an 18-year-old, it was expected that he would last much longer on the brightest football stage, today Pato watches the players with the main roles from a different perspective.

"There is a reason Ibrahimovic is over 40 years old and doing well there. I love Milan who have given me so much. I really like Serie A and I miss Italy. I told my wife I would go back and she is ready to do anything for me. I remain a fan of Italy who have phenomenal people who are passionate about football. Like I said, I don't know what the future holds for me, but the door for me to go back there is definitely open. When I was in China, I stopped by to see friends in Italy, then Galliani and Berlusconi. But then I couldn't because of other experiences I had in Brazil and the United States of America. Now I want to go back, either for vacation or, who knows, for work. I've always followed AC Milan, I keep in touch with many to friends who work there. I see that a lot has changed in the club, they are following a clear path, on and off the field, and that they can only grow".

From the time when the Brazilian arrived at San Siro, then the home of the European champions, the club changed significantly, and the Rossoneri, like Pato, went through a turbulent period.

"During all these years in football, I realized that for every club in the world there are ups and downs. These are processes, changes that come. Thank God that I played with legends, with the history of football, but I was also part of a new era. It's true , Milan had dark moments, but they came back by winning the Scudetto and the goals are clear, return to the Champions League and I hope they can continue on this path."

When he arrived in the European capital of fashion, many considered him to be the future of football, but the pressure and expectations obviously did not reflect positively on the striker.

"The advice I give to all players is that they not only have to understand what's going on on the field, but also around them. Unfortunately, I was a boy back then focused only on the field, unaware of what was happening off it. I learned that the hard way. I wish I had the knowledge I have today, to understand how it worked off the field. But I have no regrets, because football has taught me so much. I love Milan, it has given me so much. I am grateful to the club for everything they taught. Of course, if I could go back, I would behave differently."

One of the major crossroads in Pato's career was in January 2012, when he was on the verge of joining Paris Saint-Germain, but then he turned down an invitation from the City of Light, explaining that his heart was with AC Milan.

"I don't know what would have happened if I had decided differently. It could have been nice, but it could have gone badly. I was a Milan player, I had to ask the president if I could go or not. And he gave me the chance to stay, he gave me the opportunity to have big challenges and I made myself available to my club. I was happy with the decision made. Then the injuries came and I returned to Brazil" Pato said.